After almost 2 months of off-piste and ski touring around France and Switzerland, I didn’t think my butchering of French nouns could be beaten. My best mate Ned, who equally struggles with pronunciation, had just joined me for the final leg in which we planned to complete the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route.
After completing a warm-up week of resort and off-piste skiing, it was time to get to the main event - The Haute Route. Chamonix to Zermatt is considered one of the original great ski tours. It comprises approximately 85 km (depending on the exact route) of ski touring across glaciers and picturesque backcountry from the Chamonix Valley in France to the base of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland.
We met our lead guide, Neil Mackay (IFMGA) and the rest of our motley crew in Chamonix. Amazingly, Neil was sporting a familiar, yet slightly faded blue Mont Guide Hoodie. It had been appropriately patched on the mid right sleeve with some green Swedish builders tape during Neil's COVID-season renovations in Scandinavia.
Ned Dale (left) and Neil McKay (right - IFMGA Guide) after arriving in Zermatt.
Ned and I, perplexed by the sight of our favourite Aussie outdoor brand on a British-born, Swedish-residing, IFMGA guide, had to ask, why Mont? Turns out that Neil guided Mont founder Andrew Montgomery and other family members to the summit of Mont Blanc in 2017. Neil has since become quite a fan of his aptly named Mont Guide Hoodie and Power Dry base layers.
Fresh snow, moderate winds, increased avalanche risk and low visibility meant we already needed to consider a route change. Begrudgingly, we opted to skip the first section of the Haute route that begins in the Mont Blanc Massif and shuttle forward to the idyllic Verbier.
Day 1 - Near-whiteout conditions on approach to the Cabane Mont Fort through Verbier
The visibility was incredibly variable around the Cabane Mont Fort, our first hut stop. The Ultimate Coverand Fury eyewear from Julbo were excellent for handling the changing light with the Reactiv Photochromic lenses. This feature proved particularly useful for the transitions from dark early mornings into bright glacier-crossing days.
Day 2 - Baguettes at La Rosablanche
Day 2 - Inside Cabane de Prafleuri (2662m)
Day 2 - Looking back at Cabane Mont Fort
Day 2 - Sunrise view of the Mont Blanc Massif from Cabane Mont Fort
Fellow guides and hut guardians alike, described the conditions we scored on the “Oat” Route as the best they had seen. When conditions did become “slippy and cliffy”, as “Turbo” described them, we both relied on our Grivel G12 crampons and an ultra lightweight ski-touring Petzl Gully.
For skull protection, I took my Petzl Boreo, usually accustomed to climbing/canyoning and the coincidental bush-bashing. The battered and scratched orange lid was light and breathable for the duration of the trip. Ned chose the Julbo Peak Helmet. At just 410g, it’s dual-certified for both skiing and mountaineering and; it matched his sunnies.
Day 2 - Martina (from Canada) setting us some fresh skin tracks in the sun
We stayed 4 nights in refuges along the Verbier to Zermatt route - Mont du Fort, Cabane da Plafleuri, Cabane des Dix and Vignettes. The infrastructure and comfort of these mountain refuges were a complete contrast for Ned and I, accustomed to carrying our Spindrifts, Dragonflyand food to pitch up next to an icy Kosciuszko creek. The huts each had a cosy side-by-side mattress set-up. Our Thermolite sleeping liners were a must for keeping the possibility of European bed bugs away.
Day 3 - Evening view of the Mont Blanc de Cheilon (3870m) from our bunk room
Our last day into Zermatt was another bluebird stunner. We briefly crossed into Italy to complete the long slog up the south-facing Haut Glacier De Tsa De Tsan. This put us at the final high point, Tête Blanche. Prime position for a 2000m descent into Zermatt beneath the Matterhorn. After 5 days, we arrived with once-again more stunning blue skies and enough snow to get us right into town. However, this left us all wondering, did we need to skip the first section? And, what were we going to do with 2 days spare?
Day 4 - Tommy Turbo in red telling us how slippy and cliffy the edge of the Vignettes looks
Day 4 - Breezy ascent of the snow-filled Glacier de Tsena Refien (3460m)
Day 4 - Descent to the Cabane des Vignettes CAS Day
The group decision to start from the forward position at Verbier was, in hindsight, a masterstroke. After a night in Zermatt we watched as several groups arrived who had had to abandon their attempt after choosing alternate plans. For our two extra days we descended the Monte Rosa on the shoulder of Dufourspitze from 4200m and returned to Chamonix to ski down the famous Vallée Blanche.
Day 6 - Martina clipping in on our ski out of the Monte Rosa descent
Day 7 - Crossing the glacier on La Vallee Blanche
Although I won’t be traversing the same glaciers, nor boot-packing Swiss Col’s this southern-hemisphere season, I still eagerly await the Australian winter. Crossing the snowy river, the weathered peaks of the Main Range and slogging up a long incline with mates. Not long now…
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This shirt rocks. I treated it like crap and showed me nothing but love. It's functional, sexy, and surprisingly resilient. Now while I did buy two colours, I wore the red one for a week straight just to see how far you can push it and it was my underwear supply gave out first.
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After the western light had faded I got my camera out and planned on doing a little astro photography. Pleasantly, my first image showed a cheery red and green glow to the south. The Southern Lights were active!
