Climb The Dufourspitze – Monte Rosa 4634m

The superb position and atmosphere of the Monte Rosa 2883m Hut above Zermatt.

Climb the Dufourspitze (Monterosa) Featuring…

• Ascent of the second highest peak in the Alps.  A magnificent big peak!
• 2 nights spent in the inspiring base camp of the Monterosa Hut. Superb building & location, hospitable staff, good Swiss mountain food
• A long, often cold, always highly physical, glacier journey and steep snow ascent
• Rocky mountain scrambling in ascent & descent along with a very fine mixed & narrow summit ridge
• Quality alpine mountaineering training
• Great progression (and acclimatisation) towards climbing other big 4000m peaks like Mont Blanc & the Matterhorn
• Meet other like minded climbers for a sociable 3 day trip in the high mountains
• The option of returning to Chamonix at the end of the course or catching a train direct to Geneva from Martigny station

Interesting mixed scrambling on the summit west ridge of the Dufourspitze

Pre Course – Acclimatisation & Mountaineering Training

It is necessary to do either one of our other mountaineering courses, like the Weissmies, Lagginhorn or Matterhorn training programmes before joining this trip, or, if you are sufficiently confident and have good existing mountaineering skills, you can do your own pre course acclimatisation, with at least one night spent sleeping in a high mountain hut.

Day 1 – Zermatt – Gornergrat – Riffelhorn – Approach Monte Rosa Hutte

Our three day Monterosa course begins in either Chamonix (easily reached from Geneva airport via a simple one hour transfer) or you can meet the team direct in Zermatt.  Day 1 begins with an early start, introductions, a weather brief and equipment check.  Our onward car journey takes us east across the Swiss border and through the Vineyards of the Rhone Valley before we steadily ascend the classic Swiss alpine valley of the Mattertall and the train station in Tasch. Here we leave the car and take the train up to Zermatt before taking the remarkable Gornergrat mountain railway up to Rotenboden.  If the weather is good we aim to make a shortish round trip on the Riffelhorn which is right by this high altitude train station!  This gives good scrambling up the short East Ridge and an even shorter but steep descent down the West Ridge via a fixed rope.  Excellent training for the final wall on the Dufourspitze and for a future Matterhorn ascent.

Matt & Rob on the summit of the Riffelhorn after the scrambling ascent of the East Ridge and short but steep descent down the fixed rope, good Matterhorn training, of the West Ridge.

From Rotenboden there is an interesting and incredibly scenic walk of about 4 hours to the hut along a well-established path above the Gornergletscher, before crossing the glacier to the hut with a useful little crampon refresher en route.

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

The Monterosa Hut is a magnificent, modern mountain refuge that can sleep up to 120 people.  It was totally re-built between 2008 – 2010 and now provides a comfortable place to stay for climbers, trekkers and ski tourers throughout the year.  You can read more about the fantastic hut HERE.  Dinner is served around 6.30pm and involves 4 courses including soup, salad, main course & dessert. Guten Appetit!

The superb base camp at the Monte Rosa Hut with views across the massive Gorner Glacier to the East Face of the Matterhornn, Hornli Ridge on the right hand skyline, and the, equally brilliant, south ridge of the Dent Blance is the left hand skyline of the peak to the right.

Day 2 – Ascent Of The Dufourspitze 4634m

Our summit day is long….breakfast is served early and followed by a pre-dawn hut departure.  We pick our way up a rough & rocky path through impressive granite boiler plate slabs towards the base of the massive glacier above and it’s often a pleasure to watch the head torches of various other teams bobbling around both on this route and various others around the Zermatt Skyline.

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.

The West Ridge itself is an excellent route, graded around PD+ to AD-, and comprising of two sustained snow slopes and two sections of mixed mountaineering culminating in an exposed rocky narrow crest and finalé up a steep rocky corner with a short section of fixed rope.  This is more technical ground than on the ascent of Mont Blanc for example but much less sustained and difficult than the Matterhorn.

Andrew & Steven on the summit of the Dufour after a long ascent from Monte Rosa Hut. Photo Neil Hitchings

The descent of the mountain is made either by the same route or via the steep series of lowers and abseils more directly down towards the Silbersattel.  The latter gives a good direct technical descent if the glacier below the Silbersattel is in good condition and this also avoids crossing other teams still ascending the West Ridge.

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

A second night at the comfortable Monte Rosa Hut is very appealing after the long glacier descent and gives more opportunity to enjoy the superb views of the Zermatt Skyline and soak up the atmosphere of the high mountain arena whilst enjoying the Swiss mountain hut food and resting before the not inconsiderable walk out from the hut, to be done the following morning…

Day 3 – Descent Scramble – Glacier Crossing – Train Down To Zermatt & Return To Chamonix

A 0700 breakfast is taken on this last morning of the course before traversing back out to the Gornergrat Mountain Railway station at Rotenboden.  This is a fine journey and has some moderate scrambling along the marked trail, either via the easier high level route or across the lower glacier and various rocky slabs and metal ladders.  Either way the route re-joins the main path and it’s small but significant re-ascent to Rotenboden which is usually well noticed by legs understandably tired from the previous days big ascent!

