Thread: Haute Route Gear

I'm headed to Cham in mid-March for a haute route trip and am trying to get my gear straight. My BC setup is 167 Rossi B4s with Freerides and Garmont Adrenalin boots. I'm worried that this will be too heavy to enjoy the HR, but I don't want to give up too much performance (I'm in pretty good shape), or, honestly, have to spend money on equipment. Does anyone have experience doing the haute route on a similar setup? I've spent a fair amount of time going uphill on this rig, but have never taken it on a tour as long as the HR. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

You may want to change your user name.

Oh? Just started the account, didn't mean to grab someone's name? Assuming that's what you mean?

Alright, we'll try it this way. Same person, same question, whole new name. Sorry for the accidental poaching.

That's a fairly heavy binding and boot combo compared to some others but if you're fit you won't notice. I see more Freerides on Euro-tours than anything else, binding-wise. There are a couple of days with lots of kick turns but generally it's pretty mellow. I think your rig will be fine and I definitely wouldn't worry about buying anything else.

Earplugs, good map and compass skills, extra memory cards for your digital camera, ski crampons, and a willingness to change your plan as conditions warrant are all you need outside the usual backcountry stuff. March is a great time to go, have fun!

Welcome to TGR.

Doable with your setup? yes. Fun? no. Why? The Haute Route is 85% of the time touring and bootpacking and 15% skiing.

When I did it some years ago, I did took (at that time) the quintessential Haute Route ski: the Atomic R9/9.22/Diran. At that moment in time, believe or not, that WAS a mid-fat ski (72mm waist).

I used Freerides and Scarpa Matrix boots with the appropriate mods. Great lightweight setup and I would you use the same boots and bindings if I had to do it today. For ski, I would probably use something fatter but nothing above 90mm. The new BD Voodoo or one of the Atomic Daddys below 90mm. would be a good option.

I have a friend that started the tour with us using Scarpa Denalis - Freerides - Gotamas. He bailed out on Day 2 'cause the setup was two heavy for him. Maybe your quads are stronger but you are not going to have as much fun as the other guys and you will be slower.

Rent a ski like the one described above with Fritschi bindings in Cham and leave the Squads at home.

Edit: On second thought, those squads are 167!?!? How much heavier that can be vis-a-vis a 175 Voodoo? Your call.

That set up will work fine if you're in good shape. You just won't set any speed records. Keep in mind that there will be days with 4-5 hours of climbing followed by another very similar 4-5 hour climb the next day, and the next..... I spent a week touring in Austria last year with a similar set up, Volkl AX4's (178), Fritschi Explores and Adrenalines. Not a problem.

Thanks guys, this helps. So basically the consensus is that it's the outer limits of do-ably heavy, but probably OK. I think I'll go for it. I have one or two days there beforehand to change my mind and rent something at the last minute (coming back to Chamonix at the end, so leaving skis there should be no problem).

By the way, they're B4's, not Squads (yeah, yeah, kind of weak, I know, but I like 'em), so quite a bit lighter (about 300g heavier than 175 Voodoos as far as I can tell).

Thanks again.

this is about I selected my gear for the HR:
http://www.coreshot.com/index.php?op...d=79&Itemid=48

If you are in good shape, B4/freerides/adrenalin would be fine. Be sure, though, to have trained enough in the mountains... there are some days that are constantly >3000 m, and this might be a problem if you did not train/skin enough before at >2000 m.

Getting to the Col du Chardonnay will help you make up your mind. Unfortunately by then, you are on your way!

Like Verb said, get in a few training days with some vert, if possible.

Originally Posted by Mothergoose

By the way, they're B4's, not Squads (yeah, yeah, kind of weak, I know, but I like 'em), so quite a bit lighter (about 300g heavier than 175 Voodoos as far as I can tell).

If it were only the skis...fine, but:

1) You are not on Dynafits
2) Adrenalines are among the heaviest AT boot around.

So additional 300g for the skis, 300g for the boots and 1400g for the bindings adds up to 2 MORE KILOS!!...The last two days are long, long, long...specially on the way up.

Again: doable? yes. Fun? no. Remember you are doing it to enjoy your experience, not to train your quads.

Originally Posted by JoeStrummer

Getting to the Col du Chardonnay will help you make up your mind. Unfortunately by then, you are on your way!

You mean Col du Chardonnet, right? Maybe you should go easy on the wine tonight

My buddy in the Gotamas/freerides/Denali bailed out EXACTLY one day after when we got to Champex. Col du Chardonnay was simply to much for that setup and that it's only the first climb, only just a short taste of the 4th and 5th day climbs. It was a vey hot day up the Chardonnet but this guy was a fit alpine climber so....

Good info above but I think the biggest factor is what the other folks in your group are on. If the rest of your group has dynafits w/light boots/skis you're going to get left behind. If everyone is on similar stuff you'll be fine. The HR is not a race so if you are in shape you can do it on whatever you want but it can be frustrating if your group is leaving you behind or waiting every day.

I used 191 10:EXs, Fritschis and Lowas and that worked out fine since our group mostly had similar weight gear but I wouldn't go back with anything but Dynafits. It's just silly.

true if everyone is similarly trained. In our group the one with lighter gear was the one less trained, and the one who - by far - suffered most

Chardonnet, you are right. Already thinking about the weekend!

I don't think variance in group gear is anywhere near as important as touring fitness. I originally did the HR with Fritschis chasing 2 friends on Dynafits and Goodes - not because they were on Dynafits and Goodes but because they are "lungs with legs" type guys and I was a fat alcoholic. I converted to Dynafits immediately after that HR tour but remain a fat alcoholic. I couldn't run 5 miles if you put a gun to my head but I can chug a skin track at a good pace all day long, so I do fine. And I regularly Euro-tour in groups of folks rocking everything from Freerides to Speed TLTs and we all seem to enjoy ourselves!

