HIKING THE HAUTE ROUTE
When we decided to move to Europe from Australia last year, the first thing I did was write ‘the list’. That list consisted of every European outdoor adventure I wanted to go after during our time living here, however long that might be. In the whirlwind of packing it got tucked away and crumpled into one of a thousand boxes amidst bicycles, rock climbing shoes and children’s toys. And so it remained, until the very last box was unpacked and that crumpled piece of paper fell to the floor of our new home in England. I unfolded it and there at the top of the list was my number one; the hike I had wanted to do ever since I had first heard of it many years ago from a cask wine sculling Swiss chap on the Overland Track: The Walker’s Haute Route.
The Walker’s Haute Route runs from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland. A 180-kilometre traverse of the French and Swiss Alps, it is considered by many to be the premier long distance hike in Europe. It is not for the faint hearted however. The journey takes you over eleven high altitude mountain passes, many of which are snow bound even in mid summer and, includes more than 12,000 metres of climbing. The Walker’s Haute Route, roughly translated from French as the High Level Route, shadows the original Haute Route. Established more than 100 hundred years ago. It is an alpine ski route across some of the highest peaks in Europe. As it has grown in popularity, the walker’s route has to a large degree usurped the title. And so it was that with the tentative encouragement of my wife I found myself on a minibus crossing the border from Geneva in Switzerland on my way to the start point in the ski resort town of Chamonix across the border in France.
DAY ONE
The minibus pulled up and I bundled out onto the thriving main street of Chamonix. Trendy Euro types and wide-eyed tourists from around the globe thronged the streets. Tourist shops overflowed with mountainesque tat and the innumerable outdoor stores brimmed with high-end outdoor gear. But I had no time to dawdle. Given only eleven days leave by my wife, I had to get moving. Most recommendations suggest 14 days to comfortably complete the Haute Route.
Leaving the hive of Chamonix behind, I walked out of town and took my first steps toward Zermatt. My aim was to reach the small town of Argentiere, a small village at the faraway. The path followed a crystal clear stream on a well-worn path that undulated along the valley side. I exchanged cheerful bonjours with fellow walkers and made the usual minor pack adjustments essential to your long-term comfort further down the road.
