The historic Haute Route between Chamonix, France, and Zermatt, Switzerland, was first chartered by the English Alpine 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.

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