SW Face and W ridge

Approach # (See approach route for the Aosta Hut)

Route

From the hut, go up the true right bank of the Grandes Murailles glacier. Do not try and cut a corner, large crevasses. Some slopes at 35-40°. Reach the foot of the SW ridge which comes down directly from the summit, (about 3700m). Traverse a large snow slope on the SW face until the base of a rock cliff and go up this to the right (max.50°). Attention: the rocks are often covered in snow and ice, be especially careful at the exit onto the W ridge. This ridge comes up from the Tiefmattenjoch. Go up the large snow slope, initially easy angled. You reach the point where the W and NW ridges join. Here the climbing becomes more interesting and exposed (3a, lots of metal stanchions.) About an hour to the summit mainly on good rock, careful of verglas.

Descent

By the same route