chamonix to zermatt , walker's haute route

I did it in July and there was still some ice and snow on the trails. My
advice....bring crampons and an ice axe. Also, if there was any ice/snow on
the Europaweg, I'd be real careful. Make sure you've got helicopter rescue
insurance. Good luck.....it's a great walk.

Art
"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any information about weather conditions for the
route from Chamonix to Zermatt (walker's haute Route)in late
September?
Trail conditions etc.?

thanks

Hi, Mike & all,

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any information about weather conditions for the
route from Chamonix to Zermatt (walker's haute Route)in late
September?
Trail conditions etc.?

Sorry I can't help you as regards September, but a TR from our July 2001
attempt is at http://www.pardoes.com/climbing/whauter.htm , with links to
some other reports which may give you some idea of what to expect.

As you can see from the pics, there was a lot of snow about, much of it
still falling, and bad enough for us to pack it in at La Sage.

IMHO, if you haven't already done it, the TMB is a much nicer route.

HTH,
Steve

"art" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<KPSVc.2109$oA.1143@trndny04>...

Quoted message said:

I did it in July and there was still some ice and snow on the trails. My
advice....bring crampons and an ice axe. Also, if there was any ice/snow on
the Europaweg, I'd be real careful. Make sure you've got helicopter rescue
insurance. Good luck.....it's a great walk.

Art
"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any information about weather conditions for the
route from Chamonix to Zermatt (walker's haute Route)in late
September?
Trail conditions etc.?

thanks

thanks for replying.
But you probably talk about high level route ?
I mean the classic hike from Chamonix to Zermatt, not climbing

thanks

No, it was the walker's route, not the high level one.

Art

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"art" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<KPSVc.2109$oA.1143@trndny04>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I did it in July and there was still some ice and snow on the trails. My
advice....bring crampons and an ice axe. Also, if there was any ice/snow

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the Europaweg, I'd be real careful. Make sure you've got helicopter

rescue

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

insurance. Good luck.....it's a great walk.

Art
"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any information about weather conditions for the
route from Chamonix to Zermatt (walker's haute Route)in late
September?
Trail conditions etc.?

thanks

thanks for replying.
But you probably talk about high level route ?
I mean the classic hike from Chamonix to Zermatt, not climbing

thanks

Hi Steve,
I remember looking at your TR when I was making my Haute Route plans. I
thought " eh, he just had a bad year, how bad could it really be?" By the
time I got to Prafleuri, I knew the answer. My adventure was nowhere near as
tough as yours, but it was tough enough for me! I came into Prafleuri under
somewaht the same conditions....snow, rain, flooded trails...and I was just
glad to be inside. Curiously though, I wasn't hungry. This alarmed me as I
was constantly hungry during the trip. I couldn't eat anything for
dinner....I wasn't sick, I wasn't nauseous, I just wasn't hungry and had no
appetite. I figured I would wake up ravenous the next morning so I went to
bed (don't you like how they charge to turn on the light in the room!) The
next morning, I woke and I still wasn't hungry. I felt fine, just no
appetite. Now I was concerned. I remembered your description of the trail
and I thought it was not a good idea to spend another day on the trail not
having eaten. So I took the day off and went down to the valley and took
buses and hitchhiked over to Arolla. By the time I got to the Tza hotel, I
was fine and starving!

Thanks for putting up your trip report.....I enjoyed the pictures and
narrative and it's always fun to hear from someone else who's done the trip.
I'm half considering the TMB but the other half is considering the Coast to
Coast walk instead. So, hopefully our paths might cross someday!

Art

"Steve Pardoe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi, Mike & all,

"Mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any information about weather conditions for the
route from Chamonix to Zermatt (walker's haute Route)in late
September?
Trail conditions etc.?

Sorry I can't help you as regards September, but a TR from our July 2001
attempt is at http://www.pardoes.com/climbing/whauter.htm , with links to
some other reports which may give you some idea of what to expect.

As you can see from the pics, there was a lot of snow about, much of it
still falling, and bad enough for us to pack it in at La Sage.

IMHO, if you haven't already done it, the TMB is a much nicer route.

