Italian High Level Trek

Day 1: Arrive in ST.Niklaus

Rendezvous at the group hotel in St.Niklaus. Here, you will meet your guides and be made to feel at home. In the evening, we will have an informal chat about the week ahead. There will also be a chance for our guide to check out your clothing and equipment and to decide if you will need to pick up any further items of equipment in Zermatt. We have our evening meal in the Hotel. The Guides will meet everyone on the terrace of the hotel’’s bar at 7pm. Meals included: Dinner (D)

Day 2: A training and acclimatisation day

From the Hotel, we take a taxi into Zermatt and walk for 15 minutes to the Klein Matterhorn cable car. (A chance for last minute shopping). It’s a spectacular ride up to the mid-station at Trockenersteg at 2939m. / 9643ft. From here, it is just a short walk up to the spectacularly situated Gandegg Hut (3029m. / 9938ft.). This family run refuge provides a warm welcome and has an excellent lunch time menu. The afternoon is spent on the Theodul Glacier, covering basic crampon and glacial travel techniques and some rocky scrambling. We stay overnight in the hut. 2 – 3 hours of activity after lunch. (B, D)

Day 3: Climb the Breithorn

We make the short descent to the Trockenersteg cable car and use this system to take us to the top of the Klein Matterhorn at 3883m. / 12,740ft. Walking straight out of the lift onto the glacial Breithorn Plateau, we put on our crampons and rope up for the ascent of the Breithorn (4164m / 13,662ft..). A straightforward snow climb leads to a short, narrow ridge up to the summit, where we have great views in all directions. We descend to the Breithorn Pass (3824m. / 12,546ft.), from where we traverse glacial terrain below the south face of the Breithorn, to near a col known as the Schwarztor (3731m. / 12,241ft.).We now pass by the toe of Pollux’s (4092m) south-east ridge and descend, on glacier, all the way to the Refugio d’Ayas (3440m. / 11,287ft.), a relatively new Italian hut where we stay. Overnight. A day of approximately 5 hours. 300m of ascent, a long traverse then descent 650m. (B, D)

Day 4: Passo di Bettolina to the Rifugio Guglielmina

Leaving the Rifugio Ayas early in the morning, we make a short steep descent of a path (with ropes).We cross a short section of easy glacier and then scramble down rocks to the Mezzalama hut (3004m. / 9856ft.) where we pick up a good footpath down to Plan di Verra Sup, in the Vallee D’Ayas. From here we ascend the Passo di Bettolina (2905m. / 9531ft.) At first a little trail leads us upwards for the passage through to the Val di Gressoney.The latter part of this ascent is a challenging boulder field! Which finally gives us access to a broad ridge and easier terrain underfoot.

Day 5: Pyramid Vincent and the Balmenhorn

We retrace our steps to the cable car and use this to ascend to the Passo dei Salati 2963m/9721ft and then, via the new Indren cable car, arrive at 3275m – all without any effort! However, now we start walking! We leave the lift station and cross first the Glacier di Indren and then a rock band with the aid of a few chains, to reach the Rifugio Mantova (3500m) in approximately 1 hour. This is a lively Italian establishment, which has been completely renovated over the past few years. After a very short stop to leave any extra gear, we make an ascent of Pyramid Vincent( 4215m) – a straight-forward glacial trek. This snow summit is an excellent viewpoint. We now descend to Col Vincent (4088m) and make the short climb to the Balmenhorn (4167m). To get to this little summit we have to negotiate a short (4 metre) rock wall facilitated by cables and staples. The summit is adorned with a religious monument and a small emergency hut. We return to our refuge via the same route, popping into the older Gniffetti hut if time allows. C.1040m up and 1040m down. 6-7 hours walking. In the event of poor weather or lift closure we will use an alternative route to the Passo Dei Salati, from where we follow the ridge due north, skirting around the Stolemberg. This path has occasional hand cables where the exposure is high. Reaching the cableway station of Punta Indren, we follow the first part of the above route to reach the Rifugio Mantova. 1150m of ascent, 5-6 hrs. (B, D)

Day 6: Signalkuppe to the Monta Rosa Hut

An amazing day – Nowhere in the Alps can you walk on such a high glacier with so many 4000 metre peaks so close! The Monte Rosa Group is the largest mountain mass above 4000m. / 13,000ft. in the European Alps. A few of these summits are relatively easy glaciated snow peaks. Our aim today is to ascend and cross the Lisjoch (4151m. / 13,619ft.), a high glacier col which is the only ‘easy’ crossing point back into Switzerland. This day is completely weather and conditions dependent, even in perfect weather this is a tough day. All being well we now ascend the Signalkuppe (4556m. / 11,667ft.), and take a short break at the Margarita Hut on the summit. This is the highest mountain refuge in the Alps with excellent 360 degree views. Don’t forget to admire the East face below you – one of the biggest faces in the Alps. Before too late in the day we make our way down the huge, heavily crevassed Grenz gletcher, below the north face of Lyskamm and exit on the right bank to the Plattje, an oasis of green amongst towering giants. We overnight in the new Monte Rosa Hut (2883m). The Swiss claim this recently build refuge to be the ‘showpiece’ of modern mountain huts. 8 –10 hours. 1050m ascent, descent 1270m. (B, D)

Day 7: Return to Zermatt

After a leisurely breakfast, we make our way back to Zermatt via the Gornergrat Glacier. Having left the glacier we take a contouring path to the Rotenboden station of Gornergrat mountain railway (3 hours). The views from this path are truly spectacular – Matterhorn, Breithorn, Castor, Pollux, Liskamm, Signalkuppe, Dufoursptitze and Nordend – all towering above 4000m! We have a celebratory lunch in Zermatt, with time to look around, or do some souvenir shopping. Overnight in group hotel in Zermatt. (B, D)

Day 8: Services end after breakfast

KE group package services end after breakfast. (B)