April - Haute Route - Bertol Hut

we are skiing the Haute Route in April. Any reports/updates would be helpful. Has anyone skied in to the Bertol Hut (outside of Arrolla - the last hut before skiing to Zermatt)? I heard it can be tricky. Thanks, john m

We just arrived back from Europe last week. Towards the end of our trip we skied from Arolla to Zermatt as an overnighter. There were very few people up there and we had good powder snow for the main skiing part of the route (Stockji Glacier), but less snow than average over the course of the route. There was lots of exposed, blue ice. More so than usual. That could change with a few spring storms.
We stayed at the Bouquetins Hut up near the Col d'Eveque. It's small, has no guardian, and fills up fast in the height of Haute Route season (April). Another option from Arolla is the Vignettes Hut, which is large, you can reserve space and has meals, etc. The Bertol is used quite often, so there should be a route in place. Maybe some boot packing towards the col. Another option is the Rifugio Aosta, but if you don't know where that is ahead of time, I wouldn't recommend trying to count on getting in there. It has more routefinding and hazards...
Have fun!!!!!!!

Bertol Hut. The crux is the ladders and chains.

we are skiing the Haute Route in April.  Any reports/updates would be helpful.  Has anyone skied in to the Bertol Hut (outside of Arrolla - the last hut before skiing to Zermatt)?  I heard it can be tricky.  Thanks, john m

Cool. When are you doing it? My wife and I leave on Sunday for the Haute Route. We will actually start on the 8th and get into Zermatt on the 13th. We are not staying in the Bertol Hut. We will be staying in the Vignettes Hut.