Turncarver
A Photo Journal
V2_2505151625
April 2016: The Haute Route Ski
This April my brother Mike and I traversed the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt via the Plateau du Couloir. Our guides, Kathy Cosley and Mark Houston
(Cosley & Houston Alpine Guides), were excellent - definitely my choice for future trips. Kathy, Mark, Mike and I were also joined by Jeff and Nancy Ray,
and Terry Fisher. Everybody had a great time even though the weather closed in on our last 2 days, causing us to divert, then ultimately abandon
our plan on the last day.
Our group spent 8 days with the guides:
- Day1: We intended to ski the Vallee Blanche, but white-out conditions at the top of the Aiguille du Midi forced us to ski the slopes of Grands Montets instead.
- Days 2 - 7: On the Haute Route (see details at links below)
- Day 8: The snow conditions and weather were not well suited to traveling on the high slopes near Zermatt, so we explored the Gorge Adventure at Gorner Gorge
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Total/ Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Elevation | NA | 10,709 ft | 10,376 ft | 10,391 ft | 11,958 | 10,367 | 10,367 | NA | 10,695 ft |
| Total Elevation Gain | NA | 3,799 ft | 2,916 ft | 4,025 ft | 3,033 ft | 2,877 ft | 0 ft | NA | 16,650 ft |
| Total Descent | NA | -3,838 ft | -5,636 ft | -2,744 ft | -4,904 ft | -587 ft | -3,909 ft | NA | -21,618 ft |
| Net Elevation Gain | NA | -39 ft | -1,709 ft | 1,281 ft | -1,871 ft | 2,290 ft | -3,909 ft | NA | -3,957 ft |
| Miles Travelled | NA | 7.8 mi | 10.2 mi | 6.8 mi | 10.4 mi | 8.1 mi | 3.4 mi | NA | 46.8 mi |
| Duration | NA | 6:34 | 8:08 | 8:14 | 6:52 | 7:35 | 1:18 | NA | 38:41 |
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Couloir 
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