The Haute Route : Day 3

Chamonix-Verbier-Zermatt in 6 days
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Day 3 : Verbier to Prafleuri Hut

800m up, 1500m down, 10km across



Waking up clean and refreshed is an under-appreciated luxury. 5:45am doesn't feel so early today, and I'm looking forward to a fully-automated morning itinerary: a bus from Champex to Le Châble, followed by a few vertical kilometers of gondolas and trams.

Sleeping in civilization and travelling on roads is an unnatural break in an otherwise pure ski tour, but the Classic Route has always been done with such interruptions. Verbier, however, is actually a variation of the Classic Route, which ordinarily connects through the town of Bourg St. Pierre. Our variation apparently requires a bit less climbing and bypasses the Plateau du Couloir, which can be dangerous in heavy storms.

Apparently dissatisfied with the amount of weight we're carrying, Jean seizes an opportunity to go shopping for more provisions. He returns with dozens of oranges, apples, pears, ham, cheese, and bread. Since we haven't eaten any of the bread or cheese I've been carrying, I get off easy this time with just a few pieces of fruit, which I eat immediately. Alex, who was scolded yesterday for skiing ahead of the guides, becomes the proud recipient of a loaf of bread. Weighing a full kilogram, it probably increases his pack weight by 10%. I wonder if Jean isn't regretting how little safety equipment we brought, and perhaps intends to use the bread as a snow anchor. Or maybe we need a bludgeon to fend off marauding polar bears? We place bets on whether it will be eaten before reaching Zermatt.

In any event, we enjoy a pleasant ride up to Verbier's Col des Gentianes (2894m), beginning to ski at 10:30am with a short, icy descent and quick 200m ascent of Col de la Chaux (2940m). Though we awoke to dense cloud and fog in Champex, we've managed to rise above the weather and marvel at our continuing luck. Blue skies make happy skiers!

We remove our skins and descend a bumpy, well-trodden traverse behind Mont Fort. Another gentle ascent leads up 250m to Col de Momin (3003m), and we climb further up towards Rosablanche (3336m), the first actual peak we'll be tackling. The weather has become unsettled again, but we have enough visibility to see the path ahead, and reach the summit by 1:00pm without too much hassle, climbing the final portion on foot.

The trail today is more crowded than before, as apparently Rosablanche is a popular day-trip destination for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Two rescue helicopters land nearby to pick up injured skiers. Military helicopters are buzzing everywhere, dropping bundles of heavy supplies for next week's race from Zermatt to Verbier. It's not exactly the kind of solitude and peace that many seek in the mountains, but we know that other days will offer quieter moments.

After a quick lunch in the snow, we enjoy a 600m descent through the clouds, with more great snow at the top, getting heavier farther down. No sunshine, but no wind either: apart from the first few minutes on the summit of Grands Montets, it's been perfectly still the whole time.

We reach the Cabine de Prafleuri (2624m) by 2:30pm, and enjoy another lazy afternoon of playing cards and drinking wine. We're pleased to discover that, contrary to what appears our guidebook, the hut has been newly rebuilt and offers some of the nicest facilities in the region, including showers and sinks. Other guests and guides advise us that the French have the worst huts, and the Italians the best: apparently they'll make you authentic espresso each morning. I add "ski touring in Italy" to my ever growing "to-do" list, and sleep soundly, despite the snoring.

Day 4 : Prafleuri Hut to Dix Hut »