September 2019 Swiss Alps/Haute Route, Chamonix to Zermatt

Days -2 to 7 – Three Vigorous Hikers, Bob, Steve and Liz, two alums, Lynn M. and Roger (now in Chicago), Bob's daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and Peter, and a member of Bob and Michelle's 2016 Kilimanjaro expedition, Lynn R. from Vancouver, BC, teamed up to hike the classic Walkers Haute Route. The trek covered 125 miles and took 13 days from Chamonix, France (beneath Mt. Blanc) to Zermatt (beneath the Matterhorn). Bob has described the Haute Route as the "Tour du Mont Blanc on steroids," harder, higher and more spectacular, and almost as epic as the Via Alpina 1. The route traverses the north slopes of the Pennine Alps that run along the Swiss/Italian border and crosses 11 passes (8 over 9000'!) before entering the Mattertal and finishing up on the legendary Europaweg. Bob and Roger arrived in Switzerland two days early, so that Bob could complete the last 13 miles of the Via Alpina 1 that he missed last year after breaking his leg. Most of the group stayed together after the trek in Zermatt for two days to explore the area more. Part 1 covers the finish of the Via Alpina and the first 7 days of the trek, ending in the Swiss village of Evolene in the Val d'Herens.

Pictures are by everybody but Lynn M – Bob produced the report.

Pictures at https://photos.app.goo.gl/M2jPYtGDVPn1mzK6A

Days 8 to 15 – The journey continues east then south from Evolene to the terminus in Zermatt.

Pictures at https://photos.app.goo.gl/H7GNFMcqH1MBGfGz9