Haute Route ?s

[akstenny]

Anyone out there have some beta on the renting of beds in the refugios along the route? Or is it a first come basis?

[Arno]

booking is a good idea at busy times (ie most of the haute route season).

contact details on www.sac-cas.ch or on the swiss ski touring maps

[verbier61]

booking is mandatory. cabanes de dix and de vignettes, FI, can quickly become full. The worst it can happen to you is to arrive at one of these cabanes to found that they're full, so you have to go to bertol (in best cases) or to arolla (in worst cases)

[Hicks]

booking is mandatory.

Seconded, especially during the peak monthes April + May.

The most neuralgic point is the Cabane de Valsorey on the classic route. Consider one of the variants instead of the classic route and starting midweeks to beat the crowds.

One more option: the haute Route Valdotaine which runs parallely to the classic on the Italian side, way less frequented and even nicer runs.

[ski_rick]

Bring a cell phone and the huts phone #s with you too. If your plans have to change due to weather or anything else, you can call and change your bookings (cell phones seem to work many places up in the mountains there.

[akstenny]

thanks for the info. all good things to know.