I vacationed in France and Switzerland, leaving 7/10/06 and returning 7/24/06. We did a popular trip called the Haute Route. It was a great but challenging trip.
I flew from Indianapolis to Newark to Geneva, Switzerland where I was met and driven to Chamonix, France where the trip actually started. From Chamonix we hiked through the Alps ending up in Zermatt, Switzerland. We hiked for 10 days going over at least one pass every day. From Zermatt we drove back to Geneva where I just reversed the flights coming back, Geneva, Newark, Indianapolis.
This trip was rated strenuous with good cause. One way to describe this trip is to think of hiking to the top of a 300 story building. Then think about doing this every day for 10 straight days. Of course this is just an average; some days were more, some less. But this gives you an idea.
The table below includes elevation gain / loss information from Laura Tenner and time on the trail from Scott Kerr. Elevation gain / loss is not just the difference between the altitude where we started and the altitude we ended up at. There are lots of ups and downs which are included here. Total time is the time from stepping off in the morning until we ended hiking. Hiking time does not include a long lunch. It does include morning and afternoon breaks which could run 15 or 20 minutes.
| Day | Destination | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Total Time | Hiking Time | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamonix | Travel day | ||||
| 2 | Chamonix | 2341 | 2669 | 7.5 hours | 5 hours 30 minutes | Warm-up hike |
| 3 | Forclaz | 3362 | 3755 | 7 hours | 5 hours 50 minutes | |
| 4 | Verbier | 2977 | 3558 | 6 hours | 5 hours | |
| 5 | Cabane de Louvie | 2912 | 1796 | 6.5 hours | 5 hours 35 minutes | Mountain hut this evening |
| 6 | Grande Dixence | 4013 | 4317 | 10 hours | 8 hours 30 minutes | Longest, toughest day |
| 7 | Arolla | 3029 | 3417 | 9 hours | 7 hours 45 minutes | |
| 8 | Grimentz | 3305 | ~2000 | 6.5 hours | 5 hours 5 minutes | |
| 9 | Gruben | 3936 | 3564 | 8 hours 40 minutes | 6 hours 55 minutes | |
| 10 | St. Niklaus / Zermatt | 3699 | 5802 | 8.50 hours | 6 hours 25 minutes | |
| 11 | Zermatt | 1823 | 1722 | 5 hours | 3 hours 25 minutes | Short, final hike |
We did not hike all the way from Chamonix to Zermatt. Some days we would start with a drive to where we started hiking. Some days we would be met at the end of the trail and given a lift to where we would stay. Then there were other times when the day started or ended right where we stayed.
Concerning the elevation gains, the amount of change is of interest. But the rate of gain is also of interest. One day toward the end of the trip, we took a break right at the base of a pass. We estimated we had about 1,000 feet of elevation gain to go. A good rate of ascent is about 1,000 feet an hour. I made it to the top of the pass in 45 minutes and turned out to be the slowest one in the group.
As the above chart shows, day 6 was the longest and toughest day of the trip. We went over two passes this day and neither of them were easy. There was some snow and some boulder fields we had to deal with.
In addition to being a tough day, for some reason it was a bad day for me. I got through it ok but I had trouble on the steep uphill parts. Basically I got very winded and was really huffing and puffing. I did ok the rest of the trip.
I've tried to figure out why I had a problem and think it may have been a combination of two things. First, I wonder if I was not fully acclimitized and was acclimitized after this day. That would account for huffing and puffing.
I also think I was a little dehydrated. I drank the usual amount of water on the hike. But I think I may not have drunk enough water the night before and before starting out that morning. Starting the day a quart low may have also contributed.
While this was a tough day, I later learned that it could be even tougher. Our first week back, we got an email from Isabelle Keller our leader trainee and driver. She was driving for a Japanese group that week. A rock slide had closed the road to the hotel where groups stay at the end of this day. So she was unable to get lunch for the next day and the peoples luggage to them. I'm sure the hotel was able to supply some lunch for that group. But it sure is nice to be able to change out of trail clothes into civilized clothes at the end of the day.
While this trip did not have any camping, we did stay in quite a range and variety of accomodations. We stayed in several 3 star hotels. A couple places we stayed did not have full bathrooms in each room. In one place the toilets were down the hall. In another the toilets and showers were down the hall.
One night was in a mountain hut. About 50 people could stay in the hut. The room we were in had 16 bunks. There was one shower and 2 toilets. But it was nice, clean and comfortable. We also had a good dinner and breakfast there.
But in all cases, the places we stayed at were the best available where we were. And we all knew before hand that there was going to be this range.
