Monte Rosa South: 4000m parade from the Aosta Valley

The approach to the huts is significantly facilitated by the ascent with the cable cars of the Monte Rosa Ski Arena via Gabiet and Passo Salati to Punta Indren (also accessible via the cable cars from Alagna Valsesia). Immediately behind the mountain station, the Indren Glacier is descended in a wide left bend flat to the foot of a steep slope. Here skins are put on again and the slope is ascended in a few switchbacks. Over a broad saddle, one reaches flatly to the Garstelet Glacier, a side branch of the Eastern Lis Glacier. On the right rocky edge stands the Mantova Hut, which is quickly reached in a right curve. The initially flat glacier branch gradually becomes steeper. On the left rocky edge, 200m higher, the Gnifetti Hut can be seen. Crossing the steep slope to the left to the rock foot on the right below the hut, one reaches the start of the short, rope- and clamp-secured rocky ascent to the Gnifetti Hut. At the ridge above the hut stands the chapel, passing it to the north one descends over a very short secured rock step to the Eastern Lis Glacier. After the Kolka exit, the route goes eastward flat into the level basin in front of the rocks of the Vincent Pyramid. This place can also be reached by bypassing the Gnifetti Hut over the Garstelet Glacier in a wide left bend.

Now the moderately steep glacier slope between the huge crevasse zones on the left and the ice wall of the Vincent Pyramid on the right is ascended in wide switchbacks. Gradually the slope flattens and in a gentle right curve we reach the flat glacier basin below the rocks of the Balmenhorn. For the ascent of the Vincent Pyramid, turn south towards the saddle between Vincent Pyramid and Schwarzhorn and then moderately steep over the broad north slope to the summit dome and now flat southeastwards to the unadorned summit.

Descent to the saddle. The northern rock foot of the Balmenhorn can be easily reached from the saddle with a long traverse of the moderately steep west slope of the Schwarzhorn. This place can also be reached if one ascends from the basin left past the Balmenhorn and finally slightly steeper on the right. A short via ferrata secured with thick rope and clamps overcomes the few almost vertical meters in the rock to the large Christ statue on the summit of the Balmenhorn. Slightly lower behind it is the bivouac. Descent over the via ferrata.

The rock base of the Schwarzhorn is reached in a right curve above the Balmenhorn. On the left side of the steep snow slope (almost 50°), one stomps up to below the summit rocks in snow (or ice) and climbs somewhat exposed over block rocks (I+) traversing left to the summit with Madonna. Descent to the ski depot.

The west ridge of the Ludwigshöhe is reached from here over a flat snowfield and finally the increasingly steep south slope in a few switchbacks. If the mountain is circumnavigated northwest, one can also ascend in a few serpentine turns over the north slope and beyond the bergschrund on the west ridge mostly on foot to the summit of the Ludwigshöhe.

When skiing northward, you stand under the rocky part of the south ridge of the Parrotspitze. In an easy climbing section, the few rock blocks are quickly overcome, and now it goes always on the moderately inclined sharp ridge crest to the summit of the Parrotspitze. The traverse from Seserjoch from north to south (possibly to Zumsteinspitze and Signalkuppe) is more favorable, although the north ascent is more demanding (a crevasse at the edge must be overcome, a short steep north slope leads to the northeast ridge, which is significantly steeper than the south ridge to the summit of the Parrotspitze). After descending the south ridge to the Lisjoch, the counter-ascent from the Grenz Glacier is avoided.

If you want to reach the Signalkuppe and/or the Zumsteinspitze, you ascend left of the Ludwigshöhe rather flat right above the broad Lisjoch. At the foot of the northwest slopes of the Parrotspitze, about 50m must now be skied down into the large basin of the Grenz Glacier. In a wide left bend, a steep step is targeted, which is overcome in a few switchbacks. Above this, the upper Grenz Glacier basin is bordered on the left by the Zumsteinspitze and on the right by the Signalkuppe. From the basin, one heads for the flat saddle Colle Gnifetti, turns left to the east ridge of the Zumsteinspitze and ascends with skis as high as possible. The narrower and steeper snow ridge is overcome on foot up to the summit rocks, and the last meters to the highest point of the route with two Madonnas as summit markers are reached in easy rock climbing (I+).

Descent over the east ridge to the ski depot. The upper, flat glacier basin is crossed southwards to the summit approach of the Signalkuppe. In good conditions, ascent is made with skis on the steep north slope to the summit of the Signalkuppe or Punta Gnifetti with the highest hut in the Alps – Capanna Margherita – or in case of hard crust or icing also on foot with crampons.

Descent over the Grenz Glacier, short counter-ascent to the Lisjoch or traverse of the Parrotspitze, descent on the wide Eastern Lis Glacier to the huts. Then descent over the Garstelet Glacier, the Indren Glacier and the pole-marked variant descent to the middle station Gabiet and over the Monterosa ski slopes back to Staffal.