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Haute route advice needed (and which variation)?

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 phja 05 Jul 2014

I'm thinking of doing the Haute route (high level) at the beginning of July next year (planning early. Has anyone done it and have any views on the (many) possible variations?

At the beginning would like to go;

Grand Montets --> Argentiere hut --> Col du Chardonnet --> Trient hut.

I'm concerned having read about the col du Chardonnet and whether it's too difficult, with an alternative being col du passon. An alternative plan entirely being the Albert premier hut --> Trient hut.

I Would then like to to the Plateau du Couloir but am concerned about rock fall at that time of year? Has anyone done this section?

Would then either do;

Verbier --> Rosablanche --> Prafleuri Hut --> Cab des Dix --> Pigne d'Arolla --> Vignette hut
or
Chanrion hut --> col du Mont Rouge --> Cab des Dix --> Pigne d'Arolla --> Vignette hut
or
Chanrion hut --> Otemma glacier --> Pigne d'Arolla --> Vignette hut

Anyone have any idea which would be the best of these three section?

From the Vignette hut would then finish off --> col de L'Eveque --> Bertol hut --> Tete Blanche --> Schonbiel hut --> Zermatt


Any help anyone can give that can help my selection would be greatly appreciated!

Also, how much experience did you have before attempting the route. I've done a short winter climbing course in Scotland and have completed one alpine peak graded at PD-. Would this be sufficient would you think? I'm not so concerned about my climbing ability, more about whether picking a line through the crevasses is especially difficult on any of the sections??

Sorry for the long post, any help is very much appreciated!!
Post edited at 20:32
 jon 05 Jul 2014
In reply to phja:

> Grand Montets --> Argentiere hut --> Col du Chardonnet --> Trient hut.

> I'm concerned having read about the col du Chardonnet and whether it's too difficult, with an alternative being col du passon. An alternative plan entirely being the Albert premier hut --> Trient hut.

Yes, the col du Chardonnet is not that pleasant in summer but it does go. It'll be rubbly with maybe a bit of ice (and so will the fenetre de Saleina, but that's a bit easier). The rocky side wall had some bits of tat on spikes when I went over it in the other direction (Trient > Argentière) and there will inevitably be a big bunch of tat on the col itself to abseil/belay from. Normally though I go Le Tour > col sup du Tour > Cab Trient as my first day as I detest the Albert Premier so much. From the first lift to the col de Balme you should get there by mid afternoon and you'll normally be following a big track.

> I Would then like to to the Plateau du Couloir but am concerned about rock fall at that time of year? Has anyone done this section?

Yes, I gave up going that way for this very reason. I very nearly got wiped out there by some enormous rockfalls. The problem is that you have to cross these snow/ice couloirs that have deep rockfall runnels in them. They are very deep and their sidewalls are very steep and of course the rocks are channelled down them and are just non predictable. My preference is to simply take a taxi or bus to Mauvoisin and walk up to Chanrion - on the left side of the valley as you look at it, the true right bank. It's a beautiful walk.

From Chanrion the Otemma is certainly the easiest and the one I use.

> From the Vignette hut would then finish off --> col de L'Eveque --> Bertol hut --> Tete Blanche --> Schonbiel hut --> Zermatt

That's the standard way and excellent with a spectacular view to greet you on the Tête Blanche. The final flog up to both the Bertol and the Schonbiel is cruel!

> Also, how much experience (...)
Well it's not technically difficult but you should be well practised in glacier travel and know all the rope tricks that hopefully you won't need. It's very popular so you'd be unlikely to be on your own.

OP phja 05 Jul 2014
In reply to jon:

That's brilliant thanks ever so much!
 jon 05 Jul 2014
In reply to phja:

I should have said that the danger on the cab Valsorey > plateau du couloir is related to the state of the south face of the Grand Combin. When it's snowy and it's freezing at night, then it's relatively safe. When the face is dry and/or it's not freezing, then it's not safe. Don't get me wrong, Valsorey > Chanrion is a great day, but you should definitely check conditions first if you think of going that way. Maybe best to ask the Chanrion gardien rather than the Valsorey. He's a guide and he used to be the gardien at Valsorey before he moved to Chanrion.
OP phja 05 Jul 2014
In reply to jon:

Thanks Jon. I know it's far from ideal but do you think 2 people on a rope would be sufficient (and safe!). I know 3 or 4 is much better but what is the crevasse danger like on the route? I may have to find additional partners

Thanks again!!
 jon 05 Jul 2014
In reply to phja:

Can only really give the standard answer, three's safer than two etc etc. As I said though, you're unlikely to be alone and there's normally a good track to follow (less so if you take the col du Chardonnet and the Valsorey alternatives). This doesn't render it safe by any means but it helps. The most crevassed section is the Stockii gletscher - certainly somewhere not to be in bad conditions.

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