Walker’s Haute Route
June 27th - July 11th, 2023
Day #1 Tuesday, June, 27th - Travel Day
Depart MSP 7:25pm (overnight flight)
Trip Atlas: Maps Included Below 1) General Haute Route 2) Europe Political Map 3) Europe Time Zones 4) Map of Switzerland
Day #2 Wednesday, June, 28th - Travel Day
Land KEF (Iceland) 6:35am (6 hr 10min flight)
Depart KEF 7:20am Land GVA (Geneva, Switzerland) 11am (3 hr 40min flight)
Van Transfer Geneva to Chamonix, France Transfer Departs 4:30pm (70min)
Overnight - Chamonix France Hotel Cosmique Link
Chamonix, France
Population 9,000 Elevation 3,396ft (1,037m)
11th Century AD - valley has 1st inhabitants
1741 - 1st recorded tourists (Englishmen William Windham & Ricard Pockoke)
1770 - 1st Inn/Hotel in Valley (opened by Madame Coutterand)
1786 - Mt. Blanc Summit Reached & cemented Chamonix reputation as “birthplace of mountaineering”
by Jacque Balmat & Michel Paccard (Highest Peak in Western Europe 15,777ft)
1901 - Railroad Reaches Town (explosion of Tourists & Mountaineers)
1924 - City hosts 1st EVER Olympic Winter Games
FYI - France & Switzerland are in the Central European Time Zone +7 hours ahead of Minnesota
Day #3 Thursday, June 29th - Hiking Day One
Chamonix to Trient, Switzerland (Approx. 26km via Col de Montel 1,461m & Col de Balme 2,202m)
Overnight - Refuge le Puety (20 beds available)
Trient, Switzerland Population 160 Elevation 4,356ft (1,328m)
- Must See/Photo Opt = the Eglise Rose (the Pink Church)
Lesson of the Day - "Welcome to the Alps
The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range that are entirely situated within the continent of Europe. This range extends west to east in a 750 mile arc across seven countries, which are referred to as the “Alpine Countries''. (Countries include…France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany & Slovenia) France's Mont Blanc dominates the sky in the west and is the highest of the Alps at 15,778ft in elevation. Twenty nine peaks within the Alps range over 4,000 meters (or 13,000ft) in elevation and contrary to popular belief (and old school opinions) the Alps are not home to the highest mountain in Europe. Mt. Elbrus, within the Caucasus mountains of southern Russia, is the official “highest point in Europe'' (18,510 ft)
Day #4 Friday, June 30th - Hiking Day
Trient to Lac (Lake) de Champex/Champex/Valias, Switzerland* (Approx. 16km via Fenetre d’Arpette 2,665m)
Overnight - Hotel Mont Lac
Champex, Switzerland Population 500 Elevation 4,822ft (1,410m)
- Know as “Switzerland’s Little Canada” for its vast lakes, forests, mtn views & wooden Chalets
- Home to the world’s St. Bernard breeding center (Foundation Barny)
Lesson of the Day - What is an Alp?
As a Geography teacher (and a Climber/Mountaineer/Adventurer) the answer to this little research question was a bit deflating…Why? Well, an “Alp” does not really refer to the high mountain peaks and the adrenaline rush of hanging off a snow covered peak, but it simply refers to the high mountain pastures above tree-line. A pasture…a place where stock animals graze for grass!?! Yes, so basically this adventure through the Alps is not so much as a walk with cows through the hill country. BUT…where did the English term Alp come from? (Theory) It is believed to be derived from the Latin word Alpes, which might have derived from the pre-indo European word “alb”, which means hill. Note: as a teacher it is very hard to teach European history/geography to Americans…this place is old (real old) and there are never really any absolute answers to many questions…Ex: I’ve been to European towns that refer to the NEW Church as the one built in the 1400s…in the USA we bulldoze buildings built in the 1950’s.
Day #5 Saturday, July 1st - Hiking Day
Lac de Champex to Cabane de Louvie (Approx. 30km via Col de Mille 2,471m)
Overnight - Cabane de Louvie (54 beds available)
Cabane de Louvie (Cabane = Mtn Hut) Elevation 7,316ft (2,230m)
- situated on the shores of Lac (Lake) de Louvie
- views dominated by Grand Combin (14,154ft/4,314m)
- current structure built in 1997
- hut started in 1950’s as a workers barracks during construction of Louvie Dam
- hut started serving hikers in late 1960’s
Lesson of the Day - Mountain Huts of the Alps
Planning this type of trek is quite a monumental task and we have been working out the logistics for well over 6 months. One of the biggest challenges was securing reservations for all of our nightly accommodations throughout our expected (if everything goes as planned and our feet hold up) itinerary as we work our way through the route. We will be spending 10 days walking, so we needed 9 nights of lodging. Our nights will either be spent up high (using Huts) or down in the valleys in tiny villages at small hotels. I think we are most looking forward to the High Altitude Huts, which are individually run by local families, alpine clubs and National Park districts.
