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The Walker's Haute Route
UPDATES
Updated information, September 2009
We are grateful to Bernd Rickenberg from Denmark for sending the following update information. The author has checked the two sections which were affected by rockfalls and confirmed one route is now fine, and the other has an alternative in place. Please see the updated information below.
Page 57 Money
ATMs are readily available in post offices and banks in Suisse cities but not in villages. At post offices you will not even get cash with your credit card. The only way to get cash on the trip is using the few ATMs that are on the way or catching a bank at opening hours.
Page 166 Trient
Wild camping near Refuge de Peuty is tolerated. The hut itself does not have a guardian. He/she comes by every evening after 19.00 to collect 10 Euros per person and night staying in the hut.
Page 172 Champex
The supermarket has closed.
Page 179 Sembrancher
Hótel de la Gare has become cheaper – 80 CHF for double room incl. breakfast, lovely place to stay
o There is a campsite between the main road and river, close to the station
o There are two banks (but none with ATM)
o There is a supermarket at the main road opposite a gas station, close to the station.
Page 182 Le Châble
There is a supermarket and ATM close to the Hótel du Giétroz.
Page 189/191, Maps 13-14 Sentier de Chamois
Was temporarily closed due to rockfall some months ago but has since been secured and is currently fully open again and it is possible to walk the path without any problem. If walkers are still concerned they can contact the Cabane de Mont Fort (+41(0)27 778 13 84) or Cabane de Louvie (+41 (0)27 778 17 40) who will provide an up-to-the-minute assessment of the trail.
Page 194 Cabane de Prafleuri
Has no drinking water. You have to purchase all water. 1,5 l bottle for 8 CHF. The price for half-board was cheaper: 59 CHF
Page 194 Cabane des Dix
The guardian of Cabane des Dix told us that the alternative route described in the guide is dangerous because of falling rocks which we were not told at Cabane de Prafleuri the evening before.
Page 202 Arolla
Arolla also has a post office and a great camp site with a little shop: 7 CHF per person and 6 CHF for a small tent per night.
Page 231 Gruben
Café-Restaurant Waldesruh has a new phone number: 079-2746218
Page 237 St. Niklaus
St. Niklaus has an ATM, a supermarket and bakery. Cheapest place to stay is Bahnhof Buffet, 35 CHF for double incl. breakfast, 027-9561810, has nice and clean rooms.
Page 238 Europaweg
This has sustained rockfall and is partially closed just above Randa, after the Europahutte. However, there is now a detour via Randa that involves you descending a long way from the original path towards Randa and the valley floor, in order to pass beneath the section of rockfall, before climbing back up again to rejoin the original route. Allow an additional two hours to tackle this new section. This affects Map 33 in the current(first) edition of the book; there is actually already a warning in the book about rockfall in this area and a warning about the possible need to use an alternative route in the wake of a previous landslip at the time of initial research. There are also paths arrowed off to Randa on the map in the book; these are now the main way of connecting the Europahutte with the section of path south of the junction and path to Kinhutte. Having climbed down to Randa though you may choose to in fact continue along the valley floor for a couple of miles, before climbing back up to rejoin the route much further along, above Tasch.
To help shore up the Europaweg, additional tunnels and fixed chains are being introduced along the section of path after the Europahutte. This will mean that some of this information relating to the section between the Europahutte and the Taschalp Hut will inevitably be missing from the current (first) edition of WHR. There isn't a date for completion of this work though and no indication yet as to when the Europaweg as it was previously will be properly open again.
That said, the path is still definitely walkable and is still the most exhilarating way of completing the Walkers Haute Route. However, if people tackling the route aren't confident about the way ahead, they can phone the Europahutte (tel +41 (0)27 967 82 47) in advance for confirmation and an up-to-date assessment of the conditions. Alternatively if they really don't fancy the Europaweg in the light of this information, they can still complete the Walkers Haute Route from St Niklaus by staying on the valley floor and walking to Zermatt via Randa and Tasch (described p238/Map p239).
