The original route over the Grand Combin follows one of the oldest lines of the Haute Route and is considered a more demanding alternative to the Verbier variant, which is more travelled today. It leads through the striking high mountain landscape south of the Grand Combin massif, linking remote glacier valleys, steep cols and isolated huts. The traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt usually takes six to seven days.
From Argentière, the first stage crosses the Glacier d’Argentière to the Refuge d’Argentière (2771 m). Set high above the glacier, the hut offers an impressive view of the steep north faces of the Mont Blanc massif and is the starting point for crossing the Col du Chardonnet the next day.
Over the Col du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre de Saleina, the route leads into the Trient massif. After crossing the glacier plateau and the Col des Écandies comes the long descent through the Val d’Arpette to Champex. Unlike the classic Verbier route, the way on does not lead into the Verbier ski area but by road transfer to Bourg-Saint-Pierre in the Val d’Entremont.
From Bourg-Saint-Pierre, the route climbs through the secluded Valsorey valley to the Cabane de Valsorey (3037 m). The hut sits on a rocky spur at the foot of the mighty Grand Combin and is the starting point for one of the technically most demanding stages of the entire Haute Route.
The crossing of the Plateau du Couloir at around 3650 m is the alpine crux of this variant. A steep, often icy slope usually requires crampons and ice axe. After the traverse to the Col du Sonadon comes a long descent over the glaciers on the south side of the Grand Combin. A final climb leads to the Cabane de Chanrion, set in seclusion above the Val de Bagnes.
Another highlight is the ascent of the Pigne d’Arolla (3796 m), the highest point of the original route. From the Cabane de Chanrion, the climb leads over the Glacier du Brenay and the Col du Brenay to the summit, which opens up an impressive panorama of the surrounding four-thousanders of the Valais Alps. The descent then leads to the spectacularly located Cabane des Vignettes. In unfavourable conditions, the summit can be bypassed via the Glacier d’Otemma.
At the Cabane des Vignettes, the original route rejoins the classic Haute Route. The last day leads over the Col de l’Évêque, the Col du Mont Brulé and the Col de Valpelline. The long descent across the glaciers below the Dent d’Hérens and the Matterhorn is an impressive finish to the traverse to Zermatt.
The original route makes particularly high demands on fitness, ski technique and alpine experience. Besides long ascents and descents, it involves steep passages, heavily crevassed glaciers and technically demanding crossings. The Plateau du Couloir in particular requires safe snow and weather conditions. In unfavourable conditions, this section can be impassable.
Compared with the Verbier variant, the original route is less busy and more strongly shaped by the high alpine character of the landscape. It does without the Verbier lifts but usually includes a road transfer between Champex and Bourg-Saint-Pierre. Anyone looking for a demanding ski traverse in the footsteps of the early Haute Route pioneers will find a particularly impressive alternative here.