Mountain Hut Basics…
1) Reservations taken 2-6 months in advance (and no universal system or language to do this)
2) Average Cost Per Night Per Person = $80 USD
3) Per Night Fee gets you a bed, shower & Half Board
4) Half Board = Hot Dinner (Family Style) & Breakfast…some offer a bag lunch “to go”
5) Huts Sizes Vary…anywhere from 20 to 120 guests for our chosen huts this trip
Day #6 Sunday, July 2nd - Hiking Day
Cabana de Louvie to Cabane des Dix (Approx. 21km via Col de Prafleuri 2,965m*)
Overnight - Cabane des Dix (120 beds available)
Cabane des Dix Elevation 9,606ft (2,928m)
- Hut built in 1908 by Monte Rosa section of Swiss Alpine Club
- last renovation of Hut was in 1978
- hosts 6,500 annual over-night guests
- situated on edge of Glacier de Cheilon
*highest point on Walkers Haute Route & “Col” = Mountain Pass
Day #7 Monday, JuLy 3rd - Hiking Day w/ “Cheat”
Cabane des Dix to Cabane des Moiry (Approx. 35km via Col de Tsate)
Overnight - Cabane des Moiry
Cabane des Moiry Elevation 9,268ft (2,825m)
- view dominated by Glacier de Moiry & Lac (Lake) de Moiry
- Hutt has serviced hikers since 1924 (Last renovation 2010)
*Tsate means “rocky/castle like summit”
*taking alternate route in La Sage to hamlet of Moto/Motau to Col de Tsate
CHEAT = bus/train from Arolla to La Sage
Lesson of the Day - The Walkers Haute Route
We have chosen this adventure because we believe it is THE BEST way to see and experience the Alps, but what is The Walkers Haute Route? Walkers = simply means that the route is a non-technical walking traverse…only technical equipment we are bringing is trekking poles and microspikes. (no ropes, no climbing harness, ice-axes, etc) Haute Route = French term for High Road…we are walking the high road through the Alps. There are literally 100’s of variations of this route, but basically it… 1) Starts at the foot of Mt. Blanc in Chamonix, France 2) trail is approximately 135ish miles in length 3) crosses 11 Mtn passes (Cols) 4) has over 49,000 feet of vertical ascent 5) has a suggest trip length of 13 days and 5) ends at the base of the Matterhorn in the village of Zermatt, Switzerland
Note: this world renowned multi-day hike originated in the late 19th Century (1800s) with the British Alpine Club, which was the world’s 1st Mountaineering club founded in 1857. (this club today is simply called Alpine Club & is the longest running club of its kind)
Day #8 Tuesday, July 4th - Hiking Day
Cabane des Moiry to Zinal, Switzerland (Appox. 24km via Corne de Sorebois Pass 2,895m)
Overnight - Hotel La Pointe De Zinal
Zinal, Switzerland Population 200 Elevation 5,495ft (1,657m)
- Pop = 200 residents, but has 4,000 beds in town for tourists
- known as the “Climbers Paradise” & home to 5 14,000ft+ peaks
- access in town to 100km Hiking, 100km Biking, 250km Downhill Ski & 33km of XC Ski Trails
Lesson of the Day - The Great Debate - Swiss vs Belgium (Chocolate)
OK, maybe not THE GREAT DEBATE, but the two big “Players” in the European Chocolate industry are Switzerland & Belgium. Isn’t chocolate just chocolate? (uff da don’t say this to a chocolate fanatic) So here is the deal, it is really going to come down to what type of chocolate you like to consume (not really your favorite country of origin)…and to be VERY simple it comes down to Dark vs Milk. If you're a dark chocolate fan, then you should head to Belgium, where their nuggets of goodness tend to be more bitter due to the higher cocoa content within their product. Switzerland, on the other hand, is known throughout the world for its creamy/velvety chocolate…and this is due to the fact that Swiss chocolate contains more milk, less cocoa (less bitter) & HIGHER levels of SUGAR than most other chocolates produced throughout the world.
Day #9 Wednesday, July 5th - Hiking Day
Zinal to Gruben, Switzerland (Approx 17km via Col de la Forcletta 2,874m)
Overnight - Hotel Schwarzhorn
Gruben, Switzerland Population 28 Elevation 5,964ft (1,818m)
- village is inhabited only during Summer months
- situated in the heart of the Turtmanntal Valley, which has the highest tree-line in Europe
Lesson of the Day - Switzerland “King of the Alps”
Welcome to Switzerland! Switzerland is a land-locked country dominated by mountains in the heart (center) of Europe. (Shares a border with Italy, France, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein) It is the unofficial “King of the Alps” due to the fact that it is home to 10,850 named mountains, has the most “4-Thousanders” (High Peaks over 4,000 meters) of any Alp countries and boasts the most glaciers and largest glacier in the Alps range. That is a TON of “mountain stuff” for this tiny country with a land area the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined…hence Switzerland is KING!
