The alarm went off at something beginning with 2…that’s an early start for mid September. Ear plugs out, what’s that noise?  Wind?  No, rain, and lots of it.  We did that unusual thing alpinists sometimes do, but not many other ‘normal’ people do…we had breakfast and then went straight back to bed!  An hour later it was still raining, but we set off anyway, it was going to be a long day…

Matt ‘enjoying’ the wet & cloudy pre-dawn start on the ascent of the Dufourspitze. The forecast promised better things later that morning, but would they arrive!?

We had enjoyed our rapid traverse of the Riffelhorn (and entertaining chance encounter and quick dance with the ‘Summit Shuffler‘) as part of the super scenic approach to the Monte Rosa Hut the day before, but it had meant our after dinner recce of the route above the hut ran in to ground early on with the arrival of both the dusk and the rain…

On a bright and breezy late summers day the granite boulders behind the Monte Rosa Hut are a child’s play delight of boulder hopping over beautiful sandpaper rough slabs.  This dark and wet morning, they felt more like a shadowy maize of erratic slippery slides with a manic splattering of cairns fooling you in to thinking you might even be in right place.

Matt & Rob on the summit of the Riffelhorn. Thanks to the Summit Shuffler for the photo..and dance tips :-)

Arriving at the Monte Rosa Hut from the satisfying new upper access path. The glacier leading down towards Zermatt below.

The sustained early morning rain had not been forecast and it turned to sleet with snow settling on the boulders at about 3200m before we reached the glacier.  Not ideal, but the Meteo Suisse app promised an improvement and, as dawn arrived, and as we put our crampons on at the snout of the glacier, things were already starting to improve.

More than just a hint of blue sky. The weather improves, but the snow gets deeper. Thankfully we had a strong German / Hong Kong team ahead breaking trail!

There was already a thick carpet of fresh snow over the heavily crevassed lower section of the glacier but fortunately there was also a deviously cunning light track weaving its way efficiently through the slots.  On the upper glacier the crevasses were less evident and conditions were good, but the fresh snow deepened and hats off and thanks to the German-Hong Kong team well ahead of us who made a great job breaking trail.

Soft fresh snow on the glacier approach and summit west ridge of the Dufourspitze.

The snow had fallen overnight with almost zero wind and, as the clouds parted, the snow glittered, and a white cleaver blade of the East Face of the Matterhorn sliced through the clouds to add to a stunning alpine summit ambiance.  Summit!?…Who said anything about summits?  Rainy mornings often lead to early baths in the Alps, but as height was gained, slowly but steadily, altitudes and attitudes changed and despite the laborious progress through the deep snow, the game was on….

Leaving the first mixed section on the West Ridge of the Dufourspitze. The 2nd snowy ridge section above leads to the final mixed summit ridge.

Matt did a great job of plugging away through the soft deep snow then transitioning to fun but delicate snowy mixed scrambling up the West Ridge of the Dufour summit blade itself.  It’s a great position to be climbing in with superb views around both the surrounding Zermatt skyline peaks and well beyond to Mont Blanc in the west.

Matt appreciating the interesting mixed scrambling on the summit west ridge of the Dufourspitze

The upper section of this ridge has some nice exposed terrain and with the deep soft snow that buried the rock, it took a bit of excavating.  The final chimney crack up the summit block itself is steep but has a frayed section of fixed rope draped down it.

Matt & Rob on the summit of the Dufourspitze with the connecting ridge to Zumsteinspitze beyond which is also the start of the route to the abseils leading down to the Silbersattel.

We opted to return back down the West Ridge as the descent via Silbersattel looked to have an enormous crevasse across the whole of the upper valley although the team at the hut said it was being done before the last bad weather arrived.  An efficient series of abseils can be done from fixed anchors starting from just along the ridge which continues beyond the summit when ascending the West Ridge.

Massive crevasse seemingly traversing the entire upper glacier bowl below the Silbersattel and ridge out to Nordend.

The long descent…of the Dufourspitze, for a 2nd night at the Monte Rosa hut?

The soft snow on the ascent had got a little heavier with the warmer weather on the descent and the route seemed almost longer than it had in the cooler morning temperatures.  Any idea of hiking back out to the Gornergrat Railway and down to Zermatt that afternoon were soon dispelled and all 3 teams who summited, plus 2 that didn’t, were firmly glad of a more relaxed strategy and another night in this very comfortable hut!

The interesting but non trivial, and optional, lower route on the approach / return from Monte Rosa Hut.

Despite a confident forecast of rain, the next morning dawned sunny and clear and the lower route back to Rotenboden provided an enjoyable, albeit not trivial return to Rotenboden and the Gorgnergrat train descent to Zermatt.  This path is quicker and more direct than the high route but has some more exposed terrain on both a polished and exposed terrace, with fixed ropes, some glacier worn smooth slabs (which would not be great in the wet) and some short but steeper sections of glacier ice.  It’s an interesting journey but the new upper route is easier and less exposed and we enjoyed it a lot more having had a 2nd night in the hut after our sustained 11hr+ soft snow day on the mighty Dufour!

Jim on the great classic alpine rock route, the North Ridge of the Piz Badile. Photo Paul Swail

We had some other teams enjoying some other brilliant peaks on or near the Swiss Italian border last week and well done to Jim for climbing the route that inspired him to get in to climbing, the North Ridge of the Piz Badile.

Shadi, Pablo and Matt on the South Ridge of the Weissmies, Saastal. Photo Jon Holiday.

Shadi, Pablo, Matt, Jon, Jordan, Gregory and Hamish all also enjoyed the late summer ascent of the South Ridge of the Weissmies from the lovely Almageller Hut.

Lisa & Jonny on the summit of the Zumsteinspitze with teh South face of the Dufour beyond. The West Ridge in profile on the left.  Photo Neil Hitchings.

Jonny, Lisa and Neil enjoyed the good snow conditions on the Italian side of the Monte Rosa Massif, approaching from Gressoney, staying at Rifugio Gnifetti and climbing the Zumsteinspitze 4563m and Pyramid Vincent 4215m.

Descending the Pyramid Vincent after a rapid ascent through clearing clouds from Rifugio Gnifetti. Photo Neil Hitchings.

We still have a few places left on late summer and early autumn alpine mountaineering courses so please check availability below and get in touch if you would like to join one of these or arrange some private guiding for lovely autumn rock climbing in Chamonix.

Alpine Summer 2023 Mountaineering & Training Courses

Not a bad view, of the Matterhorn East Face, from the terrace at Monte Rosa Hut.

Some of our Winter 2024 ski touring and off piste courses are now taking bookings too.  Some only have 1 place left so please check out our Chamonix based ski courses and alpine ski touring weekends and book your place or get in touch for more details.

Winter 2024 Ski Touring, Off Piste & Ski Mountaineering Courses