Haute Route Chamonix–Zermatt conditions

Last updated . Satellite imagery from 30 October 2026 to 8 November 2026.

Haute Route Chamonix–Zermatt: 68% snow-free as of 8 November 2026; snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux and Col de Prafleuri and 5 more cols.

  • 68% of the line snow-free
  • 59.4 km still under snow
  • Snow line: 1,850 m
  • −14 points on last week.

The Haute Route Chamonix–Zermatt usually opens early July, once the high cols melt out and the huts open.

This year the line was first 95% snow-free on 4 July 2026, and autumn snow returned by 25 October 2026.

The latest satellite reading, from 8 November 2026, shows 68% snow-free.

Sentinel-2 satellite imagery from 30 October – 8 November 2026 shows 68% of the Haute Route Chamonix–Zermatt line clear of snow, with about 59 km still under snow.

That is 14 points less snow-free than the week before, so fresh snow has fallen.

The snow line sits at about 1,850 m.

Snow remains on stages 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10; the rest of the route is clear or nearly clear.

Less snow than the same week in 2025, when the route was 51% snow-free.

What it means: Expect continuous snow from about 1,850 m. Micro-spikes and poles are recommended above that height, and an ice axe on steep north-facing traverses.

Cols

ColHeightStageSnow
Col de Balme2,191 m1Under snow
Col de la Chaux2,940 m4Under snow
Col de Prafleuri2,987 m4Under snow
Pas de Chèvres2,855 m5Under snow
Col de Riedmatten2,919 m5Under snow
Col de Torrent2,920 m7Under snow
Col de Sorebois2,835 m7Under snow
Augstbordpass2,893 m9Under snow

Stage by stage

StageSnow-freeUnder snowLowest snow
1. Chamonix to Trient84%3.6 km2,000 m
2. Trient to Champex95%0.6 km2,450 m
3. Champex to Le Châble100%——
4. Le Châble to Cabane de Prafleuri55%9 km2,600 m
5. Prafleuri to Arolla41%11 km2,200 m
6. Arolla to La Sage82%2 km1,800 m
7. La Sage to Zinal29%13 km2,250 m
8. Zinal to Gruben46%10.6 km2,250 m
9. Gruben to St Niklaus64%5.4 km2,450 m
10. St Niklaus to Zermatt86%4.2 km2,250 m

Season by season

YearFirst 95% snow-freeAutumn snow backBest reading
20264 July25 October100% snow-free
202529 June30 October100% snow-free

Update log

  1. : 68% snow-free, snow line about 1,850 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  2. : 82% snow-free, snow line about 2,350 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  3. : 34% snow-free, snow line about 1,050 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  4. : 100% snow-free. Snow on Col de la Chaux.
  5. : 100% snow-free.
  6. : 100% snow-free.
  7. : 100% snow-free.
  8. : 100% snow-free.
  9. : 100% snow-free.
  10. : 100% snow-free.
  11. : 100% snow-free.
  12. : 100% snow-free.
  13. : 100% snow-free.
  14. : 100% snow-free.
  15. : 99% snow-free.
  16. : 99% snow-free. Snow on Col de la Chaux.
  17. : 99% snow-free. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux.
  18. : 98% snow-free. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux.
  19. : 96% snow-free, snow line about 2,800 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Augstbordpass.
  20. : 94% snow-free, snow line about 2,700 m. Snow on Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Augstbordpass.
  21. : 90% snow-free, snow line about 2,550 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Augstbordpass.
  22. : 87% snow-free, snow line about 2,450 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Augstbordpass.
  23. : 83% snow-free, snow line about 2,400 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Col de Torrent, Augstbordpass.
  24. : 76% snow-free, snow line about 2,200 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  25. : 67% snow-free, snow line about 1,850 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  26. : 56% snow-free, snow line about 1,250 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  27. : 63% snow-free, snow line about 1,700 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  28. : 56% snow-free, snow line about 1,200 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  29. : 51% snow-free, snow line about 850 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  30. : 39% snow-free, snow line about 750 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  31. : 91% snow-free.
  32. : 100% snow-free.
  33. : 98% snow-free. Snow on Col de la Chaux.
  34. : 89% snow-free, snow line about 2,700 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  35. : 87% snow-free, snow line about 2,450 m. Snow on Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  36. : 100% snow-free.
  37. : 100% snow-free.
  38. : 100% snow-free.
  39. : 100% snow-free.
  40. : 100% snow-free.
  41. : 100% snow-free.
  42. : 100% snow-free.
  43. : 99% snow-free. Snow on Col de la Chaux.
  44. : 99% snow-free. Snow on Col de la Chaux.
  45. : 99% snow-free. Snow on Col de la Chaux.
  46. : 94% snow-free, snow line about 2,750 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Augstbordpass.
  47. : 95% snow-free, snow line about 2,800 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri.
  48. : 95% snow-free, snow line about 2,750 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Augstbordpass.
  49. : 92% snow-free, snow line about 2,600 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Augstbordpass.
  50. : 85% snow-free, snow line about 2,400 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Augstbordpass.
  51. : 74% snow-free, snow line about 2,100 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  52. : 72% snow-free, snow line about 2,000 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  53. : 62% snow-free, snow line about 1,550 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  54. : 61% snow-free, snow line about 1,500 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.
  55. : 47% snow-free, snow line about 750 m. Snow on Col de Balme, Col de la Chaux, Col de Prafleuri, Pas de Chèvres, Col de Riedmatten, Col de Torrent, Col de Sorebois, Augstbordpass.

How this is measured

The route is sampled every 200 m along the classic stages. Each point uses its most recent cloud-free satellite view from the 10 days before the update.

A point counts as snow when Sentinel-2 classifies it as snow or its snow index (NDSI) is high. Cloud, shadow and no-data pixels are left out.

Imagery: Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A (Earth Search STAC), 20 m. Elevation: Mapbox Terrain-DEM v1 (zoom 12).

Satellite snow cover is a planning aid, not a safety verdict. It cannot see snow under trees or thin new snow, and it says nothing about avalanche danger, cornices or ice. Check with huts, guides and local bulletins before you go.

Haute Route Chamonix–Zermatt route guide · Conditions on every route