For reference the typical time to walk TMB is 8-12 days, and the Haute Route 12-14 days, so I was pushing things on the Haute Route, and felt it! Wild Camping on the Walker’s Haute Route. Alternative Option #1: Chamonix to Argentiere, Camping Availability: Camping du Glaciers. The Hiking Club helps Modern Adventurers to easily plan and confidently navigate legendary trails in the Alps. There are 4 camping options on the Haute Route; Wild camping. Nearby: There aren’t any services in Champsec, but there is a grocery store (closed on Sundays), bakery, restaurants, bus/train/gondola connections, and an ATM in Le Châble. Our 60+ page guide has everything you need to know to camp on the Walker’s Haute Route. Nearby: The campground reception has a small shop and there is a pizza restaurant in the hotel next door to camping Arolla. This is even more true if you plan on camping, as many of the campgrounds require you to leave the trail to access them. In addition to the basic physical challenges, there are also some sections that are technically difficult. Like the famous cycling event of the same name, the Haute Route for walkers consists of spectacular alpine scenery, dramatic peaks and challenging inclines. Nearby: There is a restaurant at the Gite next to the campsite, as well as a few other restaurant offerings in Trient. Services: Toilets (TP and soap), hot showers, water tap with cold, potable water in the camping field, sink with hot and cold potable water in the main building, porta potties in the camping field, restaurant/bar, picnic table, outlets, and a playground. There’s a nice trail leading to the campground which can be accessed behind the Hotel du Glacier. If you don’t want to do that, you could stop at the end of Stage One and camp in Argentiere. There are also bathrooms at the parking lot next to Lac de Moiry. That’s why carrying a map and (preferably) a GPS device is of the utmost importance. For a complete packing list, check out this article. While an increasing number of accommodation providers, shops, and other services are beginning to accept credit cards, cash is still the primary payment method used along the Walker’s Haute Route. Chalk it up to being part of the Haute Route experience and make sure to give the mountains the respect they deserve. If you continue up past Gruben, you can scout for potential camping spots tucked within the trees. The type of pack you’ll need for the Haute Route will depend on your individual itinerary. This offline feature is useful in parts of the trail where there is no cell signal and especially for international travellers that choose not to buy a local sim or activate a data roaming package. How much it costs to hike the Walker’s Haute Route is one of the most common questions I’m asked. Walker’s Haute Route Packing List: Be sure you’ve got everything you need! Chamonix - Mont Blanc, France travel video - Duration: 4:33. Unfortunately, you won’t find campsites in any of these towns. The first few stages largely overlap with the UTMB course, so try to avoid being on those segments during the race. An incredible trek between the two most famous mountain towns in the Alps. Regardless of the option you choose, here’s a bit about the Camping Ilôt Bosquet: Nearby: Bus stop, tourist office, restaurants, bank, post office, shops. The highest pass is at 2964 m (9,800 ft). We camped nearly every night on the Haute Route, but we made exceptions on three occasions. Where can you camp on the Haute Route? Walker's Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermatt. Keep in mind that shops often close for a midday break and almost always close on Sundays. This means that you should bring a pair of boots or shoes that you know from experience don’t cause problems for your feet. That's why we've created a "choose your own adventure" Itinerary Builder. Once you find a workable spot, you can head back into Gruben, grab a beer at the hotel, fill up on drinking water at the tap in front of the church, and wait for the sun to set before setting up camp. It is a tough trip, with over 12,000m of ascent over 12-14 days, crossing 16 mountain passes. We ended up taking the train and bus to reach Arolla, then hiking up to Pas de Chèvres from the Arolla the following day. Armed with my accounting background and mission to make every hikers self-guided dreams come true, I’ve dug deep into the numbers across all the different accommodation types, food and services available to provide firm guidance on what it costs to hike the Walker’s Haute Route. Other tried-and-true blister prevention tactics include putting bodyglide on potential hotspots or wearing toesocks. For budget travelers, it is possible to self-cater and keep your food and drink costs quite reasonable. Ciccerone Guide to the Walker’s Haute Route. This van-packed campground is located conveniently next to the train station and grocery store. Camping at Hotel de la Forclaz is a bit more luxurious than at Le Peuty, as you’ll have access to hot meals, a small shop, and real showers. Expect to get service in all of the larger towns, but less so as you go further from civilization. The next day you would descend to Arolla, where you’d have access again to a campground. The most exposed sections of the Haute Route are definitely more exposed, and further between shelter, than on the TMB, so you need to watch the weather forecast carefully. 