UKC

Hi,

I recently completed a very snowy haute route by foot in 7 days; I'd really like to record it as a route entry on here- I'm surprised an entry doesn't exist.

Is it simply a case of creating one? I'm new to this!

ML.

In reply to Malt_Loaf: When you have solved that, you may want to add an account to CampToCamp as well, looked at quite widely on the continent.

It might be a good idea for UKC to add a route recording facility similar to CampToCamp, obviously to be mostly used for things like Alpine routes (though Scottish Winter may also be candidates for this way of recording).

In reply to Simon4: Thanks, I'll check it out..

It'd be difficult to add something like the Glacier Haute Route onto here; It's not a route that fits into UKCs way of uploading a route..height/grade etc.

I mean, the glacier haute route grade would differ vastly! Even if UKC created a Classic Glacier Haute Route entry or something, it seems a shame for this type of route to be missing from the database completely..

ML.

In reply to Malt_Loaf: We're heading out to Alps to do Haute Route next weekend. Was there a lot of fresh snow throughout the route? Grateful for any details of conditions.

Richard

In reply to Malt_Loaf: I've suggested to the UKC site-owners that they might want to consider a "record an outing" facility.

In reply to richard s: Hi Richard,

We had no surprised on the first day from Chamonix to Albert 1er hut, there's camping ground above the hut that we used which worked well. We had an early start and headed up the glacier du tour which was firm and trodden in; there are two ways of heading over onto the trient glacier and down to champex- one way comes off left early up a gully (I'd recommend this), the second way goes up around the back of a rock buttress. Both ways should be easily decent onto the trient glacier; however, the second way (the way we took) was banked out with snow and required an abseil to get down to the glacier. From here it's a trot across the glacier and down into Champex (make sure you're crossing this glacier early, snow made this slow when the sun was on it). We took a bus from Champex to Bourg saint pierre; the trek up to Valsory is a long way and we found lots of fresh thick snow towards the end of the ascent making for a tiring day (allow plenty of time for this section). Valsory was not manned but open so we slept there and left at 4am. The ascent from the Valsory to the Platau du coloir was steep and banked out with lots of fresh loose snow, we made slow progress and actually though about retreating due to the stability of the slope but we carried on; however, it took a long time so we slept at a bivouac above the platau du coloir rather than over to the chanrion. From the biviouc we headed down and ended up tenting on the Ottema glacier, we then took a very long day to the Bertol hut where we tented below it. The next day we headed down into Zermatt (LONG DAY) without any difficulties.

Hope that helps.

ML.

In reply to Malt_Loaf: P.S the snow conditions only presented objective dangerous in the areas stated; however, it made for generally slower and more draining conditions. For the most part we woke at 2:30am to get the firmest snow. Due to the excess effort of each day we tented when we felt it was necessary rather than continuing to huts.

ML.

In reply to Malt_Loaf: Thanks for the info - sounds like you had some long days. We're planning to take it fairly steadily and dropping down to Arolla in the middle. Did you do the Pigne d'Arolla, or go straight to the Bertol Hut?

Richard

In reply to richard s: From the Ottema glacier we headed off right up to col du petit mont collon very early, down behind mont collon and eventually to the Bertol hut. We favored taking this long day to the Bertol due to having tough conditions and plenty of previous long days so we were keen to bite the bullet and get down to Zermatt in two days.

ML.