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

The return drive to Chamonix is made with the option of being dropped off at Martigny train station for the direct train to Geneva Airport. Details of this rail journey can be checked on the Swiss Railway timetable website.  We aim to be back in Chamonix by mid-late afternoon on day 3.

Required Fitness and Experience Levels

Some previous mountaineering & crampon experience is required for the climb of the Dufourspitze, see our recommended course progression below.  This is an ascent combining both tough physical and significant technical challenges and plenty of training in both areas is thus required.  Whilst the technical difficulties on the West Ridge of the Dufour are not particularly high, they are right near the summit and thus at the end of a long and tiring ascent.  So very good fitness is required to maintain good movement skills and composure along this exposed, high altitude terrain.

• A very high level of fitness & stamina is required for the long walk to the hut (4 hours) and 1800m climb to way above 4000m on the summit day (c. 9-12 hours)
• Good mountain walking experience is required in order to be able to deal effectively with the rough & rocky terrain encountered
• Previous mountaineering experience including the use of crampons is required
• Previous scrambling experience is required with neat footwork and composure in exposed and moderately technical ground

Soft fresh snow on the glacier approach and summit west ridge of the Dufourspitze.  A long way…This is where your training really pays off!

Suggested Course Progression

• Ascent of the Matterhorn
• Climb The Eiger
• Becoming An Alpinist
• Mission Impossible

When To Climb The Dufourspitze & Private Guiding Options

Whilst the main season for climbing the Dufourspitze is high summer (late June to mid September) the hut is also open in the spring for ascents on skis.  Those looking for a quieter and tougher climbing experience may choose to climb in the Autumn when the hut is closed although there is a winter room and the mountain railway stays open all year round.  However glacier conditions may be difficult and in general, this will be a tough gig!  See our article on climbing outside the main summer season here.

Leaving the Monte Rosa Hut en route to skiing the Dufour in late spring (late April / early May)

As well as these group courses, we can also arrange excellent private guiding itineraries where it is possible to climb some other very fine peaks in the area like the Rimpfischorn, Castor, Pollux, Breithorn etc creating a magnificent 4-6 day mountaineering itinerary in this remarkable Zermatt mountain arena. Matt Knight, Climbed The Dufourspitze, Sept 2023

Thank you for taking me up the dufour and for making a great Plan with the weather forecast we were given.  I am very keen to do more climbing… you have added more peaks to my bucket list. I am really keen to do the Eiger next year and then go onto the Dom and do more 4,000m peaks

Equipment

Please refer to our classic climb Mont Blanc Equipment List for this ascent of the Dufourspitze.  The high altitude and long, cold, glacier ascent means the equipment required is the same as for Mont Blanc and, for example, warmer boots are more necessary than for many other lower 4000m peaks…

Summit Of The Breithorn with Dufourspitze beyond.  The West Ridge facing the camera in the centre of the massif to the left of the climber and the Monte Rosa Hut on the rocks way down left below.

2027 Course Dates & Prices

Please check our individual course dates below and visit that page to reserve your place.

What’s included in the Price?

• 3 days mountain guiding with an IFMGA Mountain Guide
• Transport during the course from Chamonix to the Swiss Alps & back
• Discounted equipment hire prices if required
• Trip management & booking of mountain huts
• Parking in Saas Grund & Tasch plus the guides mountain lift & train fares

What’s not included?

• Dinner, bed and breakfast in the mountain huts, c. 105 CHF Swiss Francs per person per night. Discounted if you are a member of an alpine club (c. 85 CHF)
• The guides dinner bed & breakfast and bottled water at a discounted rate split between group members. Guides night stay with demi pension is c. 55 CHF
• Chamonix Valley accommodation – please see our Chamonix Accommodation notes. Prices start from camping at C.10 euros per night, Bunkhouse for C.20 euros per night and hotel accommodation from around 50 euros upwards
• Lunches, drinks and snacks
• Train from Tasch to Zermatt 16 CHF return per person
• Lifts from Zermatt to Rotenboden is 82 CHF per person return (41 CHF one-way)
• Flights and transfers to Chamonix
• Mountaineering equipment. Check the kit list above
• Insurance suitable for alpine mountaineering in Europe

Booking

Please visit the specific Dufourspitze course dates above to complete a booking form, make a payment and confirm your place.

Nick Ash & Phil Horton, Dufourspitze Ascent, September 2020

Thanks for a brilliant trip it was challenging, great weather the best trip we have ever done.  It was an exhilarating week which was both challenging and very enjoyable. I’m glad we made the effort. Huts were great – loved the Monte Rosa Hut. Please pass on our thanks to Dave.

Spindrift on the Hornli Ridge on the Matterhorn from Monte Rosa Hut