Monte Rosa Ascent

The Pointe Dufour, with its 4634m, is the summit of what is called the Monte Rosa Massif straddling Switzerland and Italy: it is the second highest massif in the Alps after Mont Blanc.


The name 'Mount Rose' does not come from the pinkish color that the snow takes in the setting sun, but from the Valdostan dialect 'rouésa' or 'rouja', which means' glacier'.You find your guide directly on Zermatt, to join the Monte Rosa Hut at 2883m above sea level, overlooking the Gorner Glacier. The view is already splendid on the dream scenery that surrounds us: Matterhorn, Breithorn, Castor and Pollux, the peaks dominate us for the moment. At the front we leave for the ascent to the Silbersattle at 4515m while joining begins to dawn on the peaks. Then by an aerial ridge we reach the rocky ledge. The 360 ° view is magical from the top!

Itinerary

  • Day 1 Monte Rosa hut

    Monte Rosa hut Go to Zermatt with your guide before the departure of the Gornergrat train. In half an hour we reach the altitude station of Rotenboden at just over 2800m above sea level. From there we first take a path across the Gornergrat. By ladders and handrails we reach the glacier below. It will be necessary to cross it before reaching the moraine of 300m which joins the shelter. Its specific shape and the fact that it is covered with aluminum plates makes it look like a rock crystal. Thanks to its south facade covered by photovoltaic solar collectors and other thermal sensors, the cabin covers 90% of its energy needs, a technological feat at 2883m altitude.

    Positive difference in altitude : around 300m | Negative difference in altitude : around 240 | Altitude Max : 2883m | Accommodation : Monte Rosa Hut

  • Day 2 Dufour Peak (4634m)

    Dufour Peak (4634m) Early morning departure first in the rocks then we set foot on the glacier: the long climb to join the Silbersattle at 4515m by the Monte Rosa Glescher begins! It ends with a small wall that reaches the Silbersattle: the small pass located between the Nordend and Pointe Dufour. Then rock, ice, snow and we dominate the surrounding peaks: here we are at the top at 4634m, what happiness!
    It will not take too much time because a long descent awaits us, then the path to return to the Rotenboden station will ask to draw on our last resources.

    Positive difference in altitude : around 2000 | Negative difference in altitude : around 2060 | Altitude Max : 4634m

ITINERARY CHANGE

Please note that although the itinerary presented here is the one we intend to follow, there is a high chance that changes may be necessary. Many factors can affect climbing in high mountains. Mountain adventures depend on weather conditions, individual member's abilities vary, as does their ability to assimilate the skills needed. The guide's main aim will be to ensure your safety and the success of the trip. Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of roads / activities that you will attempt. For security reasons and to ensure a consistent level corresponding to the one announced, the organization board gets the right to discontinue your participation if your technical and / or physical conditions do not match those required. In no case the interruption shall give right to a refund or compensation payments.

Dates & prices

International departures:

No departure for now

Trip code: AMR2

Included

The 30% deposit has to be paid when registering. The remaining balance will be paid 30 days before departure. 
  • The technical organisation of the trip
  • A high mountain guide's supervision
  • Full-board accommodation at the cabin 
  • Picnics for lunch
  • Train in Rotenboden
  • Collective equipment necessary for your safety

Not included

  • Individual transportation assured by your personal vehicle
  • Individual technical equipment
  • Drinks & personal expenses 
  • Snacks (cereal bars, dried fruits, chocolate bars, etc.) according to your own convenience
  • Insurance & assistance: cancellation, research and rescue by  helicopter in high mountain (in France, Italy and Switzerland) hospitalization and repatriation
  • Everything that isn't mentioned in the "included" section

Notes

Departure possible for 1 person: 1945 €

International flights

If you wish, we can take care of booking your international flights to the closest airport of your destination. 

