Walking Monte Rosa – Italy

Itinerary – Walking Monte Rosa

DAY 1: ARRIVAL.
Pick up at Milan Malpensa airport, welcome by your France Outdoors guide for the week and transfer to 4 star hotel Gressoney in Gressoney Saint Jean. The hotel is ideally located near the centre of Gressoney. You will find there comfortable rooms decorated in Alpine style, a restaurant with good reputation for its local food and a bar. Gressoney Saint Jean is the most active village of the valley at this season with couples of restaurants and bars open in the evening. Gressoney Saint Jean in an unspoiled village and real paradise for hikers. You will walk surrounded by high peaks and huge glaciers.
A guide will be with you all week. Moderate level means around 600 m of ascent (on the challenging version 1000m to 1200m of ascent).
Anyone considering the challenging/harder walks must have a high level of fitness and be able to walk at Naismith pace or better
Dinner included.

DAY 2: Punta Regina .
For your first day you will start from the hotel and will climb in the direction of Col Ranzola (2170 m) and Frudiere lake. For challenging vesion, the walk will climb successively the Col Ranzola, Punta Regina and Monte TAF. The easier walk, will do a nice tour around the Frudiere lake.
For all these walks the views of Monte Rosa are breathtaking.
Moderate version: Frudiere lake – 550 m ascent
Challenging version: Punta Regina – 1150 m ascent
Breakfast included. Dinner not included.

DAY 3: Lys valley.
Today after a 10 mn transfer to Staffal (1818 m) at the end of the valley you will enjoy a loop walk near the Lys stream (final point at 2417 m) and possibility to extend the walk to the Telcio Peak (2833m) and descend through the Gabiet lake and then doing a loop walk.
Moderate version: Lys stream – 600 m ascent
Challenging version: Telcio peak – 1015 m ascent
Breakfast included. Dinner not included.

DAY 4: Loop walk Gressoney la Trinité
After a short transfer, superb loop walk to Grissoney La Trinité. Start on East side, walk near superb villages like Walser and get to Grissoney la Trinité. From there cross to the other side and walk towards the Alpenzu hut (1800m), nice spot for a break! Then it is possible to walk towards colle Pinter (2777m) to make a long walk or descend to Grissoney Saint Jean to close the loop.
Moderate version: loop walk – 520 m ascent
Challenging version: Colle Pinter – 1450 m ascent
Breakfast included. Dinner not included.

DAY 5: FREE DAY in Gressoney Saint Jean.
Today you will stay in Saint Jean and many options are available. You can walk on your own following one of our recommended itinerary. Or you can visit the Savoy Castle, the alpine museum on the local fauna, do some shopping on one of the many craft shops. You can also enjoy a superb via Ferrata in Gressoney la Trinite
Breakfast included. Dinner not included.

DAY 6: Climb to Sella Hut (3585 m).
Today after a short transfer to Stafal, you will get to the Bettaforca pass (2727 m) by 4 wheels drive vehicles. From there you will walk up together to the Sella hut (3585 m). The terrain can be a bit challenging at times through the moraine and require care. This climb is a classic of the Monte Rosa tour and the scenery is amazing surrounded by the huge glaciers and breathtaking views. You will stay together in the hut for the night. The first Sella hut was opened in 1885 and was named after Senator Quintino Sella, founder of the CAI, died in 1884.
Walk: 858 m ascent, for around 5 to 6 hours of climbing.
Breakfast and dinner included.

DAY 7: Enjoy the scenery and Optional Castor Climb.
From this amazing place you can either wake up a bit later and take a short walk around the hut to enjoy the scenery of this magical place to its best, or take the challenging climb to Castore (with extra supplement). The Castore climb (4221 m) is a long and superb ridge climb. Of a moderate level it is recommended for fit people with previous experience of glacier walking. After lunch time, you will descend together to the Bettaforca pass to meet the 4 wheel drive vehicles for a transfer to Stafal.
Moderate version: loop walk with the France Outdoors Guide.
Challenging version: Castore peak : 636 m.
Breakfast and dinner included.

DAY 8: FAREWELL!
Spend the morning at your own pace in Gressoney Saint Jean before a transfer to Milan Malpensa airport to match the group flight.
Breakfast included.