HTH,
Steve

Hi, Art & all,

"art" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:STmWc.4576$VY.3072@trndny09...

Quoted message said:

Hi Steve,
I remember looking at your TR when I was making my Haute Route plans.

I

Quoted message said:

thought " eh, he just had a bad year, how bad could it really be?" By the
time I got to Prafleuri, I knew the answer. My adventure was nowhere near

as

Quoted message said:

tough as yours, but it was tough enough for me!

Glad you enjoyed, and completed it.

I've just had an e-mail today from an American lady (I guess in her 60's)
who made enquiries of us having seen our web page back in April, and found
the WHR conditions (in August) pretty hard going, steeper and more exposed
than the impression given by the guidebook.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Thanks for putting up your trip report.....I enjoyed the pictures and
narrative and it's always fun to hear from someone else who's done the

trip.

Quoted message said:

I'm half considering the TMB but the other half is considering the Coast

to

Quoted message said:

Coast walk instead. So, hopefully our paths might cross someday!

I presume you mean the 'Wainwright' Coast to Coast in England? Our son has
done it (most of it solo, after his friend dropped out) and (as you'd
expect) much of the eastern half is so boring that it can be a real
anticlimax.

Given the choice, we would choose (and indeed have done) the TMB every time,
and yet we live only a couple of hours from the Coast to Coast. On the
other hand, if you've never been to the Lake District before, that part will
seem pretty magical (I've no idea where you are posting from, but there will
be plenty of defence of the Coast to Coast on uk.rec.walking).

Happy hiking,
Steve

"Steve Pardoe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi, Art & all,

"art" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:STmWc.4576$VY.3072@trndny09...

Quoted message said:

Hi Steve,
I remember looking at your TR when I was making my Haute Route plans.

I

Quoted message said:

thought " eh, he just had a bad year, how bad could it really be?" By the
time I got to Prafleuri, I knew the answer. My adventure was nowhere near

as

Quoted message said:

tough as yours, but it was tough enough for me!

Glad you enjoyed, and completed it.

I've just had an e-mail today from an American lady (I guess in her 60's)
who made enquiries of us having seen our web page back in April, and found
the WHR conditions (in August) pretty hard going, steeper and more exposed
than the impression given by the guidebook.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Thanks for putting up your trip report.....I enjoyed the pictures and
narrative and it's always fun to hear from someone else who's done the

trip.

Quoted message said:

I'm half considering the TMB but the other half is considering the Coast

to

Quoted message said:

Coast walk instead. So, hopefully our paths might cross someday!

I presume you mean the 'Wainwright' Coast to Coast in England? Our son has
done it (most of it solo, after his friend dropped out) and (as you'd
expect) much of the eastern half is so boring that it can be a real
anticlimax.

Given the choice, we would choose (and indeed have done) the TMB every time,
and yet we live only a couple of hours from the Coast to Coast. On the
other hand, if you've never been to the Lake District before, that part will
seem pretty magical (I've no idea where you are posting from, but there will
be plenty of defence of the Coast to Coast on uk.rec.walking).

Happy hiking,
Steve

Hi,

I also found your web page very informative, and I used it when I was
planning my trip last year. Thanks.
Last year I started walking from Chamonix in the end of September, and
got
to Arolla, after that the weather got really bad - snowing , cloudy
etc.
And the forcast was bad , so I had to give up.
I'm so eager to complete this walk , the problem is - I can get
vacation only in the end of September. And I wonder if the weather was
that bad only last year or is it always like this.

