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Haute
Route to Zermatt
2012
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| Course
overview |
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Course
dates & availability |
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The
Haute Route route between the two historic
mountain centres of Chamonix and Zermatt stretches
for 114 miles and there is between 13,000m
to 14,000m of ascent and descent taking you
through some of the most famous landscapes
in the Alps. |
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Throughout
the week you are surrounded by stunning 4000m
peaks, and the ski tour provides a challenge
that many people repeat several times during
their lives. It will appeal to those wishing
to escape the hustle and business of the Alpine
valley towns and ski slopes. |
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This
course is ideal for those seeking a challenging
ski tour, with the opportunity to use some
mountaineering techniques, such as an ascent
on crampons or an abseil. All roped techniques
will be taught during the week, so don't worry
if you are a ropework virgin! |
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Skiing
ability should be fairly good as although
there is only a little steep skiing, the
slopes can be icy or rutted in places, with
breakable crusts. There is also often more
than a little powder on the descents! You
will encounter most types of snow conditions.
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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, though note
the pack should be 35 litres maximum. |
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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. |
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A
key feature of this course is that we include
the FREE loan of all technical equipment in
the course price as required; ice axe, 12
point crampons, harness, avalanche tranceiver,
probe and shovel. This gives a saving of over
£100 if you had to hire it all for the
week! |
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Dates:
these
are listed in the column on the right, and
they show the live availability from our secure
online booking system. When you book online,
you receive immediate confirmation, your Alpine
Information Booklet, course specific kit list
and invoice. |
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Course Dates
Haute Route Tour
- [5+] 11 - 17 Mar 2012
- [5+] 18 - 24 Mar 2012
- [ 2 ] 22 - 28 Mar 2012
- [ 4 ] 25 - 31 Mar 2012
- [ 3 ] 29 Mar - 4 Apr 2012
- [5+] 1 - 7 Apr 2012
- [ 3 ] 5 - 11 Apr 2012
- [5+] 8 - 14 Apr 2012
- [5+] 15 - 21 Apr 2012
- [5+] 22 - 28 Apr 2012
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| Client
feedback |
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A
well matched group of people, with
an inspirational Guide. We learnt
loads and had a great time on our
way to Zermatt. Your logistical support
was great, as was the attention to
detail
Suzanne
Teal , Haute Route Tour
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Thanks
to everyone involved in making this
happen for us; the guides, Chamonix
team, and the UK office for putting
up with my endless queries before
the course. You were all great, and
I can't thank you enough
Josephine
Turner , Haute Route Tour
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Great
trip thanks... fantastic weather,
excellent Guide and good company...
Russ
Conway, Haute Route Tour
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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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Sunday
Travel to Chamonix to arrive for the 17:00 check-in
followed by and course safety and itinerary briefings.
There is time for kit checks or rental of equipment.
Briefings are over by 19:00 and the Chamonix hosts
accompany the group to pre-dinner drinks. Some clients
opt to travel out a day or two early to get their
ski legs back and to test out their skis, whilst
many others opt to do a one day avalanche awareness
safety course. Night in Chamonix. |
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Monday
Day 1 ski tour, 1:6 Guiding: From Chamonix valley,
you take the Grands Montets cable car to the top,
then ski own onto the Argentiere glacier. From here
you ascend the steep Col du Chardonnet, either on
skins or crampons. Often this involves an abseil
to descend. An alternative route to the hut is either
by the Col du Passon or from Le Tour, in case of
icy conditions. Both routes converge on the flat
expanse of the Trient glacier. Night in the Trient
Hut. |
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Tuesday
Day
2 ski tour, 1:6 Guiding: An early start from the
Trient Hut for a short climb, then the long exhilerating
ski down the Arpette valley to reach Champex-Lac.
Take a short transfer by road to Le Chable, then
ascend the Verbier cable cars. You pass Montfort
hut and cross the Cols de la Chaux and Prafleuri,
and possibly ascend the Rosablanche on the way.
Night
in Prafleuri Hut. If
you reached Trient from the longer Passon route,
you may stay in Montfort. |
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Wednesday
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. On the way
to Arolla, you cross the Pas de Chevre by it's famous
ladders up the final section, and in Arolla you
stay in a comfy traditional hotel in the village.
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Thursday
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. Upon arriving beneath the
hut, you are faced with a series of ladders and
cables to ascend to reach the hut that is perched
on the top of the ridge, in an amazing location.
Night in Bertol Hut. |
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Friday
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. After
the Tete Blanche, the descent through the icefall
of the glacier is steep in some pitches, before
you finally pick up the pistes to descend to Zermatt.
Return transfer to Chamonix. Celebratory dinner
and night in Chamonix. |
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Saturday
Breakfast
then the accommodation check out is by 10:00. Most
arrange their airport transfers to leave around
this time, to catch a flight from Geneva about midday.
Depart for home.
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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Resources
section
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Haute
Route ski tour routes map
If
you are planning to complete the Haute Route ski
tour, you will find that there are many route options
and variations. Icicle offers the most popular route,
but each year we organise bespoke trips for groups
set on other variations.
When you are researching the route, such as with
the course itinerary above, it's useful to have
a map handy, and we have produced a basic map which
you can access by clicking on the image to the left,
or by clicking
here.
This will open our route map of the Haute Route
ski tour in a new window for reference. If you would
like to receive a quote for a group booking for
guiding on any of the other Haute Route variations
such as the Grand Lui, then please get in touch. |
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Skis
and equipment advice
Because
we know it is so important to you to have the most
suitable equipment and clothing for off piste skiing
and touring, we have devoted a page especially to
it, which you can access by clicking on the image,
or by clicking
here. This page outlines the key equipment
you should bring, and gives examples of skis that
are suitable for the course. If after reading this
page you have any queries, please do not hesitate
to get in touch with us. For this course please
note
that the loan of all technical climbing equipment
for each client is included (see full details at
the base of the page) in the course price as required:
ice axe, 12 point crampons, harness, ropes, ice
screws, avalanche tranceiver, probe and shovel.
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Course
Film & Photo Gallery
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| Course
Prices |
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Standard
course
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5
full days IFMGA guiding, 1:6 max ratio
7 days holiday in total, Sunday-Saturday |
£899 |
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Live
availability
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Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
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Secure
online booking system |
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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, 11) Technical safety kit*. |
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| Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Chamonix, 2) Cable Cars (approx
40€pp), 3) Ski hire, 4) Personal laundry, telephone
calls, lunches, & any purchases in mountain huts /
hotels / restaurants, 5) Return transport from Zermatt
to Chamonix (approx 50€pp based on six), and road
transport outside Chamonix valley (Champex-Verbier approx
15€pp based on six), 6) Sunday pre-dinner drinks
& Friday celebratory meal & drinks, 7) 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, harness, ropes, ice screws, avalanche
tranceiver, avalanche probe and shovel. |
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| Upgrade
options |
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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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Would
you prefer to have a private group?
The
course price for our scheduled course dates is just
£899 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, 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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Group
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Cost
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1
person
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£2099
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2
people
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£1299
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3
people
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£1049
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4
people
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£899
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5
people
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£849
pp
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6
people
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£799
pp
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Note
prices quoted are per person
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