Joe : yeah but "lungs with legs" always end up on dynafits and light skis... whereas fat alcoholics like us tend to gravitate towards heavier stuff...which only make matters worse when mixed in the same group.

to the OP :
search on telemarktalk.com. Tons of HR advice, TRs, gear enquiries over there...

Originally Posted by Neon

Joe : yeah but "lungs with legs" always end up on dynafits and light skis... whereas fat alcoholics like us tend to gravitate towards heavier stuff...which only make matters worse when mixed in the same group.

to the OP :
search on telemarktalk.com. Tons of HR advice, TRs, gear enquiries over there...

True dat. And I would rather shave 12 ounces off my feet than 20 pounds off my frame!

Looking at HR trip in the second week of April as GF is going and would like it if I went also.

Tony pointed out that it's probably 15% skiing, not sure what the usual time to do it in is but we would have 8 days. Would have a pretty strong group of 5 AT/Tele skiers, what's the chance of getting some good descents? Would like to do HR b4 I die but as I am 35 Iv'e got time and I tend to go up so that I can go down rather than touring to tour, that said not to worried about the physical part.

Anyone care to share some stories about how good the descents are & how many we can get if we get good conditions? or about how little you actaully get to ski?

Thanks

Buy Swiss Topo Maps 282s, 283s and 284s. The S signifies the ski version. You can buy them here
http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/int/swittopo.htm#p11
at the same price you'd pay in Switzerland. It's the only thing you need. Really - the swiss topos are better, more accurate, and more useful than any guidebook available in english.

There's a shitload of descents and other places to go skiing - but then you don't have the ubercool American water cooler cred of having skiied "THE HAUTE ROUTE" here's a load of great pictures from Cosley & Houston if you want more detailed info.
http://www.cosleyhouston.com/alp-ski...y1-verbier.htm

to the OP: touring in adrenalins isn't that BFD. to anyone who thinks otherwise chill the fuck out and ski.

ttips is a perfect place for advice from fat 40year old intermediates with platinum cards.

I think going from Zermatt to Chamonix offers better (i.e. more) skiing than the traditional route. Start in Zermatt and go via Arolla and into the Italian side, finishing with the Vallee Blanche.

If you are going to do the classic route you can always peel off here and there for turns, spend an extra night at MontFort and ski offpiste at Verb, etc. If you stop at the Prafleuri Hut, the Rosablanche can be a good ski. Generally, how much skiing you will get depends on the fitness of your party, for the most part. If you start early you can be at several huts by noon, which leaves you time for a beer and some afternoon turns.

I think you will enjoy it no matter what you do!

-- Fat 39 Intermediate with Platinum Card

The Haute Route is more about the route than the downhill. I've done it three times and can only recall two memorable descents, i.e. nice snow, good visibility and no tracks. It's a busy place in mid-April so you probably won't find a lot of pristine downhill. The Pigne d'Arolla is usually packed out like a regular ski trail. There are a zillion places in the Alps where you can tour for a few hours (or less when combining lifts and climbing) and get amazing descents. The Haute Route is not one of those places. But you still ought to do it.

Much appreciated..will talk to the Mrs tonight. Pics on the Cosely & Houston site are great thx for the link.

Jack: Sorry to ask but what part of 85% you didn't get?

The Haute Route is about touring, it's not about great descents. You'll find all sort of crappy snow, specially if you are lucky enough to get a good weather window of 6 consecutive days. When I did it with my limey friend, we were lucky enough to start it the same day as the Cosley & Houston crew. Those two are a great team and even without being their clients, they offered us to use their rope on a tricky ski rappel down the glacier leaving the Trient Hut on the 2nd day. Mark Houston belayed my friend and me. Very nice gesture from a guide to non-clients....at least in Euroland.

That's the BIG difference between American guides and Euro guides, which would not give you the time of day unless you pay them....in advance, of course!

The biggest ski day is the last day descent to Zermatt under the North face of Matterhorn. If you love mountains, that's a mental picture you won't forget anytime soon. The other two big ski days are the 2nd (descent from the Trient Hut to Champex) and the 4th day. The 5th day is a very very long day tour to the Pignes d'Arolla and an uneventful 10 minute ride down to the hut.

If you are going after memorable vert descents, go for the "normal" HR (6 days) and spent the next three days in Pas de Chevre and the Vallee Blanche....there is world class couloirs in Envers des Aiguilles for a lifetime of freeride skiing. As Choucas mentioned, the Haute Route is not one of those places.

Nevertheless, memorable descents you will have many in your ski life but unforgettable six days of hut-to-hut touring under the giants of the Alps....no. Go for it, it's not only the ski that counts. It's the whole package...the touring under the 4000 mt. peaks, the dinners at the crowded huts with skiers from all over the world, the alpine sunsets, etc.

when going from Trient Hut to Champex dont follow the lemmings and guided group. get some beta at the hut, but basically just skin/hike straight up from trient and find yourself on top of some amazingly fun shots. The majority of the guided groups will go a diffent way that has little sustained falline skiing. Conditions dependant naturally.

PM me your email if you want some photos, they are on my other computer.

Originally Posted by JoeStrummer

spend an extra night at MontFort and ski offpiste at Verb, etc. If you stop at the Prafleuri Hut, the Rosablanche can be a good ski. Generally, how much skiing you will get depends on the fitness of your party, for the most part. If you start early you can be at several huts by noon, which leaves you time for a beer and some afternoon turns.

seconded, though I'm 46 and have no platinum card ;-)