Editing Haute Route (section)

==Ski Touring Haute Route==
[[Image:Hauteroute.jpg|thumb|250px|View of [[Matterhorn]] and [[Dent d'Hérens]] from the summit of [[Tête Blanche]], high point of the Haut Route (3,710 m (12,172 ft))]]
First successfully completed in 1911, the Haute Route [[Ski touring|ski tour]] is probably the most famous and coveted ski tour in the world. Using high mountain huts to allow skiers to stay high and cover substantial distances, it winds through the highest, most dramatic peaks of the Alps from [[Mont Blanc]] to the [[Matterhorn]]. It requires good weather, favourable snow conditions and strong effort to complete this line. Because of this, roughly half of the skiers who begin the tour do not complete it.

There are many variations of the HLR (High Level Route) that work their way between Chamonix and Zermatt, including those listed below.{{sfn|Cliff|1993}} It is also possible to add ascents of a number of ski peaks to any of the routes. The winter Haute Route deviates from the summer route to avoid terrain that is dangerous or impassable when snow-covered. Many people also ski the Haute Route in the opposite direction, by variations that select better ascent and descents.

Lionel Claudepierre, a member of [[:fr:Peloton de gendarmerie de haute montagne|PGHM]] of Bourg Saint Maurice, set a new record of 18h35m on Monday 15 April 2013.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.chamonix.net/english/speed-record-chamonix-zermatt-haute-route | title=Haute Route New Speed Record. Chamonix – Zermatt in 18h35m | publisher=SARL Chamonix Networks | access-date=4 June 2014}}</ref>

=== Classic Route ===
The winter Haute Route's original line which involves long climbs and mountaineering with ice axe and crampons.
*Day 1: [[Argentiere]] village, France, over the [[Mont Blanc Massif#Passes|Col du Chardonnet]] and the [[Graian Alps#Passes|Fenêtre du Saleina]] to the [[Trient Hut]].
*Day 2: [[Champex-Lac]] via the [[Val d'Arpette]]. Bus or taxi to [[Bourg-Saint-Pierre]].
*Day 3: Long climb up to the [[Valsorey Hut]] on the shoulder of [[Grand Combin]].
*Day 4: Over the [[Plateau du Couloir]] and down the [[Glacier du Mont Durand]] to the [[Chanrion Hut]].
*Day 5: A long climb up the [[Otemma Glacier]] to the [[Vignettes Hut]].
*Day 6: A long day to Zermatt over the [[Col de l'Evêque]], [[Col du Mont Brulé]] and [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Col de Valpelline]], then a long descent under the shoulder of the Matterhorn and [[Dent d'Herens]].
*Day 7: Optional extension to [[Saas-Fee]] over the [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Adler Pass]].

=== Verbier variation ===
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'''T:''' [[Cabane du Trient]]<br&gt;
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The purest skiing line, and the most frequently done.
*Day 1: Argentière, France, over the Col du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre du Saleina to the Trient Hut.
*Day 2: Champex-Lac via the Val d'Arpette. Bus or taxi to [[Verbier]] and the [[Mont Fort Hut]].
*Day 3: Over the [[Rosablanche]] to the [[Prafleuri Hut]].
*Day 4: Around [[Dixence]] reservoir and up to the [[Dix Hut]].
*Day 5: Over the [[Pigne d'Arolla]] to the Vignettes Hut.
*Day 6: A long day to Zermatt over the Col de l'Evêque, Col du Mont Brulé and Col de Valpelline, then a long descent under the shoulder of the Matterhorn and Dent d'Herens.
*Day 7: Optional extension to Saas-Fee over the Adler Pass.

=== Grande Lui variation ===
A longer, harder, more technical route that eliminates the road break of the [[Verbier]] and Classic variations.
*Day 1: Argentiere village, France, over the Col du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre du Saleina to the Trient Hut or down to the [[Bivouac Dorés]].
*Day 2: Over the [[Grande Lui]] through the [[Col du Saleina]] or around it via the [[Swiss Three Cols]] and a long descent to the village of [[La Fouly]].
*Day 3: Up the [[Val Ferret]] and over to [[Great St. Bernard Hospice|Grand St. Bernard Hospice]].
*Day 4: Down to [[Great St Bernard Pass]] and over the shoulder of [[Mont Vélan]] to the [[Vélan Hut]].
*Day 5: Up the [[Grand Combin]] and over the Plateau du Couloir, down the Glacier du Mont Durand to the Chanrion Hut.
*Day 6: A long non-technical climb up the Otemma Glacier or a stiffer climb over [[Les Portons]] to the Vignettes Hut.
*Day 7: A long day to Zermatt over the Col de l'Evêque, Col du Mont Brulé and Col de Valpelline, then a long descent under the shoulder of the Matterhorn and Dent d'Herens.
*Day 8: Optional extension to Saas-Fee over the Adler Pass.

[[Image:Vignettes.jpg|thumb|300px|Vignettes Hut, near Arolla, Switzerland]]

==="Backward" Haute Route===
*Day 1: From Zermatt under the Matterhorn up to the [[Schonbiel Hut]].
*Day 2: Over the Col de Valpelline and up to the [[Bertol Hut]].
*Day 3: Down then up over [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Col Collon]] to the Vignettes Hut.
*Day 4: Over the [[Pigne d'Arolla]] and down Les Portons to Chanrion Hut.
*Day 5: Across the [[Otemma Glacier|Otemma]] Gorge, up & over into the [[Aosta]] Valley. Hitchhike to [[Courmayeur|La Palud]].
*Day 6: Ride the lift to the [[Vallee Blanche Aerial Tramway|Vallée Blanche]]. Descend to [[Chemin de fer du Montenvers|Montenvers]] and ski or take the cog train out to Chamonix.

===Peaks and passes on the route===
See the route descriptions.

Optional ski peak ascents along the listed Haute Route variations include the [[Mont Blanc]], [[Rosablanche]], [[Pigne d'Arolla]], [[Mont Blanc de Cheilon]], [[Mont Vélan]], [[Breithorn]]. Some of these peak ascents will require an additional day or more, and range from easy to very technical and difficult.