Pyramide Vincent & Punta Gnifetti
Monte Rosa climbing of two summits at 4000 mt

The trip

2 days mountaineering course - Monte Rosa Climbing - Pyramide Vincent (4215 mt) and Punta Gnifetti (4554 mt.)

With its 4000 accessible peaks, the Monte Rosa offers the possibility to climb some beautiful summits without the need to be expert mountaineers!
At the heart of an exceptional glacial environment, the Monte Rosa massif never ceases to fascinate, with its imposing faces and prestigious peaks.
The ascent of Monte Rosa, through fabulous landscapes, is a must for mountaineers in search of new landscapes at high altitude.

We propose a two day itinerary, to allow you to acclimatise and do the Monte Rosa climb gradually.

Program

Mountaineering Course Programme - The 4000s of Monte Rosa

DAY 1
Gressoney - Ascent of Pyramide Vincent 4215m - Refuge Città di Mantova 3498m

Vertical drop + 770 / - 550m

Meeting with the guide in the morning directly at Staffal, the last hamlet at the foot of Monte Rosa, opposite the start of the Punta Indren cable car, at 7:30 am.

After a quick check of the equipment, you will take the first skip which leaves at 7:30 am to climb to 3275 meters of altitude. Once there, you will start your corssing on the Indren Glacier, befire heading up to Pyramide Vincent. The climb to Pyramide Vincent is an easy route, particularly suitable for beginners who want to discover the world of mountaineering!
Once at the top, you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the 4000s of Monte Rosa that go around you.
Depending on the group's fitness and ability, the guide will choose the descent route to the Citta di Mantova hut: either by the same route as the ascent, or by a rocky ridge that leads directly to the hut.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Citta di Mantova refuge.

DAY 2
Refuge Città di Mantova 3498m - Climbing Punta Gnifetti 4554m - Punta Indren 3275m - Gressoney

Vertical drop + 1050m / - 1280m

Departure early in the morning, at sunrise.
At the beginning you will walk along the Lys glacier, which will take you to the Col du Lys at 4248 metres. You will take a short break to admire the magnificent summits of the Pointe Zumstein (4561 m), the Pointe Dufour (4633 m - the highest summit of Mont Rose) and the vertiginous north face of the Lyskamm: you are at the heart of a majestic glacial atmosphere!
You will reach the summit of Pointe Gnifetti in 4/5 hours of walking.
At the summit, standing at 4554 metres above sea level, you will be welcomed inside Europe's highest hut, the Margherita hut.
After recovering your energy and admiring the panorama of the most beautiful peaks of the Monte Rosa, you will descend on the same path of the ascent to reach the refuge.
A nice spaghetti bowl will be waiting for you (not included in the price) !
After resting for a while, a little more effort is required to descend to the Punta Indren and join the cable car that will take you back to Staffal.

Equipement

IMPORTANT: if a person is not properly equipped and dressed, the mountain guide may decide not to allow him/her to take part in the climb. We ask you to read carefully the equipment list provided in the programme PDF and to call us if you have any doubts.

Level

Level required for the Monte Rosa mountaineering course

Normally trained mountaineers or good hikers used to mountain hiking, looking for new adventures.

The ascent of Monte Rosa does not present any particular technical difficulties. However, so that you can make the most of your experience and maximize the chances of success, it is advisable to have previous experience at altitude or to spend several days in the mountains (hiking around 2500 / 3000 m) before your ascent to arrive on D-Day well trained and acclimatized.

Good physical training is necessary to be able to withstand days of 8 to 10 hours of walking. Be aware that the weight of your bag and the permanence at high altitude reduce your usual capacities !

The difficulty of Monte Rosa is really physical due to the high altitude of the peaks (Punta Gnifetti / Signlakuppe 4554 mt), the fact that you will spend the night at 3400 mt (already high for sleeping) and the fact that you will chain two summits of 4000 m in two days.
It should be noted that due to the altitude, you should not count on the night in a refuge to recharge your batteries for the second summit the next day: in general, if you are not used to sleeping at altitude, the night is not restorative...

Your guide will adapt the pace to maximize the chances of reaching the top !

Useful infos

Useful information to prepare your mountain trip:

Meeting on the first day

Meeting with the mountain guide in Staffal (Gressoney) at the departure of the Gabiet cable car at 7:30 a.m. 

End of the trip

The programme ends on the second day between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm in Staffal (Gressoney).
 

Organisation:

The week before your departure, you will receive a reminder by email with all the information concerning the meeting and the guide in charge of your group.

Esprit Montagne / Esprit des Guides SA takes care of the hut reservation, you do not need to think about it.

Guiding

French and English speaking local UIAGM mountain guide from our team.

How to reach Aosta Valley

• Via Chamonix Mont Blanc – you can reach Chamonix by train from the main French airports or from Geneva airport – then you can reach Courmayeur – Aosta Valley through the Mont Blanc Tunnel (there are buses connections from Chamonix to Aosta Valley, but if you would like to be free to move it is advisable to rent a car).
• Via Geneva or Martigny – you can easily reach Martigny by train from Geneva airport - then you reach Aosta city center via the tunnel of Grand Saint Bernard (there are buses connections from Martigny to Aosta Valley, but if you would like to be free to move it is advisable to rent a car).
• Via Milan/Turin airport – rent a car directly to reach Aosta via the highway
  • Rent a car directly to reach Aosta via the motorway;
  • By train: https://www.trenitalia.com/trenitalia-france.html
• Or via Bourg Saint Maurice (73700, France) - Col du Petit Saint Bernard - you can reach Bourg Saint Maurice by train from the main French airports. Once in Bourg Saint Maurice you will need to rent a car to reach the Aosta Valley via the Col du Petit Saint Bernard (2 hours drive). It's a slightly longer trip but you can save the toll at the Mont Blanc Tunnel.

Public transports Aosta Valley

• Bus trasport from Chamonix to Courmayeur: https://aosta.arriva.it/line/courmayeur-chamonix/
• Bus trasport from Courmayeur to Aosta : https://aosta.arriva.it/en/line/aosta-courmayeur-2/
• Bus transport from Milan to Aosta: https://aosta.arriva.it/en/aosta-milano/
• Bus transport whithin the Aosta Region: https://aosta.arriva.it/en/timetables-and-routes/

Bus to the Gressoney Valley

The departure point of the bus for the Gressoney Valley is at the train station in the village of Pont Saint Martin.
For the bus timetable:https://www.vitagroup.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/estivo-gressoney-2024-1.pdf

If you are coming only for the climb, we can organize you a taxi to pick you up or the mountain guide can come to pick you up on the road nearby Aosta (organization upon booking).

Accommodation in Staffal:

For those who wish to sleep in Staffal in the evening before returning to the Guide we recommend the Walsertal Residence, a very nice and cozy hotel, or the Hôtel de Gletscher in Staffal, a 5-minute walk from the start of the cable car.

Food

• Half board at the refuge included 
• Lunch and drinks are at your own charge
• Before departure, remember to bring food / snacks for the ascent according to your own tastes (cereal bars, dried fruit, chocolate, etc.) 

Sports shops for specific equipment rental:

You can rent equipment at Ermanno Sport in Staffal, directly at the departure of the cable car: remember to contact the shop in advance to book your equipment.
 

CAR SHARING

When you register online, you can choose whether or not you wish to take part in the car-sharing scheme to get to the starting point of your course. Once you have made your booking, you can log back into your Esprit Montagne account to access a section dedicated to carpooling. Here you will find the contacts of the other participants who are interested in car-sharing, so that you can contact them directly.