Nature is Calling
Back on the Walker's HAUTE ROUTE
At the beginning of July 2026 I took a few days off to return to a trail that Leah and I had already hiked once before: the Walker's Haute Route (WHR).
We first hiked the route two years earlier, but one section remained unfinished. The stage between Verbier and Lac des Dix crosses the Grand Désert Plateau, and when we were there it was still covered in too much snow to cross safely. Instead of taking unnecessary risks, we followed a detour further north, which allowed us to continue the route but meant missing the Grand Désert Plateau.
This year was different. An unusually hot start to the summer had melted much of the remaining snow by early July, making the crossing possible much earlier than usual. It was the perfect opportunity to return and finally complete the missing section.
I spent six days hiking from hut to hut under almost unbelievably good weather. Every single day was sunny, without a single drop of rain. Some of the mountain huts were in spectacular, remote locations, perched high in the mountains close to glaciers and far away from any towns. It was a fantastic way to experience this part of the Alps.
Route
3 July: Le Châble → Cabane Mont Fort — 8.38 km — ↑ 1043 m ↓ 92 m — 2:45
4 July: Cabane Mont Fort → Cabane de Prafleuri — 17.19 km — ↑ 1335 m ↓ 1216 m — 7:31
5 July: Cabane de Prafleuri → Cabane des Dix — 12.85 km — ↑ 966 m ↓ 698 m — 4:34
6 July: Cabane des Dix → Les Haudères — 20.19 km — ↑ 770 m ↓ 2260 m — 6:22
7 July: Les Haudères → Cabane de Moiry — 14.90 km — ↑ 2093 m ↓ 727 m — 5:54
8 July: Cabane de Moiry → Zinal — 13.60 km — ↑ 484 m ↓ 1628 m — 4:52
