DESCRIPTION
The Monte Rosa at 4634 metres is the highest mountain in Switzerland and second in height only to Mont Blanc in the Alps. Our 7 day itinerary provides good acclimatisation and preparation time to make Monte Rosa an achievable summit for anyone reasonably fit. The highest summit on the mountain is the Dufourspitze. It is a challenging 3 day climb that is normally approached via the Monte Rosa hut and the rocky West Ridge. The summit day is a 6-8 hour climb up slopes of no more than 40 degrees and with an altitude gain of almost 1900 metres.
AREA: Canton of Valais, Switzerland
BASIC PACKAGE
- Activities: 6 day’s mountaineering accompanied by a UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guide
- Includes: Organisation, guiding, Budget accommodation (BB)
- Excludes: Lunch, dinner and extra meals, beverages, airport transfers, cable car tickets, climbing equipment and safety kit backpack and insurance
PLANNED TOURS
- Pollux (4092 m)
- Castor (4223m)
- Breithorn (4164m)
- Monte Rosa (4634m)
ITINERARY
Day 1: ARRIVAL ZERMATT
Meet up with your mountain guides in Zermatt in the evening for an initial briefing and equipment check. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 2: POLLUX (4092 M
A 3 day training and acclimatisation trip with two nights in mountain huts.
You will start by taking the cable car to the Klein Matterhorn and traverse the Verra glacier to climb Pollux (4092 m) before descending to the Val d’Ayas Hut (3420m). Climbing and walking time is about 5-6 hours.
Day 3: CASTOR (4223 M)
Climb Castor (4223m) and spend a second night in the Val d’Ayas Hut. Climbing and walking time is about 5-6 hours.
Day 4: BREITHORN (4164 M)
Climb Breithorn (4164m) and descend to Zermatt via Kleine Matterhorn. Climbing and walking time about 5 hours. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 5: MONTE ROSA HUT (2795 M)
Take the Gornergrat mountain railway and then walk for 3 hours to the Monte Rosa hut (2795m), crossing the Grenz glacier.
Day 6: MONTE ROSA (AKA DUFOURSPITZE 4634 M)
Summit Day: an early alpine start (about 1 or 2 am) from the Monte Rosa hut for the 5-7 hour ascent to the summit of the Dufourspitze. The reward is a spectacular panoramic view of the Italian Alps and the Mont Blanc Massif. Return to the Monte Rosa hut.
DAY 7: DESCENT TO ZERMATT
Descent to Zermatt and stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 8: DEPARTURE
Depart after breakfast for the airport and your flight home.
SELF ASSESSMENT
KEY INFORMATION
- Equipment you should bring: See personal equipment list
- Number of participants: Min 2 persons
- Meeting point: Zermatt or airport (Standard and Premium packages)
- Gateway Airport: Milan (3hr 10m) or Bergamo (3hr 24m)
- Airport transfers: Available on request subject to surcharge (included in Standard / Premium packages)
- Insurance: You will require appropriate personal cover for this trip with term or annual insurance and we will need to see a copy of your insurance at time of booking. Recommended insurers – BMC, Austrian Alpine Club, Sports Cover Direct or Snowcard
BOOKING ENQUIRY
CALL: 017687 75337
DATES
01/08 – 08/08/15
OTHER PACKAGES OF INTEREST?
PACKAGE OPTIONS
£990 pp (4-6 clients / guide)
INCLUDES
- Organisation
- Guiding
- Budget accommodation (BB)
EXCLUDES
- Lunch, dinner and extra meals
- Soft drinks, beers, etc.
- Cable car tickets
- Transport from / to airport
- Insurance
- Climbing equipment and safety kit backpack are individually bookable
£1890 pp (4 clients / guide)
INCLUDES
- Organisation
- Guiding
- Budget accommodation (BB)
- Cable car tickets
- Transfers from / to Milan or Bergamo Airport
EXCLUDES
- Lunch
- Extra beverages
- Climbing equipment and safety kit backpack are individually bookable
£2990 pp (2 clients / guide)
INCLUDES
- Organisation
- Guiding
- 3 Star hotel / half board
- Extra beverages
- Cable car tickets
- Climbing equipment and safety kit backpack
- Transfers from / to Milan or Bergamo airport
- Transport to tour’s start point
- Entry fees
- 8 weeks training plan
- Coaching – 8 Skype calls
EXCLUDES
- Insurance
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Check List:
- Expedition bag with additional/spare clothes
- Walking trousers
- Waterproof jacket
- Waterproof over pants
- Shorts (Optional)
- Wool or fleece hat
- Sun cap or headband
- Sunglasses
- Suncream
- Lip salve
- Waterproof gloves
- Light fleece gloves
- Thermal underwear – short/long
- Spare underwear
- Lightweight climbing gloves – optional for Via Ferrata sections
- Walking socks
- Base layer wicking top / quick dry thermal
- Fleece or alternative soft shell mid-layer
- Rucksack – 30-40 litre capacity
- 2 or 3 litre Camelbak (or 2 x 1 litre Nalgen bottles or Thermos)
- Compeed blister pads – min 2 packs
- Trekking poles (2)
- Pocket knife
- Head torch plus spare battery
- Camera c/w optional waterproof bag
- Small wash towel for mountain huts
- Toiletries
- Money and documents (ID, Alpine club membership card, etc)
TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT - ALPINE AND SUMMIT
Check List:
- B1, B2 or B3 Mountaineering boots
- Crampons
- Ice axe
- Extra ice axe for steeper ice
- Harness with HMS carabiner
- Climbing helmet
- Gaiters
AFTER YOU BOOK?
- We will contact you and discuss the route, equipment and any special needs of your group.
- We will tailor our trip plan to the fitness level of your group.
- We will send you our standard contract and payment instructions (credit card, PayPal, cheques, wire transfer).
- 2 months before the agreed date, we will let you know how to prepare for the track.
- 2 weeks before the agreed date, we will confirm weather conditions and how to prepare for traveling to the destination.
TESTIMONIAL
“It’s already over and I don’t have enough words to adequately praise our guides!” John Kragelj
GALLERY
