Chamonix has become a playground of epic proportions. With lift-accessible trails offering thrilling panoramas and challenges to ski mountaineers and high-altitude skiers from around the world, and the sheer white heights of the Mont Blanc massif as its backdrop, the Chamonix Valley shows the Alps at their most dramatic.
BBE offers two distinct programs in this region. The Chamonix Ski & Ski Mountaineering program focuses on 3–9 days of hotel and mountain hut-based activity in the Chamonix Valley, honing glacial and ski mountaineering skills while skiing extensive vertical at altitude. The Haute Route is one of the great classic ski traverses on earth — a multi-day ski tour from Zermatt, Switzerland to Chamonix, France through some of the highest and most spectacular terrain in the Alps.
Both programs are led by Willie Benegas — IFMGA-certified mountain guide with decades of Alpine and Himalayan experience. We are not actively booking fixed-date departures for these programs but welcome all custom private inquiries.
Option 1: Chamonix Ski & Ski Mountaineering · 3–9 Days
We recommend 3 to 9 days based in Chamonix, combining lift-accessed glacier skiing with backcountry ski mountaineering objectives in the Mont Blanc massif. The comforts and mountain cuisine of the valley’s hotels and mountain huts make this a seamless adventure with outstanding skiing at altitude.
What the Program Covers
- Lift-accessed descents on the Vallée Blanche — 20 km / 12.5 mi of off-piste glacier skiing from the Aiguille du Midi (12,605 ft / 3,842 m)
- Backcountry ski touring in the Chamonix Valley — Col du Chardonnet, Argentière Glacier, and surrounding terrain
- Ski mountaineering objectives suited to your level — from the Grands Montets to more technical lines on the Mont Blanc massif
- Instruction in glacial travel, ski mountaineering efficiency, and crevasse awareness
- Mountain hut nights when terrain and program design call for it — the Alpine hut experience is a unique and essential part of any Chamonix program
Option 2: The Haute Route · Zermatt to Chamonix · ~7 Days
The Haute Route is one of the great classic ski traverses in the world — a 7-day ski tour linking the iconic resort towns of Zermatt in Switzerland and Chamonix in France through a high alpine route crossing some of the finest glacial and ski mountaineering terrain in the Alps.
The Route
The classic Haute Route begins in Zermatt (5,315 ft / 1,620 m) beneath the Matterhorn and ends in Chamonix (3,396 ft / 1,035 m) beneath Mont Blanc — covering approximately 120 km / 75 miles with around 11,000 m / 36,000 ft of cumulative vertical gain and loss. The route passes through the Val d’Anniviers, crosses the Col de Valpelline, traverses beneath Monte Rosa, and crosses multiple high glaciated passes before descending into the Chamonix Valley. Nightly stays at alpine mountain huts provide shelter, hot meals, and the genuine social culture of European alpine touring.
Season
The Haute Route runs in April and May — the optimal window for consolidated snowpack, improved weather stability, and manageable glacial hazard. Bookings must be made at least 6 months in advance due to mountain hut reservation requirements — hut beds on the Haute Route fill well ahead of the prime season.
Requirements
The Haute Route is a serious ski touring undertaking: 7 consecutive days of uphill skinning and glacial descent, often in cold and variable weather, with significant daily vertical gain and loss. Required: solid ski mountaineering fitness, proficiency with skins and skinning technique, crampon and ice axe use for steeper glacial sections, and the physical endurance to repeat big days across a full week. Prior multi-day ski touring experience is strongly recommended.
Booking Status
We are not actively booking fixed-date group departures for either Chamonix program at this time. We welcome custom private inquiries for both programs. Haute Route programs require at least 6 months of advance planning due to hut reservations. Contact us to begin planning.