10 Day (Camping All Nights): This Speedy itinerary has a mixture of campsites with amenities and wild camping areas (compliant with rules, protected areas) planned to ensure you can camp along the entire Haute Route in 10 days. If you are wanting to do the Haute Route on a smaller budget, or if you simply want to experience the joys of maximizing your time outdoors in the most spectacular Alpine settings, camping along the Walker’s Haute Route is your best bet. Check in at the registration office before setting up camp. To reach the campground, you’ll need to hike about 15-20 minutes further downhill. On stage five, the traditional Walker’s Haute Route route climbs steadily upwards to the mountain hut at Cabane du Mont Fort and stays at high elevation throughout stage six. Due to the presence of agricultural activity near large swaths of the trail, we do not recommend drinking any water from natural streams without filtering it first. It was the joint physically hardest hike I’ve done, with the longer 12 days Larapinta Trail in Central Australia, where I was carrying a pack 6kg heavier with camping gear and food. Services: Toilets, hot showers, potable water, laundry, wifi, a restaurant (which serves breakfast), and a place to purchase snacks and stove fuel. Join Facebook to connect with Steve Priestley and others you may know. Don’t forget to check out our complete packing list for the Walker’s Haute Route here. If you want to take the valley trail the following day, we’d recommend staying at the Randa Campground (it’s actually a bit past Randa towards Täsch). Nearby: There is a drinking water fountain located about an hour down the trail past Cabane de Moiry. Don’t expect to find any cell phone service in places like this (just outstanding views). Services: Toilets (TP and soap), drying room, complimentary tea and coffee served in the afternoon and complimentary fruit tea in the morning, option for self-catering, restaurant/bar, sleep sheets available for rent (5 CHF), showers (5 CHF for 5 minutes), foosball, picnic tables, sinks but NO potable water (we recommend bringing a lightweight filter instead of buying the overpriced plastic bottles at the hut). The Haute route started as a mountaineering trail connecting two great mountaineering centres. You could also use your transit card and ride the gondola or bus up to Verbier for more grocery stores, outdoors shops, and restaurants. The ladders are actually the easiest part of the ascent to the Pas des Chevres! You can choose to finish stage twelve either in St. Niklaus, Gasenried, or Grächen. It allows self-guided hikers to create their own unique itinerary based on 100+ possible route combinations, including: choose your preferred start/end location which is most convenient for you, incorporate alternate routes rather than only sticking to the main trail, choose transport assistance to shorten days or cover more ground, select accommodation based on your preference (Hut, Hotels, Camping), tailor your itinerary based on hiking speed (fast through to wanderer pace), use terrain descriptions to choose routes that match your experience. The Walker’s Haute Route is an absolutely stunning trail that offers what I would consider to be the classic Alps experience: beautiful mountain hamlets, green flower-rich valleys, gorgeous snow-capped peaks and almost constant access to great food and drink. The area for tents is small and cramped, but the facilities are decent and the proximity to the trail can’t be beat. Price: 8.70 CHF per person + 7.50 CHF per tent (cash or credit cards accepted), Camping Availability: Camping Molignon (Les Haudères). Price: 7 CHF per person + 6 CHF per tent + 4 CHF per person tourist tax (includes transit card) (cash and credit cards accepted). This campground will be closer to get to after a long day of hiking from Gruben and balance the remainder of the hike so your next day isn’t ridiculously short. He, Guide to Camping on the Tour of Mont Blanc, Guide to Hiking from Aspen to Crested Butte, Guide to Camping on the West Highland Way, Guide to Camping on the Walker’s Haute Route, The Ultimate Guide to the Coast to Coast Walk, The Complete Guide to Snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park, If you are wanting to do the Haute Route on a smaller budget. How to Do a Short Version of the Walker’s Haute Route. The Walker's Haute Route is one of Europe's best hikes, but also one of its most demanding. While certain places will be able to accommodate your needs, that will be the exception and not the norm. Chelsea and I disagree a bit on the experience level needed for this trail. Our 60+ page guide has everything you need to know to camp on the Walker’s Haute Route. See our logistics article for more on this. Conditions can change very rapidly in the Alps, meaning that you can find yourself in the middle of a whiteout blizzard or on an exposed ridge during a thunderstorm without much warning. Don’t forget to bring a pack cover (included with many newer backpacks) to protect against rain. We didn’t pass through the other towns, so we can’t say how possible it would be. Walker’s Haute Route 2020: New routes and highlights will be added to the platform that will provide more choice in adventure and trail preferences I hope so! When you arrive on the trail, your location will be highlighted on the map and your personalised hiking statistics displayed for each section and day of your itinerary. Expect increasingly cooler weather and fewer crowds in September; this can be a wonderful time to hike. Trail signs and markers are plentiful along the Haute Route. This is especially true for campers, as you’ll have a more extensive packing list and the stakes are a bit higher if you neglect to bring something essential. While far… Stage-by-stage hiking and accommodation descriptions Haute Route Trip Report: Know what to expect on the trail! As you descend into the small town, you’ll pass a couple of shops and hotels. Hiking grounds us to our planet, inspires creativity, challenges the boundaries of our mind and tests our physical limits. The Haute Route hike from Chamonix to Zermatt is a 187-kilometer trail through the Swiss Alps. Camping Availability: Camping Attermenzen (Randa) or Camping Alphubel (Täsch ). For the most part, the weather during the hiking season is ridiculously lovely. The route is usually marked with red and white paint flashes at frequent intervals. 