Terms and conditions

Subscription

Subscribe to one of our activities or travels means accepting general sales conditions. Each client must fill a subscription form, which will be accepted only after the payment of a deposit accounting for 30% of the travel’s price and according to the availability. If you subscribe less than 30 days before the trip, you must pay the whole price during the subscription. You can pay by bank transfer (SWIFT/IBAN) or with your credit card directly through our website (available soon). A booking confirmation will be sent to you be e-mail very soon. 

Invoice procedure

Once your booking is registered, we will send you an email containing the invoice. Full payment is required at least 30 days before your arrival. If the customer does not settle the payment of the travel price within the period agreed upon, Altaï Alpes has the right to cancel the booking free of charge. 

Cancellation policy

If for any reason, you decide to withdraw from a journey, the amount already paid will be refunded subject to the following exceptions:
  • More than 30 days before departure, you will be charged for the amount of 50€
  • From 30 to 21 days before departure, you will be charged for the amount of the deposit (30% of the trip’s price)
  • From 20 to 14 days before departure,  you will be charged for 50% of the trip’s price
  • From 13 to 7 days before departure,  you will be charged for 75% of the trip’s priceLess than 7 days before departure,  you will be charged for the whole trip’s price 

Particular case :

Whatever the cancellation or contract change date, the following fees will be added to the charges above:
  • Airline fixed costs: plane tickets are bought in advance to avoid too high airline prices, however they are non refundable in case of cancellation or plan changes. In that case, the charges above apply to the price of your trip without the plane ticket’s price
  • Ground fixed costs: you will be charged for the fees that were paid early
  • Insurance fees: Insurance fees will not be refunded if you have subscribed to a multi-risk or cancellation insurance. The specific conditions will be written on your subscription confirmationIf you have no choice but to cancel your trip before departure, you must inform Montagne Expeditions and your insurance provider with a written statement as soon as possible, you will get a receipt. 

The receipt date will be taken as the cancellation date to charge cancellation fees.  

If Montagne Expeditions has no choice but to cancel a group travel due to an insufficient number of participants, the decision will be taken and the clients informed at least 31 days before departure. Altaï Alpes can also cancel a departure due to exceptional events threatening participants safety (social events, strikes, weather conditions). In that case, the trip’s price will be fully refunded but the participants will not get any compensation.

Changes to travel contract


If any change in travel contract is made at the customer’s request, the customer shall pay any fee that might arise from this change. In any case, every request for changes shall be notified in writing. In case of external events that could not be foreseen, Altaï Alpes might change some aspects of the travel contract. We will inform you of any changes as quickly as possible.

Pricing


All group travel prices on our website have been calculated for the indicated number of participants for each trip. The price list is confirmed after the booking. If the number of participants is lower than expected, an additional payment charge might be applied. For each travel and program, we mention the price per person – valid for the minimum number of participants – and we provide you with detailed explanations about the services included or not. Any change in the exchange rates or in the price of travel services in particular regarding the cost of the fuel, might entail price revision.

Contract transfer

In case of contract transfer by the customer to an assignee, modification and cancellation conditions apply. 

Insurance

We recommend you to get your personal insurance before your departure to cover the activities undertaken by Montagne Expedition. If you have not purchased any of our insurances, we ask you to email us your insurance contract information (company, contract name, contract number, phone number) and bring those information with you on your trip. 

Practical info

Staff

The trip is supervised by a high mountain guide for a 2 person group. He will bring you the technical elements necessary to the good progress of the trip. 
The guide might have to modify the program to ensure your safety, depending on weather conditions in the mountains or on the physical conditions of the participants. 

Food

Meals
  • Lunch picnics
  • Diners : meals prepared by shelter keepers
  • Take some race food according to your own tastes (cereals bars, chocolate bars, dry fruits,…).

Drinks
  • Water is not for free in refuges (from 5 to 8 euros one bottle). We advise you to bring some water purification tablets (Aquatabs or Micropur) in order to drink tap water. 
  • Personal drinks are not included in the trip's price
  • Bring some Swiss francs for coffees, fruit juices, coke or beers during breaks… Shelters usually don’t accept bank card payments and Euros.

