Central Switzerland Haute Route

April/May, On request I will work out your preferred date of

the tour

Photo by Freddy. The view from the Sustenhorn

This is the great alternative for those who have already done the classic Haute Route, or who prefer something off the beaten path in remote areas in the Alps. In the very heart of Switzerland where the Swiss federation started, we tour from Andermatt to Engelberg. Great skiing and small huts await us in the evenings. A tour for the experienced ski tourer.

Central Switzerland Haute Route

Itinerary

Day 1
We meet in Andermatt, we will ski Off-Piste all day around the Andermatt ski area.

Day 2
From Realp we climb up to the Albert Heim hut and ski around hut

Day 3
Climb up to the Lochberg and ski won to the Chelenalp hut

Day 4
Climb to the Chelenalp to the Gwächtenhorn ski down to the Chelenalp

Day 5
Climb up to the Chelenalp to the peak of the Sustenhorn ski decent to the Steingletscher Hotel

Day 6
Steingletscher climb up to the Fünffingerstock ski decent to the Sustli hut

Day 7
Sustli hut climb up to to the Wichleplanggstock ski back to Sustli hut

Day 8
Sustli hut climb up to the Spannort\Grassen ski down to Engelberg.

April/May, On request I will work out your preferred date of the tour

Cost:

Cost: CHF 6,650.00 (1 person)

CHF 3,640.00 (per person with 2 person)

CHF 2,830.00 (per person with 3 person)

CHF 2,399.00 (per person with 4 person)

Includes hut fees, 8 breakfasts and 7 dinners, 1 liter of tee for free, 9 days guiding.

Not included: Travel expenses to and from the meeting place, no travel expenses like tram/train/taxi costs during the tour, lunches, drinks, dinners in towns, rental equipment and souvenirs.

Skills Required

Participants must be strong skiers, PSIA level 8, able to perform dynamic parallel turns with ski randonne equipment while carrying a pack in all snow conditions: powder, hard packed and crud.

I strongly recommend alpine randonne equipment for a trip in Europe. My past experience tells me that even an expert telemark skier will struggle and have difficulty skiing with a backpack and dealing with the always-changing snow conditions. The telemark skier is usually slower in downhill skiing, takes more falls and therefore gets tired more quickly.

I highly recommend doing a level I avalanche class with AIARE (American institute for Avalanche Research and Education) to have some basic Avalanche knowledge, transceiver skills as well as touring experiences.

Advanced uphill skiing techniques, experience with ski crampons as well as basic Euro-uphill kicks turn in all conditions are a necessity.

Basic mountaineering skills are helpful; we may use a rope, ice axe and crampons. Bring only gear you are used to (brand new, unknown gear not ideal), broken-in in ski randonne boots, and the correct full skins.

If you have any concerns about your level of skiing, mountaineering skills, please feel free to contact Swiss Guides.

All of the above skills have to be solid and will be applied on the trip.

Reading for route description and guide book: Alpine Ski Mountaineering: Volume 1 or 2 Western Alps by Cicerone Guide.

Click below for information on equipment and training plan for ski mountaineering in the Alps.

Ski Mountaineering Equipment List