Description

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

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!