Accommodation

  • Every refuges of this itinerary are comfortable and warm. Dormitories are equipped with blankets for the night (plan to bring your personal bed sheet for hygiene reasons). 
  • Slippers are at your disposal : no need to bring trainers. 
  • We advise you to bring protection against noise (ear plugs).
  • A few electrical plugs are available in refuges, but plan to bring an external battery to charge your camera and switch off your phone during the day. 

Budget & exchange

Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). It is better to change money before departure, however euros are widely accepted in Switzerland. 

Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances (but don’t forget to bring your PIN number!). 
ATMs are available in most of the towns you will cross during your stay, but there are no guarantees that your credit card will actually work in Switzerland. Also, refuges often don’t have EPT (Electronic Payment Terminal): it is best to bring cash.
Be aware of the fees usually applied when purchasing products or services on a credit card. 

Always take more rather than less, as you don’t want to spend your trip constantly feeling short on funds. 
As currency exchange rates can often fluctuate, we recommend to check the following website for daily exchange rates: https://www.xe.com/

Tips

Clients usually pay for the guides’ drinks : you might find it practical to make a group kitty at the beginning of your stay (no obligation). 

Supplied equipment

  • Collective equipment (ropes, carabiners, ...)
  • Slippers while in huts

Material

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT

  • Mountaineering boots that you can fit crampons onto (with rigid soles)
  • A comfortable mountaineering backpack (40/50L)
  • Ice axe, crampons, harness with locking carabiner, helmet
  • One or two collapsible walking poles (depending on what you are used to)
  • A thermos water bottle (1.5L)
  • A pair of gaiters
  • A sheet-type for sleeping bag (there are blankets in the shelters)
  • A small toiletry bag and a small towel fast drying (from specialized stores)
  • A sunscreen (face and lips)
  • A headlamp (LED type)
  • A pocketknife
  • Toilet paper (biodegradable if possible)
  • Two plastic bags (100 liters) to protect the backpack from rain

INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT

  • Cap or Hat for the sun
  • Snow Goggles (category 4)
  • 1 pair of very warm mountain gloves
  • 1 pair of gloves in fleece or wool
  • 1 extra safety pair of gloves (optional)
  • Breathable technical underwear
  • Breathable Technical Sub-pull (carline, light fleece ...)
  • Fleece jacket
  • 1 windbreaker jacket and waterproof Gore-Tex
  • 1 breathable technical sticky
  • 1 cozy mountain pants
  • 1 wind pants and waterproof Gore-Tex
  • 2 pairs of socks, a thin pair and thick pair of socks
  • A pair of gaiters
  • A sheet (there are blankets refuge)
  • 1 waterproof pouch for your money, your documents like identity card or passport, yours insurance contracts / assistance and emergency phone numbers

Medicine

Your guide has a first aid kit. In consultation with your doctor, prepare your personal pharmacy according to your medical profile and the nature of the intended stay.Individual pharmacy:
  • An analgesic (avoid aspirin)
  • Anti-inflammatory pills (tablets and gel)
  • A broad-spectrum antibiotic
  • An antispasmodic, antidiarrheal, antiseptic intestinal, an anti-vomiting
  • Double skin dressings, compresses, tapes adhesive
  • An antiseptic
  • Sunscreen and Biafine
  • Coated tablets to purify water (type Aquatabs)
  • Bottle of water is very expensive in heights and on the mountains (up to 8 euros a bottle!)
  • In addition: eye drops, tweezers, light tranquilizers and sleeping pills and / or earplugs, tonic for veins (against heavy legs)
  • Personal medication.

Take a few pills  from each package of medication, do not need to carry a box of each drug.

Passport

Please make sure your passport and travel documents are valid.

Visa

  • Up to 90 days visit in Switzerland : citizens from most countries do not need a visa to visit Switzerland.
  • Over 90 days visit in Switzerland : non-EU or non-EFTA citizens must have a visa to visit Switzerland over 90 days.

For further information, please check the following website : https://www.swiss-visa.ch/

Mandatory vaccines

There are no mandatory vaccines needed to travel to Switzerland. 

