Mountain endurance athlete Hillary Gerardi outlines her gear of choice for her record-breaking Haute Route traverse
The Haute Route is a classic ski traverse from Chamonix France (at the foot of Mont Blanc) to Zermatt in Switzerland, at the foot of the Matterhorn. The route crosses nearly 110km with about 8,100m of vertical gain. While a men’s record on the route had been established, beaten, re-set and re-beaten, no women had ever done the traverse in one go.
HILLARY GERARDI
Born in the US but resident in the Chamonix valley, 35 year old Hillary Gerardi is a mountain endurance athlete and environmental activist specializing in ski mountaineering and technical mountain running. Regularly found on the top of the podium at some of the world’s most prestigious and technical races (including the Mont-Blanc 90km, Glencoe Skyline and Tromsø Skyrace), she blasted onto the mainstream radar in 2021 when – alongside her teammate Dr Valentine Fabre – she established a women’s speed record on the Haute Route with a time of 26 hours and 21 minutes.
My ski partner, Valentine Fabre, and I both had been drawn to the route for several years and teamed up for a first women’s attempt in March 2021. We were unsure if we would make it, but we wanted to try and hoped that our attempt would also inspire other women to push their own limits in the mountains.
Our gear would have a big bearing on our chances of success so we went for the fastest, lightest and most reliable kit possible
Hillary Gerardi
Tried & tested gear for the speediest of mountain missions
1. BLACK DIAMOND CIRQUE 78 SKIS | £700
The Cirque 78 is an ultra-lightweight mountaineering ski designed for long approaches, speedy ascents and technical descents in the high alpine. Precise, damp, incredibly light and torsionally stiff, it was the ideal ski for this mission.
2. SCARPA ALIEN 1.0 BOOTS | £850
Scarpa’s Aliens are a series of super light weight performance-oriented ski mountaineering boots. I opted for the Alien 1.0 because it weighs just 785g and has a comfortable rubber Vibram outsole.
3. BLACK DIAMOND VISION DOWN PARKA | £400
We knew it would get really cold during nighttime descents at high altitude, so as soon as the sun went down, I threw this jacket on. Light, warm, and robust, I knew I could rely on it in an emergency situation.
4. JULBO FURY SUNGLASSES | From £83
With their wide cylindrical lens, these super light sunglasses provide maximum coverage from glacial glare. They’re highly vented so they won’t fog up on sweaty ascents and are designed to fit under any helmet.
5. BLACK DIAMOND VISION HELMET | £90
Comfortable, breathable and durable, the Vision is a foam helmet with an ABS shell. It may not be the absolute lightest helmet around but it’s super robust which made it ideal for this mission where I would be both skiing and moving in technical terrain.
6. BLACK DIAMOND STANCE MITTS | £60
I never leave home in winter without my Stance mitts!! Perfect for chilly descents, speedy transitions and any unexpected ‘oh sh*t’ moments, they’re incredibly light and warm and do a good job keeping my Reynaud’s syndrome at bay.
7. TINGERLAAT SPF 50 SUNCREAM | From £12
This non-greasy sunscreen is made in the Haute-Savoie in France and provides excellent UVB and UVA protection in the high mountains. Easy to slip into a pocket, it’s ideal for athletes as it’s offers long-lasting sweat-resistant protection, doesn’t sting your eyes or leave a white layer behind after application.
8. BLACK DIAMOND COULOIR HARNESS | £75
This lightweight packable harness weighs just 215g but it’s still super comfortable to wear, even when rapelling. It’s easy to put on and remove while wearing skis or crampons and has two webbing loops for storing ice screws, slings, and all the other kit you need when operating in glaciated terrain.
9. FOOD
Arguably the most important element of any endurance mission! I used a combination of energy and ‘real’ food – aka Moon Valley bars, Trail Butter, Clif Shot Bloks and then pizza, potatoes, sweet potatoes and chips. Basically as many calories as I could possibly consume!
10. BLACK DIAMOND ICON 700 HEADLAMP | £95
With a brilliant 700 lumens of power, this super bright headlamp is ideal for nighttime glacier navigation. It comes with a host of features for multi-day adventures, not least the removable battery pack which you can stow in your jacket to keep it warm and help preserve power.
