Climb Gran Paradiso 🇮🇹 Mid October 2022

The Gran Paradiso (4061m) is the highest mountain entirely within Italy and a constant snowy companion on the southern skyline from the Mont Blanc Massif. Lying in the beautiful Paradiso National Park this is a delightful high mountain area, set above the Italian Val d’Aosta and enjoying a fine southern alpine climate. In early summer, vibrantly coloured wild flowers and jostling Ibex give a spring in the step for the pleasant walk up to the hospitable & lively Italian mountain hut from where the summit climb begins…

Course Aims

• Spend an enjoyable long weekend in the high alpine mountains & climb the Gran Paradiso (4061m)
• Complete some quality alpine training & develop your mountaineering, glacier travel & rope work skills
• Visit 2 different parts of the superb Italian Alps with an interesting journey down the Val d’Aosta
• Have a fun & sociable long weekend with like minded people, spending a couple of nights in mountain huts – The Rifugio Torino on the Italian flank of Monte Bianco will be open and staffed whilst the winter room at Rifugio Chabod provides a more remote and rustic experience and the need to carry up the teams own food supplies…
• Warm up, train & acclimatise for climbing Mont Blanc if you take the option for the 3 day Mont Blanc summit extension

Autumn – Can Be A Fantastic Time To Be In The Gran Paradiso Park…

Although climbing in autumn is tougher with cooler temperatures, more fresh snow and often a highly crevassed glacier it has it’s own rewards. The mountain is often cool & calm and the summit queues are massively reduced. The trail breaking can be hard work but travel through a snowy & pristine high mountain atmosphere more than makes up for it. A night in a winter room at the mountain hut can also present a more rustic alternative to the fully serviced and busy huts of high summer.

Course Fitness and Experience Required

Previous mountaineering experience will be useful but not essential for the steady ascent of the Gran Paradiso. Crampons will be worn on summit day but prior instruction will be given in their use. A good level of fitness is required for the 1300m climb on the summit day. The ascent, descent back to the hut and onwards to the valley could take up to 10 hours walking so good stamina and endurance will also be required.

Whilst the ascent involves no technical climbing a snow covered glacier is crossed and a narrow and exposed summit ridge must be negotiated giving a real mountaineering flavour to the ascent. This requires the ability to maintain concentration & good movement skills whilst on a high & exposed mountain ridge.  We would highly recommend doing one of our UK based Mont Blanc training / hill walking & scrambling weekends as part of your training for the Gran Paradiso ascent.

There is also the opportunity, having acclimatised and warmed up on the Paradiso, to join our Climb Mont Blanc summit team after this course.