Health information & recommendations

Before departure, it is important to have a good physical condition, corresponding to the requirements and activities of the program. Every day activity and the regular practice of a sport with elements of endurance is mandatory for high mountain activities.
This sport can be jogging, cycling, swimming or hiking. For information about the levels of difficulty for our holidays, check the "Evaluate your abilities" sight.
Training tips, however to confirm with your doctor: six months before departure plan to make 1-2 endurance training sessions during the year at least 3 times per week, a hike during  weekends - at least 6 hours with a positive elevation of 400 m / hour over 3 hours. Three months before departure 2 to 3 sessions endurance training per week and increase the walking time during the weekends to 7:00 - 8:00 hours.Consider also prepare your acclimatization. 
Thank you for informing the agency about your medical conditions and particularity concerning your health: food allergies, diabetes, heart and vascular accidents you might had have, asthma, etc....

Weather

The Swiss climate is moderately continental in the plateau, Alpine in the mountains, and more temperate in the Canton of Ticino. In the mountains, the climate varies with altitude and slope exposure, but in winter, they are located above the blanket of fog and low clouds that often covers the plateau, so they are also sunnier in this season. The cold wind, which in Switzerland and in central France is called Bise, blows from the north-east and is more frequent in winter and spring.

Late winter and early spring (February-March) are recommended for a ski holiday, since the days are longer than in December and January. 

For further information on the wether during your trip, please check the following website : https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/

Electricity

The electrical current in Switzerland is 230V, 50Hz. Swiss sockets are recessed, three-holed, hexagonally shaped and incompatible with many plugs from abroad. They usually, however, take the standard European two-pronged plug.

Most refuges have electric plugs, but some haven't. If you scared of running low on battery, bring an external battery with you. 

Local time

Switzerland is in the Central European Time Zone (CET). Central European Standard Time is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).

Sustainable tourism

We do our best to offer trips subscribed to the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism. Our aim is to allow visitors to discover the many facets of Switzerland by taking you off the beaten path and getting you in touch with its nature and residents, while ensuring that your visits do not have a negative effect on its natural environment and people.

  • Most of our accommodations are run by locals, thus ensuring that the largest part of the revenue generated through your trip will stay within the region.
  • France is known for its exquisite cuisine. The art of cooking and the joy of eating are part of everyday life. Each region has its particular foods and flavors which we would like you to explore and appreciate.
  • Water is a precious and rare good. Our team and those travelling with us are thus advised to use it with consideration and avoid excessive water use where possible.
  • Please try to recycle your waste whenever possible, even though recycling may not be a well-known concept in all areas.
  • Be cautious and respectful when hiking. Make sure to wear suitable footwear and avoid picking flowers, moving stones or lighting fires.  
Request a quote
Region
Switzerland
Activity
Alpine summits Alpinism Summer
Duration
2 days
Group
2 to 2 people
Code
AMR2
Price
From €1,350
Level
4/5
Comfort
3/5
Language(s)
English

Strengths

  • The astonishing ambiance of the 4000 of the Valais
  • The third highest summit of the Alps 
  • The ascent within 2 days

Guide's advice

« For the high peaks lovers, why not allow yourself a small parenthesis in the Monte Rosa massif in the middle of this magnificent decor of endless summits and glaciers »

Required level

The Pointe Dufour ascent is reserved to people in excellent physical conditions (3 times a week endurance training during a year) and that have experience in alpinism. You have to be able to do some runs of AD level during 2 years before the ascent (please send us a list of the runs you have done). 

You also have to acclimatized in order to avoid suffering from the mountain sickness. that means you have to climb in altitude during 3 weeks before the ascent (if possible over 3000m high with nights in refuges). 

If you haven't got experience, we recommend to do a first alpinism discovery traineeship and then an enhancement internship in order to evaluate your level with a guide. If you aren't acclimatized, we recommend to plan an additional day with your guide in the surroundings. Thus, you will maximize your chances of success (consult for price).
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