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The Classic Haute Route: Part 2. Arolla to Zermatt…Unfinished business!Rewind to July 2013…… “We dropped down the glacier with heads hung low having never completed the route” That is how we finished the route, not the best of ends, but we had completed 5 wonderful days of the classic high Haute route (Chamonix to Zermatt) reluctantly we bailed out the last few days due to our “navigational misplacement”
Trip report of that July 2013 trek here…http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=35095Rewind to April 2015…The fact that we never actually completed the Haute had been bugging Martin and I ever since, we had talked about what a awesome trek it had been and how we would have loved to have completed it over a pint or two on many occasions.
One night in April earlier this year over another beer I said to Martin “How do you fancy going back to finish the Haute route next year?” as quick as a flash he replied “Why don’t we go this year?” Instantly replied “OK.” Obviously we were both on the same mindset and within seconds it was game on again!
A few days later we had booked the flight, trains, buses, accommodation in Geneva, Arolla, Zermatt and the 2 huts on our route.
It certainly wasn’t the beer talking; we didn’t have to think twice about this one!
After a flight to Geneva (Hostel overnight), next day a train to Sion and a bus to the charming high (1,371 m) Alpine village of Evolène, we reached out hotel and our base to start the walk the following day.
Evolène (3) by
Alan, on Flickr
Hotel Hermitage, Evolène.Evolène (5) by
Alan, on Flickr
Evolène. Day 1. Sat 5th Sept. Arolla (1371m) to the Bertol Hut (3311m) Ascent: 1300m.Duration: 5.30hrs.Weather: Cloudy, patchy rain, snow up high, up to 4 inches over several hours until the early hours.After a bus to the village of Arolla (Nowhere near as pretty as Evolène) we set off at 10.15am for the Bertol hut with waterproofs donned.
With the weather less than favourable and a grinding uphill slog at a high altitude, it was just grin and bear it as we slowly climbed onto into the cloud and increasingly heavy snow.
Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (1) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (3) by
Alan, on Flickr
A rare glimpse of blue skyLuckily the cloud lifted and broke as we neared the hut revealing its spectacular location.
Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (4) by
Alan, on Flickr
The hut comes into view.Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (5) by
Alan, on Flickr
A series of ladders lead vertically up the rock face to gain the ridge, a momentous effort was required to climb these given the altitude and our lack of acclimatisation.
Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (6) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (7) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 1. Arolla to the Bertol Hut (8) by
Alan, on Flickr
We flopped inside the hut, the warmth so welcoming from the snow and cold winds outside.
The Bertol hut is perched high on the rocky ridge, and is one of the best hut locations in the Alps. It overlooks an immense glacier plateau to the east feeding the Mont Miné and Ferpècle glaciers. Across this plateau the Dent Blanche dominates the view, and the upper half of the Matterhorn comes in view for the first time...not that we saw much of that during the evening as the snow continued to fall as we retired to bed that night, the forecast was for better weather sometime during the morning…hopefully sooner than later as we had fears of route finding over the high creviced glaciers that we had to cross the following day.
During the night I spent a penny in the outside toilet (Enough to wake you into your senses!) I was so pleased to see stars overhead.
Day 2. Sun 6th Sept.Bertol Hut to Schonbiel Hut (2,694m) via Col de la Tête Blanche (3,600m)Distance: 11km. Ascent: 741m – Descent: 1,358m.Duration: 8hrsWeather: Sunny, calm, cold.Our hopes were answered when we woke at sunrise, the transformation was amazing, pristine jagged mountains rose all around from the fresh virgin snow that had fallen on the glaciers below. Today was going to be awesome!
Haute Route. Day 2. Sunrise, and what a change in the weather. by
Alan, on Flickr
Sunrise…Awesome!Haute Route. Day 2. Sunrise by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Bertol Hut by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Footsteps of 2 early morning trekkers by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2.The Bertol hut walkway from the WC, sure to wake you up on yout night time visits! by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Bertol Hut interior by
Alan, on Flickr
Inside the hut.We left the hut by another series of ladders to the slopes of the Mont Miné Glacier below.
Haute Route. Day 2. Onto the Mont Miné Glacier. by
Alan, on Flickr
Onto the glacier.A nice level traverse made the going easy as we rounded the cliffs of the Dents de Bertol, then a steady climb to the Col de la Tête Blanche at almost 3600 meters.
Haute Route. Day 2. Looking back to the hut from the Mont Miné Glacier (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2.Virgin tracks up the Mont Miné Glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Heading for the Col, Mont Miné Glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. View down the Mont Miné Glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
View down the Mont Miné GlacierHaute Route. Day 2. Map checking by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Panorama from the Mont Miné Glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
Panorama from the Mont Miné GlacierHaute Route. Day 2. Dent d'Hérens and Tete de Valpelline by
Alan, on Flickr
Dent d'Hérens and Tete de Valpelline
Haute Route. Day 2. The Matterhorn by
Alan, on Flickr
The amazing Matterhorn takes centre stage ahead.Haute Route. Day 2. The Matterhorn from the Mont Miné Glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
This “Col” is somewhat misleading as it’s more of a shoulder than a Col, the real Col is some 200mts lower to the north east.