1-3: 50k of lea, Babies. To get to the campground, catch the #253 Postbus from outside of the convenience store at the gondola station in Le Châble. In terms of other specifications, we feel that the only other must-have is a good, grippy vibrum (or similar material) sole for steep descents and loose paths. Alpine Kiwi 4,140 views. Stage 5: Le Châble to Cabane du Mont Fort, Stage 6: Cabane du Mont Fort to Cabane de Prafleuri, Stage 9: La Sage to Cabane de Moiry (or Grimentz), Stage 12-14: Gruben to St. Niklaus to Zermatt. The best time to hike is mid-August through mid-September, but anytime you go there’ll be a real chance that you’ll need to reroute to avoid snow-covered sections or adverse weather conditions. Kev Reynolds’ Ciccerone Guide to the Walker’s Haute Route: An excellent resource. Much of the hike requires walking on steep, loose, and rocky terrain. You might be able to pick up a few bars at high points and unobstructed areas (like the top of a mountain pass), but definitely don’t count on it. See our stage-by-stage guide for specific information on each stage. #quarantinegarden #patiogarden #container, Celebrating one incredible year since this perfect, Finally catching up on sharing photos from the las, Another latergram, this time from Angkor Wat, Camb, Still trying to get caught up on these updates. The mountain hut is situated remarkably close to a truly stunning glacier, and the modern renovations (glass-walled dining room and spacious terrace) make for an atmospheric and wonderful space in which to study the glacier and soak up the views. From our observations, it appeared to be quite difficult to wild camp near St. Niklaus, as it was quite populated. One of the great things about the hike is that there’s a lot of room for customization when it comes to creating your itinerary. Camping will allow you a lot more flexibility in terms of not needing advance reservations, but you will be a bit more restricted in other ways since camping is not permitted on every stage of the WHR. You’ll only spend about a day of your trek in France, so you won’t need many Euros. 10 Essentials for the Walker’s Haute Route: Need-to-know basics. Included you’ll get access to both .gpx and .kml files for the entire Walker’s Haute Route along with common alternate routes and waypoints of all of the stops along the traditional, 13-day itinerary. Key information: Walkers Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt) A famous high route from Chamonix to Zermatt. There are only 2 mobile outhoses and no showers and no reception. Are you planning to hike one of the legendary trails in the Alps, such as Tour du Mont Blanc, Walker's Haute Route or Tour of Monte Rosa, but want to self-guide rather than join a tour group? Tip: There are two options for your descent from the gondola station into Zinal. The route has a total distance of 180-200 kilometers depending on the stages you choose. It sits next to river on the far edge of town (about 20 minutes’ walk to the town center). Many campgrounds and other accommodation along the route will allow you to charge your devices for free, although there is some variation in terms of availability from place to place. However, by taking a variant to Grimentz, you have the option to camp instead, if you prefer. Bear in mind that Les Haudères is at the bottom of the valley, while La Sage is further up the hillside. At first glance, the campground is a little strange; there are various animals housed on site, people recreating everywhere you turn, and the area for tents is a bit cramped. Some people say that camping on the Walker’s Haute Route is a more challenging version of the Tour du Mont Blanc. . In the morning, make sure to get packed up early. Many hikers swear by them. However, once they start looking at the prices of hotels in Zermatt, many of those hikers decide that one more night of camping doesn’t sound so bad after all. Alternative Option #2: Gruben to Randa or Täsch, then Randa /Täsch to Zermatt. From the bus stop in Champsec, follow the signs and walk about 10 minutes to the campground. Upon completing a challenge like the Haute Route, many hikers consider rewarding themselves with a night or two in a hotel in Zermatt. One of the many wonderful things about the Walker’s Haute Route is that you don’t need to worry about carrying (and eating) two weeks’ worth of underwhelming freeze-dried backpacker meals. Nearby: Grocery store, ATM, train station, shops, tourist office, restaurants, post office. If you take the steeper option, you’ll have to walk through town for a bit to reach the campground. Below we’ve provided an overview of Cabane du Mont Fort, plus other alternative options for these stages. The Walker’s Haute Route is a roughly 115 mile trail from Chamonix, France to Zermatt Switzerland, and is widely considered one of the best multi-day alpine hikes in the world. It is located in a place where France, Switzerland and Italy meet: the Alps. If you keep walking for about two hours uphill (or take the bus from the St. Niklaus train station), you’ll reach Gasenried next. Can do is to camp on the Haute Route is one of Europe 's hikes! 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