Chamonix-Zermatt par les glaciers - Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix

The summer Haute Route Chamonix-Zermatt is undoubtedly the most famous glacier raid in the Alps. It links the two historic mountaineering capitals via passes over 3000m high.

Day 1 Chamonix to Refuge Albert 1er
Depart Chamonix for the village of Le Tour (1,450m). We take the ski lift to the Col de Balme (2,100m). A comfortable path across and over the moraine of the Glacier du Tour takes us to the Albert I hut (2,702m). After a good break, we set off for an ice school on the Glacier du Tour. Back to the refuge for the night.
Ascent: 600m

Day 2 Refuge Albert 1er to Champex
We soon set foot on the Glacier du Tour. We climb up the glacier to the Col Supérieur du Tour (3,289m), which gives access to Switzerland and the Glacier de Trient, which we cross. We then join a balcony path that takes us to the La Breya chairlift (2,200m). The chairlift takes us to Champex (1,500m), where we spend the night in an inn.
Ascent: 714m / Descent: 1,200m

Day 3 Champex to Cabane de Chanrion
Transfer to the Mauvoisin dam (1,975m) from where our day begins through the mountain pastures. Your guide will tell you all about the Giétro debacle, the natural disaster that ravaged the Val de Bagne in 1818. A long traverse above the lake, facing the Tournelon Blanc (3,700m) and the Combins (4,313m), takes us to the Cabane de Chanrion (2,461m), where we spend the night.
Ascent: 485m

Day 4 From Cabane de Chanrion to Cabane des Vignettes
We reach the Glacier d'Otemma basin. We set foot on the glacier, which we climb gently for over 8 kilometers. The climb, which is a little monotonous for the duration, takes place in a magnificent glacial setting. At the Col de Charmotane (3,015m), we turn off in the direction of the Cabane des Vignettes (3,160m), overlooking the surrounding glaciers. Overnight at the Cabane.
Ascent: 770m / Descent: 80 m

Day 5 Cabane des Vignettes to Cabane Bertol
We start the day with a short descent to the Glacier du Mont Collon, which we climb up to the Col de l'Evêque (3,392m). We then descend the Haut Glacier d'Arolla to the Plan de Bertol (2550m), from where we begin our ascent to the Bertol hut (3311m). Perched on a rocky promontory, the hut requires us to climb ladders to reach it.
Ascent: 950 m / Descent: 1,050 m

Day 6 Cabane Bertol to Cabane Schonbiel
We start by descending the ladders we climbed the day before. We cross the large plateau of the Glacier du Mont Miné to reach Tête Blanche (3,710 m). This is a magnificent vantage point overlooking the Dent Blanche (4,357m) and the Matterhorn (4,476m), as well as many other Valais 4000s. We then descend the Glacier de Stocki to the Glacier du Zmutt. We then climb back up to the comfortable Schönbiel hut, where we spend the night.
Ascent: 565m / Descent: 1,100m

Day 7 Cabane Schönbiel to Zermatt
We continue our descent to Zermatt on a comfortable trail through alpine meadows. All the way down, the view of the Matterhorn's north face is breathtaking. We arrive in Zermatt in the late morning. Optional transfer back to Chamonix in the early afternoon (120€/pers).
Negative altitude difference: 1086 m