thanks

Hello Steve,
Thanks for your reply. I live in New York so the UK has it's charms. I
lived in Harrogate in the early 60's but I don't really remember much except
early pub closings, great fish and chips, and great beer. I go to London
every few years but it's getting more depressing each time as globalization
and chain stores take over the High Street....pray that Wal Mart doesn't
make it across the pond!
I can sympathize with your American correspondent. I'm 60 but I'm also
an avid hiker and I also lead hikes for a regional hiking club and I still
wasn't as prepared for the steepness of the trails, especially the
Europaweg...I was advised that I didn't need crampons and an ice axe and I
surely wish that I had them. It would have made me feel a lot more secure on
some snowy/icy bits.
The first few days I hiked some TMB sections from Argentiere to
Planpraz via La Flegere. The first day I went low and the second day I went
via Lac Blanc...there was freezing rain (this was July 12th!) and it wasn't
that much fun to climb the iron ladder section! I can just imagine what the
views must have been like if the weather had been clear....but it had rained
for the 2 days that I went out on the TMB sections so who knows...........
I think that Mike (the original poster) is not going to get the weather
he wants! I'm sure it's going to be snowy in the higher elevations in late
September. I can't imagine being on those trails in snow and ice unless he's
an experienced mountaineer. In my opinion he would be better off going with
a high mountain group than trying it solo...Anyway, thanks for the reply,
and maybe I'll see you on the TMB one day......

Bon Promenade!

Art..............

"Steve Pardoe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi, Art & all,

"art" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:STmWc.4576$VY.3072@trndny09...

Quoted message said:

Hi Steve,
I remember looking at your TR when I was making my Haute Route

plans.

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

thought " eh, he just had a bad year, how bad could it really be?" By

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

time I got to Prafleuri, I knew the answer. My adventure was nowhere

near

Quoted message said:

as

Quoted message said:

tough as yours, but it was tough enough for me!

Glad you enjoyed, and completed it.

I've just had an e-mail today from an American lady (I guess in her 60's)
who made enquiries of us having seen our web page back in April, and found
the WHR conditions (in August) pretty hard going, steeper and more exposed
than the impression given by the guidebook.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Thanks for putting up your trip report.....I enjoyed the pictures and
narrative and it's always fun to hear from someone else who's done the

trip.

Quoted message said:

I'm half considering the TMB but the other half is considering the Coast

to

Quoted message said:

Coast walk instead. So, hopefully our paths might cross someday!

I presume you mean the 'Wainwright' Coast to Coast in England? Our son

has

Quoted message said:

done it (most of it solo, after his friend dropped out) and (as you'd
expect) much of the eastern half is so boring that it can be a real
anticlimax.

Given the choice, we would choose (and indeed have done) the TMB every

time,

Quoted message said:

and yet we live only a couple of hours from the Coast to Coast. On the
other hand, if you've never been to the Lake District before, that part

will

Quoted message said:

seem pretty magical (I've no idea where you are posting from, but there

will

Quoted message said:

be plenty of defence of the Coast to Coast on uk.rec.walking).

Happy hiking,
Steve

"art" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<YwyWc.6434$VY.2530@trndny09>...

Quoted message said:

Hello Steve,
Thanks for your reply. I live in New York so the UK has it's charms. I
lived in Harrogate in the early 60's but I don't really remember much except
early pub closings, great fish and chips, and great beer. I go to London
every few years but it's getting more depressing each time as globalization
and chain stores take over the High Street....pray that Wal Mart doesn't
make it across the pond!
I can sympathize with your American correspondent. I'm 60 but I'm also
an avid hiker and I also lead hikes for a regional hiking club and I still
wasn't as prepared for the steepness of the trails, especially the
Europaweg...I was advised that I didn't need crampons and an ice axe and I
surely wish that I had them. It would have made me feel a lot more secure on
some snowy/icy bits.
The first few days I hiked some TMB sections from Argentiere to
Planpraz via La Flegere. The first day I went low and the second day I went
via Lac Blanc...there was freezing rain (this was July 12th!) and it wasn't
that much fun to climb the iron ladder section! I can just imagine what the
views must have been like if the weather had been clear....but it had rained
for the 2 days that I went out on the TMB sections so who knows...........
I think that Mike (the original poster) is not going to get the weather
he wants!

O thanks very much, you are very supportive !!!
sounds as if you wish me a bad weather :-)

I'm sure it's going to be snowy in the higher elevations in late

Quoted message said:

September.

I can't imagine being on those trails in snow and ice unless he's

Quoted message said:

an experienced mountaineer. In my opinion he would be better off going with
a high mountain group than trying it solo...Anyway, thanks for the reply,
and maybe I'll see you on the TMB one day......

Bon Promenade!

Art..............