Haute Route Trek

Chamonix to Zermatt

Start of Trek in Chamonix, France

Bruce, Dave, Warren

Bossons Glacier

Chamonix

The Chamonix Aiguilles

Chamonix Aiguilles

Photo by Warren Elliott

Sunset on Dome du Gouter

1st Day [Chamonix - Col de la Forclaz]

Warren & Dave in Chamonix

Filling Water Bottles

Aiguille du Midi (12,605'), Mt. Blanc (15,774'), Dome du Gouter (14,121'), Aiguille du Gouter (12,674')

from Argentiere

Aiguille des Grand Montent's & Mt. Blanc from Col de Balme

Massif des Aiguilles Rouges from Col de Balme

Aiguille des Grand Montent's & Mt. Blanc from Col de Balme

Trient, Switzerland (4,196')

Sunset from Col de la Forclaz

2nd Day [Col de la Forclaz - Champex]

On the trail between Col de La Folclaz & Champex

Alp Bovine (6,519')

Ubiquitous Swiss Cows

Alp Bovine

Photo by Warren Elliott

Between Alp Bovine & Champex

Combin Massif from Champex

Champex Hotel

Champex - The "Quiet Village"

Photo by Dave Elliott

Fading Light on the Combin Massif 

Lac Champex (4,810')

3rd Day [Champex - Verbier]

Between Champex & La Chable

Sembrancher Watering Fountain

Sembrancher

Leaving La Chable (2,352')

Cable Car to Verbier

Verbier

4th Day [ Verbier - Cabane de Louvie] 

Cable Car - Les Ruinettes - La Chaux

Cable Lift (Les Ruinettes - La Chaux)

Photo by Dave Elliott

Les Ruinettes - La Chaux

The Biker's Haute Route

Close to La Chaux

Petit Combin (11,502')

Combin Massif:

Grand Combine (14,154) on left, Combin de Corbassiere (12,191') center, Petit Combin (11,502')on right

Sentier des Chamois Trail

between La Chaux and Col Termin

Trailside Break

Combin Massif in background

Sentier des Chamois Trail,

Combin Massif in Background

Sentier des Chamois Trail

between La Chaux and Col Termin

Sentier des Chamois Trail

between La Chaux and Col Termin

Trailside Break

Sentier des Chamois Trail

Photo by Dave Elliott

Col Termin (8,687')

Sentier des Chamois Trail

 

Combine Massif from Cabane de Louvie

Lac Louvie (7,260')

Cabane de Louvie, Combin Massif behind

Warren & Bruce with Cabane owner

Cabane de Louvie

Photo by Dave Elliott

Grand Combin (14,154') far left

5th Day [Cabane de Louvie - Cabane du Prafleuri]

Combin Massif behind

Photo by Warren Elliott

Lac Louvie

Photo by Warren Elliott

Lac Louvie, Combine Massif in background 

Lac Louvie, Cabane de Louvie

Warren at abandoned Cow Barns

Trail to Col de Louvie

Col de Louvie is the low point on the ridge

Photo by Warren Elliott

Combin Massif - Lac Louvie

Trail to Col de Louvie

Trail to Col de Louvie

Photo by Warren Elliott

Col de Louvie (9,583')

Dave & Warren leaving Col de Louvie

The Grand Desert from Col de Louvie

Col de Prafleuri (9,727')

Col de Prafleuri

Photo by Dave Elliott

Dave

Col de Prafleuri

Grand Desert

between Col de Prafleuri and Cabane de Prafleuri

Cabane de Prafeluri (8,608')

Photo by Warren Elliott

6th Day [ Cabane de Prafleuri - Arolla]

Morning exercise by others at Cabane de Prafleuri

Photo by Dave Elliott

Approaching Col des Roux (9,199')

Lac des Dix (7,756')

Mt. Blanc de Cheilon in distance (12,696')

Lac des Dix

Mt. Cheilon (12,696')

Pas de Chevres is seen as the low point on the ridge to the left

Trail alongside Lac des Dix

Glacier de Darrey

Leaving a pleasant trail alongside Lac des Dix

Trail between Lac des Dix & Pas des Chevres

Trail between Lac des Dix and Pas de Chevres

Photo by Warren Elliott

Mt. Blanc de Cheilon (12,696')

Pas des Chevres ahead 

Mt. Blanc de Cheilon

with a receeding Mt. Blanc de Cheilon glacier

Dave at the Pas de Chevres sign

Pas de Chevres in the background

Photo by Warren Elliott

Lower ladder section of Pas des Chevres

looking back at Lac des Dix

Pas de Chevres (middle section of ladders)

Pas de Chevres

Middle section of ladders

Photo by Dave Elliott

Pas de Chevres (upper section of ladders)

Dave, Bruce, Warren

Pas de Chevres (9,366')

Mont Collon (11,932')

Bruce filling up with water

Les Hauderes (4,763')

Photo by Warren Elliott

Village of Arolla (6,581')

Photo by Warren Elliott

Aiguille de la Tsa (12,034')

Aiguille de la Tsa above the clouds

Mont Collon (11,932')

From Arolla

7th Day [ Arolla - La Sage]

Fresh milk for sale in buildings on right

On the trail

Photo by Dave Elliott

Mt Collon

Entering Hamlet of La Gouille (6,026')

La Sage (5,469')