Demographic Basics of Switzerland:
Capital = Bern
Population = 8.7 million (population of MN = 5.7 ml)
Per Capita Income = $75,000 USD (US = $70,500)
Official Language = German (60%), French, Italian, and Romansh
Day #10 Thursday, July 6th - Hiking Day
Gruben to St. Niklaus, Switzerland (Approx 17km via Augstbordpass* 2,893m)
Overnight - Heimat Lodge
St. Niklaus, Switzerland Population 2,224 Elevation 3,670ft (1,120m)
- home to Lochmatter & Knubel who were the 1st official guides of Matterhorn
- dynasty of European Mtn Guides in this town
- Guides of St. Nik are credited with 300+ First Accents throughout the world
- St. Nik & Guides has routes/peaks named after them in Switzerland, France, Norway & Canada
*Augstbordpass (Augstbord Pass) is the last Pass/Col of the Walkers Haute Route
Day #11 Friday, July 7th - Hiking Day
St. Niklaus to Europa Hut (Approx 15km via the Europaweg Trail)
Overnight - Europa Hut (42 Beds)
Europa Hut Elevation 7,431ft (2,265m)
- Hut is managed by the Brantschen Marcel family
- highlight of area is the Charles Kuonen Bridge (2nd longest hanging pedestrian bridge in world)
- bridge spans 1,621ft over the Grabengufer Ravine
Lesson of the Day - Alp Geology (Rocks for Jocks)
The European Alps were created about 65 million years ago by a collision between the tectonic plates of the African and European continents. Geologists (Rock Jocks) refer to this as a Convergent Plate Boundary and the Alps are classified as “Fold Mountains. This type of plate boundary creates an equal force against each other and creates uplift/buckling in the middle. FYI - Europe is losing this slow battle and is passing underneath Africa, so Europe may have won the modern Colonial war, but Africa’s day will come!
Day #12 Saturday, July 8th - LAST Hiking Day
Europa Hut to Zermatt, Switzerland (Approx. 19km via the Europaweg Trail)
Overnight - Mazot Zermatt Hotel
Zermatt, Switzerland Population 5,500 Elevation 5,310ft (1,620m)
- since 1961 Zermatt has been closed to traffic “Car Free Village”
- considered “Ski Town Switerland”
- Zermatt is a Closed Village…means Non-Swiss Nationals are not allowed to buy/own property within city
- town named derives from alpine meadows or matten in German
- Zermatt as a town name dates back to 1495
- view in town dominated by the Matterhorn* (most recognized peak in Europe)
*Matterhorn is considered the “Berg der Berge” or the Mountain of Mountains
Day #13 Sunday, July 9th - Tourist day in Zermatt
Overnight - Mazot Zermatt Hotel
Day #14 Monday, July 10th - Travel Day
Morning Train Transfer to Zurich, Switzerland (Depart Home)
Breakfast Pit-Stop Bern, Switzerland
Flight Info…
Depart ZRH (Zurich) 2:05pm Land KEF (Iceland) 3:55pm
Depart KEF 4:45pm Land MSP 6:10pm
Extra European Alp Geographic Fun Facts…
Montagnards = French term for “Mountain People”
Glaciers…over 5,000 named glaciers in Alps,
Switzerland is unofficial “King of Glaciers” = home to 1800ish glaciers & largest glacier (Aletsch)
French Scientists predict ALL glaciers gone by 2100
Mountain Terms by region…
German = Horn, Kogel, Kopf, Gipfel, Spitze, Stock & Berg
French = Mont, Pic, Tete, Pointe, Dent, Roche & Aiguille
Italian = Monte, Picco, Corno, Punta, Pizzo & Cima
FYI: France & Italy still argue over mutual border in the Alps & dispute* goes back to 1003 AD
(*only minor arguments over ski trails & hiking permits)
Humans have lived in the Alps since prehistoric times (50-60,000 years ago)
Otzi the Iceman = Europe’s oldest known natural human mummy who lived beteen 3400 & 3100 BC
(these remains were found in Sept. 1991)
Swiss Cheese…
1) formally known as “Emmental” cheese…named for region where cheese was first produced
2) produce about 375 varieties of Swiss Cheese (99% of from cows)
3) Cheese Holes are called “Eyes”
4) Eyes are caused by the high temps used in production process as bacteria grows and creates air pockets
Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Brand…NOT from Switzerland, but has been produced in Menomonie, Wisconsin for over 50 years
Pro Tip - to order Hot Chocolate in Switzerland use the German phrase “Heisse Schoggi”, which will get you a cup of hot water and a packet of Hot Coco powder
The Matterhorn is known as the “Berg der Berge” = the Mountain of Mountains!
What is the highest point in Europe? - Mt. Elbrus, Russia (18,510ft)
