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Monte Rosa Haute Route: Margherita Hut and the Grenz Glacier

Gressoney La Trinité

Monte Rosa

Day 4: Margherita Hut and the Grenz Glacier, beginning at Gnifettti Hut and ending at Neue Monte Rosa Hut

Also in Aoste, ItalyValais, Switzerland

Ski Touring Difficult

Distance
12 km
Ascent
1 km
Descent
1.8 km
Duration
5-6 hrs
Low Point
2.9 km
High Point
4.5 km
Gradient
34˚
Monte Rosa Haute Route: Margherita Hut and the Grenz Glacier Map

This is a memorable day, taking in a high summit with a hut on top, then descending a huge and wild glacier.

Description

From the Gnifettti Hut reascend the slope you descended yesterday, ignoring yesterdays tracks to the Pyramid Vincent. Continue up over the Col de Lys at 4151m. From here you descend gently under the Parrotspitze (optional extra summit) before rising more gently in an arc out to the L then back R to reach the Margharita Hut, 4556m on the summit of the same name. This is the highest building in Europe and has breathtaking views down to the Italian plains below, and on a clear day out to the Mediterranean Sea.

From here you drop down the long and complicated Grenz Glacier which flows under the 1000m high N Face of Lyskamm. You are aiming for the R bank of the glacier at about 3190m. The exact route varies from year to year. Broadly it descends NW to reach the bottom of the SW spur of the Dufourspitze, then more in a W direction into the middle of the glacier, then descending more NW then N. Once off the main glacier easy slopes lead down to the recently built Monte Rosa Hut at 2795m. In case of bad weather or lack of time you can continue the descent all the way down the Grenz Glacier to Zermatt- a 3000m descent!

Difficulty

Difficult

Serious gradient of 30-38 degrees where a real risk of slipping exists.

High Exposure (E3)

3 out of 4

In case of a fall, death is highly likely.

Remoteness

4 out of 4

In the high mountains or remote conditions, all individuals must be completely autonomous in every situation.

Best time to visit

between March and June

Equipment required

  • Rope
  • Skins
  • Ice axe
  • Crampons
  • Glacier kit

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area