Zugspitse complete - where next? (Aosta Valley)

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 FockeWulf 12 Jul 2022

Hi Guys

Summited Zugspitze last week via the Reintal route, my first Alpine summit since my attempt at Hoher Goll in April and only made it to 1,800m and turned back due to unstable melting snow conditions.

In September we are going to Aosta. There's a lot of 4000m + peaks there, which I don't mind 
so long as they are easy enough for a novice Alpine climber (but with a decent bit of experience and knowledge).

I do have 60m rope, crampons, via ferrata kit, ice axe, etc..

Does anyone have any mountain recommendations around Aosta?

Ideally something that would only require 2 days max - around 10  walking hours a day.

Preferably something that does not have ridiculously exposed scrambling sections that require anchoring and abseiling. 

Thanks  

Post edited at 10:22
 DaveHK 12 Jul 2022
In reply to FockeWulf:

Gran Paradiso fits the bill I think. Two fairly short days from the Vittorio Emanuele refuge is how it's normally done. Assuming you're OK with glacier travel.

Post edited at 10:44
In reply to FockeWulf:

You can do Vincent Pyramid or Punta Giordani and start from Staffal.

I did Vincent Pyramid last year, video below if you want to see what it looks like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S0Z1OndDy0&t=186s

It's a 4,215m mountain that is quite frequented by the Mantova and Gnifetti huts, the mountain itself isn't too difficult, I believe it's graded F. The approach to the Gnifetti hut is around 6hr from Staffal but you also have the option of the cable car that takes you to the Indren glacier, which is not far from both huts or from Punta Giordani at 4,046m.

The Lys glacier (the one serving Vincent Pyramid) is heavily crevassed, so you'll need to be roped up and tick the usual experience boxes. From what I read the Indren glacier is quite tame, depending on what you want Punta Giordani might be a good option

 philipjardine 12 Jul 2022
In reply to FockeWulf:

Monte Emilius (3559m)  just above Aosta itself.  Various ways up but the easiest is park in Pila (or get lift up there from Aosta).  Stay in Arbolle refuge (lovely) and walk/scramble to the summit.  Magnificent views and you should be able to do it trainers.  Not many mountains that high you can do that.

Its not on many Brits radar but it should be.  Wilder route up from small hut south of Becca di Nonna

OP FockeWulf 04 Aug 2022

We've decided to to Monte Emilius and Breithorn.

Does anyone have any good links to maps/route for Monte Emilius via normal route?

Thanks 

 Toerag 04 Aug 2022
In reply to FockeWulf:

> Summited Zugspitze last week via the Reintal route

Care to share your story as it's on my hitlist?

OP FockeWulf 04 Aug 2022
In reply to Toerag:

Unfortunately cannot post photos - but there's a couple on my instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfwKlCIjxEE/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_she...

Weather forecast was supposed to be risk of lightning all week (and previous days) - so we waited a day or two, but it never actually happened (apart from very light storms at night).  

We just decided to go for it, and there were many other people on route.

We set off at 5am from Garmish on the 5th July - down he rental valley, which is basically a slow gradient assent heading west.

It was rainy, warm and humid in the valley.

Our plan was to summit and get the last cable car down by 4:30pm - but as we reached 2000/2100m at roughly 4pm, we realised this was not going to be possible. The guys didn't want to walk up and down in one day, so we sought refuge in the Knorrhutte.

We were unprepared for the hut. We hadn't booked a reservation, and didn't have sleeping bag liners or slippers... We felt a bit foolish walking around in socks and having to wait to see if there was a spare place for us. It cost us roughly 29 euros for the night. I would recommend booking in advance - although to be fair to us, we genuinely thought we would get up in one day.

The next day we set off from the hut at 6am, and hiked up to 2600m where you can stop off at the cafe/station for food/drink if you need. 

After heading up 100/200m up the scree slope towards the summit before we reached the rocky via ferrata section.

I am not great with heights, but I didn't feel that I needed to use my via ferrata kit, and made it to the summit half 12 that afternoon.

The effect of altitude was very minimal. Only noticed a slight change in my breath/stamina. Nothing serious. 

We took the cable car back down. 

Post edited at 17:25
 MG 04 Aug 2022
In reply to FockeWulf:

Get the "Excursionista"  1:25k map (widely available in Aosta.) 

 aostaman 05 Aug 2022
In reply to FockeWulf:

See below. lovevda.it has lots of information. 

https://www.lovevda.it/en/database/7/alpinism/pila/mont-emilius/2680


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