UKH

We are interested in doing the Classic High Haute Route in July from Zermatt to Chamonix. We have a few questions and wondered if anyone could advise accordingly:
- What is the best way of getting to the start point from Zermatt?
- Is it feasible to organise it completely ourselves? If so, how does one go about booking each individual hut?
- From a mountaineering perspective, is 14 days enough time to complete the route and peaks?
- Where is the best place to purchase a map of the route?
- What is the quality of the glaciers?
- Is there a recommended book/website that would encompass the route, description and map?

Any other advice greatly received,
Kind regards,
B&H

In reply to B&H:

We did it a couple of years ago cham->zermatt. You can walk straight from Zermatt (at least we walked straight into Zematt at the end without using any kind of transport/lift, past the schonbiel hut)

We did it all DIY and just called each hut a day or two before to book. A bit of French would be helpful here. The Italians and French were pretty surprised we didn't have a guide with one girl asking if we had mountains in the UK?!

14 days should be plenty, we took 8. No idea where we bought our maps but they were pretty good quality, although the crevasses will obviously be different each year. Glaciers were fine but again this was a couple of years ago.

Enjoy, it's flipping amazing!

In reply to B&H:


There's a Cicerone guide book that gets good reviews:
http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/780/tab/detail/iid/5/show...

In reply to B&H: Might be of use
http://www.cosleyhouston.com/hr-glacier-trek-day-to-day/hr-glacier-trek-day...

In reply to B&H:
Your post needs clarifying. Z > C is against the flow - but there's nothing at all wrong with that, but it does have disadvantages. In the other direction it's usual to do it in about six days. Fourteen days is very generous.

You mention peaks - which peaks have you in mind?

You'll have to define 'classic' as there are numerous ways.

Zermatt IS the start (or finish). Your first hut would therefore be Sch£el. Very tricky to get down onto the glacier and then up on to the Stockji from there so needs checking the night before.

The Chanrion > Valsorey leg is also going to be a bit tricky in that direction - getting down from the Plateau du Couloir towards the hut late in the day risks being exposed to stonefall - especially if July has been hot. Even in the other direction it can be dangerous - even in the night/early morning if it doesn't freeze.

The glaciers are generally OK in July, it's later on that they get drier (usually).

The Haute Route by Peter Cliff is still about your best bet.

Yes, it's feasible to organise by yourselves. Needs a bit of research, that's all. Be sure to book huts. Don't just turn up.

In reply to B&H:

We did it a few years ago in 7 days. If you're starting from Zermat then it's a straightford walk from the station. The advice given earlier regarding stone fall is well worth bearing in mind. Once you've decided on your itinerary then the huts can be booked in advance (Peter cliff's book 'the haute route' has all the huts listed plus phone numbers). If you get behind schedule don't forget to contact the hut and advise the guardian). maps are readily available from any good book shop (or at least ordered) plus any decent mountaineering outlet (for example 'upandunder' in Cardiff). There are numerous variations on the theme and it boils down to your abilities and planning. An amazing experience. Enjoy yourselves

In reply to jon:

Looks like Schonbiel has appeared Sch£el in my post. Why can't it cope with umlauts and other accents?

In reply to B&H:

We are also intending to do this tour 9 July this year starting in Chamonix finishing at Zermatt 5 days later with a couple of days in hand in case of bad weather and if not we can do something else in Zermatt, train back from Zermatt at the end, will book huts each morning as required.

Being tight I have printed the maps off the website https://map.wanderland.ch at 1:25

In reply to B&H:

Really appreciate all your responses. Very useful information. We're looking forward to trip! Next time we'll 'clarify' our question better!