The views from our high point was spectacular, Dent Blanche, Obergabelhorn, Zinalrothorn, Weisshorn, and Dent d'Hérens just some of the mountains savoured, and not forgetting our first up-close view of the Matterhorn.
Simply stunning!
Haute Route. Day 2. View from the Col de la Tête Blanche (3600mt) by
Alan, on Flickr
View from the Col de la Tête Blanche (3600mt)Haute Route. Day 2.Col de la Tête Blanche (3600mt) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. The Matterhorn and Dent d'Heroens by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. The Matterhorn (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
The MatterhornHaute Route. Day 2. Wandfueh lhs by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2.Posing. but out-posed by the Matterhorn by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Posing. but out-posed by the Matterhorn by
Alan, on Flickr
Posing. but out-posed by the MatterhornHaute Route. Day 2.The Matterhorn up close by
Alan, on Flickr
Tearing ourselves away from the views, it was time to descend the crevassed Stockji glacier, we weaved a route through the crevasses which make you feel somewhat alive…being so close to death!
We left the Stockji glacier at a rocky outcrop named Stockji, here a rough path zigzags down towards the lower reaches of the Zmutt glacier.
Haute Route. Day 2. Heading down the Stockji glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. The crevassed Stockji glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Never get fed up of this mountain view! by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. The crevassed Stockji glacier (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. View up the Stockji glacier, the Col de la Tête Blanche middle top. by
Alan, on Flickr
View up the Stockji glacier, the Col de la Tête Blanche middle topA path traverses along the base of the Stockji to the moraines of the Schönbiel Glacier.
Haute Route. Day 2. A fine view from Stockji (1) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. A fine view from Stockji (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. The path from Stockji by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Lower Zmutt glacier and the Schönbiel Hut LHS by
Alan, on Flickr
Here was a horrible crossing of the rubble-covered lower reaches of the glacier, every step a balancing act on countless boulders of various size and firmness.
Haute Route. Day 2. Schönbiel Hut by
Alan, on Flickr
The Schönbiel Hut is tantalisingly close.The Hut was now tantalisingly close now being just a few hundred meters above us, but steep landside slopes blocked our way, so we had two options, follow a new path that looked equally horrible and a long detour back to the glacier, of try to find a way up the landslide slopes where the old path used to be…we chose the later and what turned out to be the wrong option, it was diabolically steep, loose and horrible, so much so Martin had to rescue me with a rope belay where I became crag (or rather loose rubble) fast, the crevasse were easy-peasy compared to that hell!
Haute Route. Day 2. View up the lower Stockji glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
View up the lower Stockji glacierOnce at the Hut we collapsed with a beer to revive us, which was just the medicine…as well as the stunning views which were enough to revive the soul. As the sun set we were treated to a lovely Alpine glow on the high peaks.
Haute Route. Day 2.Sunset from the Schönbiel Hut by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2.Sunset from the Schönbiel Hut (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. The Matterhorn Alpen glow by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 2. Relaxing at the Schönbiel Hut by
Alan, on Flickr
Happy and contented.Haute Route. Day 2. It's serious stuff the mountaineering! lol by
Alan, on Flickr
Serious stuff this mountaineering!Haute Route. Day 3. Sunrise from Schönbiel hut by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Sunrise from Schönbiel hut (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Sunrise from Schönbiel hut (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Alpine glow, the Matterhorn by
Alan, on Flickr
Day 2. Sun 6th Sept.Schonbiel Hut to Zermatt, Distance: 11km. Descent: 1080mDuration: 4.15hrs.Weather: Sunny, calm, warm.We were up as the sun rose across a cloud filled valley…another stunning day.
Haute Route. Day 3. Valley cloud from the Schönbiel hut by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Alpine glow, the Matterhorn (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. The Stockji glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. The Stockji glacier (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut sunrise by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut sunrise (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut, main room by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut bedroom by
Alan, on Flickr
Martin missed the sunrise as you can see. We were the last to leave, our route an easy walk down to Zermatt.
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut (3) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut (4) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut to Zermatt path by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut to Zermatt path (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut to Zermatt path (3) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. North Face of the Dent d'Hérens by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Schönbiel hut to Zermatt path (4) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Waterfall (1) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Waterfall (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. View back up the glacier by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. The Matterhorn's Hornli ridge by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Matterhorn by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. Matterhorn's summit by
Alan, on Flickr
The massive North Face of the Matterhorn loomed above us across the remains of the Zmutt Glacier as we dropped down to Zermatt following gentle moraine crests, grassy trails and finally a well-trodden tourist trail through the charmingly preserved village of Zmutt.
Haute Route. Day 3. The charmingly preserved village of Zmutt (1) by
Alan, on Flickr
Zmutt.Haute Route. Day 3. The charmingly preserved village of Zmutt (2) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. The charmingly preserved village of Zmutt (3) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. The charmingly preserved village of Zmutt (4) by
Alan, on Flickr
Haute Route. Day 3. The Matterhorn from Zermatt by
Alan, on Flickr
Thirty minues later we were in the hustle and bustle of beautiful Zermatt.
We celebrated with a high five and a beer feeling totally fulfilled, it had taken us 2 years and 2 trips, with some wonderful memories of what must rank as one of the best high level mountain treks in the World.
Not a bad effort for two guys who now have bus passes!
A video I made of this trek can be seen here…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4-YF470gtU