Twists and turns on a five-day traverse through the French Alps. Art: Csilla Kátay Words and Photos AARON ROLPH historic Haute Route between Chamo-nix, France, and Zermatt, Switzerland, was first chartered by the English Al-pine Club and skied as far back as the year 1911. The 80-mile route, that most opt to do over the course of a week, is legendary for good reason, traveling through complex glacial terrain amongst some of the most iconic peaks in the Alps. Although rich in history, the classic traverse now attracts big crowds throughout the spring season. It’s not quite the wild and remote journey it once was. And for those looking to ski big faces and get on the steeps, the terrain could be deemed a little underwhelming. With this in mind, a few friends and I schemed up a new ski traverse, connecting Chamonix to La Grave. The goal was not to take the most direct route, but to see if we could ski across much of the French Alps while seeking out the best freeride terrain. We’d climb plenty along the way, but also use lifts. It was about the skiing after all. Those not au fait with their languages will be forgiven for not knowing that haute means high in French, and although our route was designed to stay high as possible, connecting towns and traversing valleys via steep terrain also meant dropping down as low as 3,500 feet at times. Unfortunately, conditions had been hot and cold (quite literally) all season, with big storms up high and very little accumulation down low. The Alps are known for heavy, wet late-season storms, which often provide a huge boost of coverage in late March and April—even June last year. But we’d be relying on lifts to assist our journey, and we knew we couldn’t wait too long. We carved out a week in mid-March. Anna Dunér, a Swede now living in Chamonix, was a new adventure partner to me. With long blonde hair and a rosy complexion, she has an impressive ability to pull off a year-round goggle tan. She’s a strong skier, yet also stoic— not the type to brag about her pursuits in the mountains. Her laidback attitude and relentless sense of fun would make her the perfect addition to our team. Rowan Brandreth, our third teammate, is a self-proclaimed “sea-muggle” living in southwest England. We’ve shared numerous climbing and skiing trips all over the world. He’s kind, sharp and has a cool head in any situation—the adventurous spirit we’d need for a route that could very well include missed buses, closed lifts and snowless ski slopes. THE French Alps 065
The Ski Journal Volume 18, Issue 1: Page 65