Over the course of the trip we came across two races. In Verbier, the day we left saw the start of 20 K, 50 K and 100 K cross country races. These were up and down hills and not necessarily on pavement. We were a little concerned that we would not be able to drive to the point where we were to start that day's hiking due to the races. That turned out to not be an issue. But later that day as we were hiking along, we saw runners from one of the races on the trail we were hiking. We made sure to be out of their way and cheered them along. We saw maybe 8 or 10 racers over that period. We may have helped some of the ones behind the ones we saw by moving some cows off the trail.
In Zermatt, there were several thousand people there for orienteering races. The morning we headed off on a hike around the area, there were people running all around town carrying maps. The maps would lead them to checkpoints where they would get a stamp on their card showing they'd found it. This is a little different from how I picture orienteering in the U.S. but people seemed to be enjoying themselves.
A favorite question is "What did you eat on your trip?" Breakfasts were almost always European which means various breads, cheese, cereal and of course juice and coffee. Lunch we made ourselves. After breakfast our guides would lay out a spread of food: bread, cheese, lunch meat, candy bars, fruit and such things. We would then make our lunch. I would usually make just one sandwich but add some fruit and cheese on the side. Depending on how hard a day we were facing I would add an appropriate number of candy bars for snacks through the day.
In order, the dinners were lamb chops, spaghetti, chicken, spaghetti, chicken, beef, raclette, veal, chicken, beef and rosti. Every dinner included two bottles of wine for the 8 of us. Spaghetti might sound dull, but remember that we were very near Italy so we were getting the real thing.
Raclette was a special dish we'd requested. The way it was served to us, we got baskets of boiled potates on the table. Then a server would take our plates, put melted raclette cheese on it and return the plate. We would add potates, onions or pickles to the cheese and eat. Over the course of the dinner we all got several refills of cheese.
Rosti is another dish from that region. Think of hash brown potatos done really right. It's a potato dish but with lots of good things such as cheese and other ingredients in it.
Like any trip, weather is an important factor. This trip was no different. But unlike many trips, we did not have any bad weather. We got a little rain late two afternoons near the end of the hiking. But the big issue was the heat. Europe was going through a severe heat wave. I wore shorts every day. At the top of a pass I might put on a long sleeve shirt but that's about it. Otherwise I sweated more on this trip than almost any other trip I can think of.
The last full day on the trail Klara Lea wrote a poem about the trip and the people. She read this to us at the farewell dinner that night.
Mountain Travel Hike Poem Warm-up hike was our test, Find out what we managed best. Walking on small stones so slick, Gave none but Klara - a big kick. Isabelle - our great lunch-keeper, But also our lost and found seeker. Laura's sunglasses lost in track, Klara's camera on a sport shop rack Bring our luggage from place to place, Isabelle faithfully with us stays. Laurent briefing us every day, Of coming challenges on our way. Rob is standing in the middle, Giving us a funny riddle. Telling stories from his hikes, Mountain Travel he most likes. Slow but steady John he walks, Catching laughter between the talks. Some law and order in between, But otherwise he's very keen. Susan has the hunter's eye, Ibex spots as we go bye. Klara, Susan - stone collectors, Did they bring some stone detectors? Daily Laura fills her pack, Tons of water in her sack. Fleece and raincoat is a must Uphill go we feel the dust. Scott is originally a Wyoming guy, Fast he climbs the mountain high. High altitude - he well can take For him it's just a piece of cake. It's been some wonderful beautiful days, At times it's been a challenging race. The flora, fauna, breathtaking peak, We’ll always treasure and forever seek. Klara Austvoll Lea 14 July 2006
The trip ended with us spending 2 nights in Zermatt, Switzerland. This is an interesting place because many years ago they banned cars from the city. Tourists driving there have to park at the town before Zermatt and even residents have to park outside town. In town there are only electric carts and cabs.
Zermatt is quite a tourist town. As the trip itinerary said "Even Zermatt, a town without cars, will feel bustling and overgrown after our week in the mountains and small alpine villages!" For those who know it, Zermatt reminds me a bit of Nashville, Indiana only on a much larger scale and on a bad day. My reaction to Zermatt was "Get me the heck out of here." I had a real problem with the crowds of tourists. The big orienteering meet being held there might have contributed to the crowds and my reaction.
Every evening before dinner we would have a briefing on the plan for the next day. The trip title comes from one of the jokes our guide, Laurent, liked. He would say "When you get to the folk, take it." Two of us recognized this as something Yogi Berra would say. On getting home, I checked and verified that this did indeed come from Yogi.