Haute Route Day 6 - Arolla to Moiry hut

I started wrtiting this while out on the hike at the end of Day 7, hiding from the rain on the porch of our hotel in Zinal, wallowing in the power, wifi, and warmth. Dinner arrived, and then there was prep for the next day, and then Days 8, 9, 10, and 11 consumed me.

So, here I am, a few days after, hiding in an awesome little coffee/bike shop in Champéry just before flying home, pulling together notes from the hike, photos, and memories before they all begin to fade. Enjoy.

We started the day at this excessively flowery hotel in Arolla. It was a fantastic place to stay - comfortable solo rooms with their own showers - what a luxury after the huts. And our dinner the night we checked in was the best of the week.

After taking another bus ride down the valley then up to the little town of La Sage, we started hiking.

(This bus hop was technically another "skipped" stage of the full official Haute Route. Some of the other groups we had met were hiking from Arollo to La Sage instead of taking the bus, but the hike is simple and effectively a rest stage, so those on a time budget often skip this one like we did.)

Our goal this day was to crest another high pass, drop down to a low valley with a lake and a glacier field, then climb up to the Moiry Hut to spend the night.

After a fairly tough climb, we arrived above tree line with glaciers from the day before in view on the horizon.

We passed a dozen or so hikers on our way up to the pass, then dropped down the steeper side full of scree, moving quickly so the slower hikers weren't in the way on the way down.

After an hour or so of descent in solitude, we crested a rise and saw this down below. You can't quite tell it from the photo scale (click for a larger image) - but that's a parking lot in the middle, just to the left of that that glacier-water lake. It was bizarre and a little sad to come across after being in what felt like remote wilderness for the earlier part of the day.

The reason for that parking lot is that there's a beautiful and popular glacier up the valley. People park there (just above a dam which provides the access road) and then hike up the valley to stay in the Moiry hut at the top end of the valley.

After about another hour of ascending, we arrived at the impressive Moiry hut, which is a combination of an old alpine hut shown here in the foreground, and a new modern addition attached at the back.

The facilities are clean, simple, and have an amazing view out over the glacier.

Our dorm room slept four. Nice room - had reasonable bunks, room for stuff, a window that opens, power, and the bathrooms and showers were just across the hall. We were later joined by a fourth hiker who took the last bunk.

Sundown over the Moiry Glacier.

The Moiry Hut overlooking the glacier. (A big print of the is going up on my wall.)

The hut at night.

See Also

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Haute Route Retrospective

Haute Route Epilogue - A Full Perspective