La Sage Hotel

A room with a pleasant view

Pigne d'Arolla (12,434')

8th Day [La Sage - Cabane de Moiry]

Morning light on the peaks above La Sage

Hamlet of Mayens de Motau (6,299'), Pointe du Tsate (10,098') behind

Wildflowers above the Hamlet of Mayens de Motau

 

Trail between La Sage & Col du Tsate

Dents de Visivi behind

Col du Tsate (9,409')

pronounced 'set'

Leaving Col de Tsate

Dave & Warren

On the trail between Col du Tsate & Cabane de Moiry

Lac de Chateaupre (8,274')

On the trail to Cabane de Moiry

Pigna de la Le in background

Warren heading to Cabane de Moiry

Cabane de Moiry

Warren enjoying refreshment at Cabane de Moiry

Bruce enjoying refreshment at Cabane de Moiry

Warren & Dave

enjoying the view

Refreshing

Dining Hall

View from Cabane de Moiry

Pointe du Tsate? (10,098')

 

Bruce at Cabane de Moiry

Cabane de Moiry (Old & New structures)

Elliott trio on Cabane de Moiry balcony

Friends we have shared the trail with

Glacier de Moiry

Sunset from Cabane de Moiry

Sunset light on Moiry Glacier

Sunset View - Cabane de Moiry

9th Day [Cabane de Moiry - Zinal]

Early morning - departing Cabane de Moiry

Dave & Warren heading down the canyon

Dave & Warren silhouetted against Pigna de la Le

Pigna de la Le (11,142')

Moiry Glacier

Cabane de Moiry on upper left ridge

Moiry Glacier - Pigna de la Le

Lac de Moiry below

Trail to Col de Sorebois

Cow Barn - Lac de Moiry 

Atop Col de Sorebois (9,340')

Trail to Zinal

Pennine Alps

Trail to Zinal

Pennine Alps

Cable car ride to Zinal 

Zinal

Zinal Hotel

10th Day [Zinal - Gruben]

Trail to Forcletta (Col)

Photo by Warren Elliott

 

Foggy trail to Forcletta

Photo by Warren Elliott

Forcletta Col (9,429')

Photo by Warren Elliott

Forcletta Col (9,429')

Cold morning atop Forcletta Col

Trail from Forcletta (9,429') to Gruben

Weisshorn (14,783')

Turtmanntal Valley

Gruben

11th Day [Gruben - Gasenried]

Gruben - Morning light

Augstbordpass (9,494')

Last Col to cross

Photo by Warren Elliott

Trail to Jungen & St. Niklaus

Trail to Jungen & St. Niklaus

Dave heading to St. Niklaus

The Dom (14,911') in the background

The Mattertal

A deep valley flanked by the highest peaks in Switzerland

Brunegghorn (12,575') on left, Weisshorn (14,783') behind on right

Warren heading to Jungen & St. Niklaus

The Dom (14,911)

Reid Glacier

Trail to Hamlet of Jungen & St. Niklaus

Trail to Jungen 

Photo by Warren Elliott

Hamlet of Jungen

Cable car here to St. Niklaus

Hamlet of Jungen

Descending via cable car to St. Niklaus

Cable car ride leaving Jungen

Brunegghorn behind

Grachen

Grachen

Gassenried

Gasenried Hotel

12th Day [Gasenried - Europa Hut]

Gasenried, Ried Glacier

The Dom hidden in the clouds

Leaving Gasenried, Start of the Europaweg

The sign says the Europaweg starts in Grachen but thats the next village back

Start of the Europaweg

Snow capped Weisshorn

St. Bernard Statue (patron saint of mountain travelers)

Schwarzhorn (9,606')

Dave & Warren - Europaweg

Dave & Warren - narrow trail

Warren on not much of a trail

Europaweg Trail

Photo by Warren Elliott

Dave following the trail markers on the Europaweg

Photo by Warren Elliott

Europaweg

Europegweg Trail

Bruce on the Europaweg

Photo by Warren Elliott

Europaweg Bridge

 

Europaweg Bridge

Dave on the Europaweg

Europaweg; narrow & exposed

Breithorn (far left), Klein Matterhorn (small triangular peak)

Europaweg

Warren crossing over

Dave & Bruce 

Photo by Warren Elliott

Dave 

Biggest danger is falling boulders

that can bounce into the bridge

at tremendous speed

 

Europaweg Trail

Photo by Warren Elliott

Europaweg Trail

Photo by Warren Elliott

Warren, Weisshorn in background

Weisshorn (14,783')

Breithorn, Klein Matterhorn

Europa Hut (7,283')

Photo by Dave Elliott

Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge. This bridge was closed at the time of our trek,

but has since been rebuilt. The old bridge was 755 feet in length.

The new bridge is called Europaweg Skywalk and is 1,621 feet long.

Breithorn Occidentale (13,665')

Weisshorn

unnamed peaks

Weisshorn (14,783')

Warren & Bruce

Europa Hut

Photo by Dave Elliott

13th Day [Europa Hut - Zermatt]

Randa, Switzerland

Between Tasch & Zermatt

Ist sight of the Matterhorn

Zermatt

Photo by Dave Elliott

Farewell to Trail-Mates

Matterhorn, Zermatt

Matterhorn Sunrise

Sunrise on the Matterhorn

First ascent route lighted

End of the Haute Route Trek