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Haute
Route to Zermatt
2010
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Photo
of arriving at the amazingly positioned Bertol hut after
the ascent from Arolla
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As
this tour is continuous, it is quite physically
demanding and requires a good level of fitness.
Good stamina will make the route easier and more
enjoyable as it involves five days of skiing at
altitude with a pack. |
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The
accommodation in the mountain huts is half-board
throughout, with plentiful three course cooked evening
meals and breakfasts each morning. This level of
comfort is important, as you will need a good cooked
meal after the efforts of each day, and by staying
half-board you avoid having to carry stoves or pans.
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Support
and assistance from the Icicle Chamonix hosts is
included throughout the week for logistics, valley
travel, equipment fitting, and briefings. They will
store any luggage that you do not want to take on
the route, and transport you to the cable cars at
the start of the week. |
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Dates: 14
- 20 March 2010, 21
- 27 March 2010, 28
Mar - 3 April 2010, 4
- 10 April 2010, 11
- 17 April 2010, 18
- 24 April 2010. For
current availability on this course click
here. |
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The
course at a glance... |
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7
days, running from Sunday to Saturday.
Price £849pp, includes accommodation. |
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Classic ski tour from Chamonix to Zermatt, for
those with some touring experience |
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Top tip... book an Intro
Ski Tour weekend
just before the Haute Route |
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You could also
consider... Paradiso
Tour or
Ski
Mont Blanc |
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Brief
Course Itinerary
Starting
in Chamonix, France, you traverse by ski the spectacular
high mountain route to Zermatt, Switzerland. By staying
each night in comfortable mountain refuges, set high
in the mountains, this course will appeal to those who
want to spend a week in amazing mountain scenery. Note
that the Haute Route has many variations, and that it
is often essential to alter itineraries often to cater
for weather, conditions, fitness, hut spaces and ski
ability.
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| Sun |
Travel
to Chamonix to arrive for the 18:00 check-in followed
by and course safety and itinerary briefings. There
is time for kit checks or rental of equipment. Briefings
are over by 20:00 and the Chamonix hosts accompany
the group to
pre-dinner drinks.
Night in Chamonix. |
| Mon |
Day
1 ski tour, 1:6 Guiding: From Chamonix valley, you
ascend the steep Col du Chardonnet, either on skins
or crampons. Often this involves an abseil to descend
to the Trient glacier. An alternative route to the
hut is either by the Col du Passon or from Le Tour,
in case of icy conditions. Night in the Trient Hut. |
| Tue |
Day
2 ski tour, 1:6 Guiding: An early start from the
Trient Hut for the exhilierating ski down to Champex.
Transfer by road to Verbier, then ascend the Verbier
cable cars to ski to the hut. Night
in Prafleuri Hut. If
you reached Trient from the longer Passon route,
you may stay the night in the Montfort Hut instead.
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| Wed |
Day
3 ski tour, 1:6 Guiding: Praflueri Hut via the Lac
de Dix and the Pas de Chevre to descend to Arolla,
Switzerland. Night in Arolla hotel. If you started
from Montfort you might go to the Dix Hut instead,
and in this case would ski down to Arolla the following
morning before starting the Thursday itinerary. |
| Thu |
Day
4 ski tour, 1:6 Guiding: A day of ski touring through
amazing scenery as you ascend from the Arolla valley
up to Bertol Hut on skins. This is a big height
gain, but the day is not especially long, and you
should not be too tired so as to enjoy the skiing
on the last day. Night in Bertol Hut. |
| Fri |
Day
5 ski tour, 1:6 Guiding: An early start for the
ascent of Tete Blanche from the Bertol Hut, then
descend to Zermatt past the Matterhorn. This is
a big day of skiing, but fortunately most of it
is downhill, which will be a welcome relief. Return
transfer to Chamonix. Celebratory dinner and night
in Chamonix. |
| Sat |
Breakfast,
then course debrief, with feedback and questions
and answers session. Depart for home. |
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| ITINERARY
NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries. Mountain
adventures are weather and conditions dependant,
so occasionaly we are forced to alter the plans.
If this is the case, suitable alternatives are offered.
Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to
the types of route / activity that you will attempt. |
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This
is a slideshow of one of our Haute Route ski tours,
so
that you can get a really good impression of what
it is like,
and the type of skiing and landscapes that you
will see.
These photos are from two of the winter 2009 courses.
Click
here to visit the full Icicle
photo gallery page.
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| Scheduled
Course Dates Prices |
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Standard
course
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5
days guiding, 7 days holiday in total |
£849 |
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Premium
course
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7
days guiding, 8 days holiday in total
(Standard course plus Intro Tour
weekend)
LINK |
£1048 |
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Secure
online booking system |
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| Standard
Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA Mountain Guides
for five days, 2) Chamonix course hosts for logistics
& briefings, 3) Pre course information booklet, 4)
Equipment discount voucher for UK shops, 5) Two nights
B&B accommodation in Chamonix (inc. bedding &
towels), 6) Four nights half board accommodation in mountain
huts including three course cooked evening meals.
8)
Free 36 page technical Course Instruction Booklet, 9)
Road transport in Chamonix valley, 10) Chamonix office
support and free Wi-Fi internet access. |
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| Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Chamonix, 2) Cable Cars (approx
£30), 3) Ski hire, 4) Personal laundry, telephone
calls, lunches, & any purchases in mountain huts /
hotels / restaurants, 5) Return transport from Zermatt
to Chamonix, and road transport outside Chamonix valley,
6) Activities insurance, & excess baggage charges. |
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| Notes:
The
loan of all technical climbing equipment for each client
is included* in the course price as required: ice axe,
12 point crampons, helmet, harness, ropes, ice screws,
avalanche tranceiver, avalanche probe and shovel. |
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| Upgrade
options |
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Intro
Ski Tour Weekend
£199
(throughout the season) |
This
weekend course is run on every weekend before a
Haute Route ski tour, and you get your ski legs
back and to work on ski touring techniques,
details. |
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Acclimatisation
Weekend
£99
(throughout the season) |
To
get the most out your course, acclimatisation is
essential so that you minimise the chances of AMS
(altitude sickness) later on during your course,
details. |
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Avalanche
Skills Day
£49
(throughout the season) |
To
learn avalanche prediction, reutschblocks and use
of avalanche tranceivers. Course is available on
any day during the week (includes ARVA),
details. |
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Want
a private group?
The
course price for our scheduled course dates is just
£849 per person, and all the dates are guaranteed
to run. There's no difference to the scheduled dates
course price whether you are booking on your own,
or as a small group. However, if you have a group
and would like to form a private group, |
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Number
of people
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Cost
per person
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1
person in group
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£2099
per person
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2
people
in group
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£1299
per person
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3
people
in group
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£1049
per person
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4
people
in group
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£899
per person
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5
people
in group
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£849
per person
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6
people
in group
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£799
per person
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| whether
you have a group of six people or are on your own, we
can run a Haute Route for you on any week of the winter
season. The table above shows the group rates for any
group size. If there are more than six of you, you will
require multiple guides, but can work out the costs based
on the table. The prices for the private groups have exactly
the same inclusions and exclusions as the scheduled courses,
as detailed above. |
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