From Gran Paradiso to Monte Rosa, we adapt our plans to the mountains and enjoy two weekends of climbing, skiing and good company on the Italian side.
Three years ago, Yann, his sister, and I skied down Europe's biggest white hill together
This year, Yann is back with a few coworkers: a cheerful French-Swiss team that’s all about having a good time!
On paper, our plan is divided into two phases: a trial run on the Grand Paradis, followed—if all goes well—by the ascent of Mont Blanc the following weekend... But the mountain and the guides had other ideas!
A Grand Paradis Organized Crime Ring: The Heist!
For this first act, I’m joined by Sylvain as we try to rein in the enthusiasm of this sharp team! Right from the start, the tone is set: we haven’t even introduced ourselves yet, and I already have a bottle of gentian in my hand—promising!! The climb to Vittorio Emanuele is covered at a brisk pace, punctuated by chatter...
Since the major weather forecasts aren't very optimistic for tomorrow, the shelter is only half full—but we're not complaining! And who knows—with a little luck, we might just get a nice window of opportunity!!
We woke up early and made a grim realization: the nice weather is setting in... We have no choice—we’ll just have to go for it! As Sylvain and I feared, our concerns about the group’s pace turned out to be right: everyone’s climbing fast—we’re going to have to fight hard!
The higher we climb, the nicer the weather gets. Our faith in the weather forecasts has been completely shattered. Fortunately, the group knows how to handle this terrible ordeal and remains united.
What was bound to happen eventually did: as we kept climbing, we drew closer to the summit. This unexpected spell of good weather threw us completely off balance.
On top of that, the worst thing about these days with unpredictable weather is that you end up with a totally unusual, cloudy atmosphere. It's not easy to deal with all of that!
On the ridge, the atmosphere changes dramatically. We go from a leisurely glacier hike to a somewhat exposed ledge walk!! We barely have time to hesitate before we’re all up there, together and quite pleased with our little adventure!
A quick union-style tea-and-white-wine break on the way down... then we head down to the valley, where a nice little restaurant is waiting for us.
Act 2: Our mountain will finally be pink!
The week after Grand Paradis, I’ve been checking the weather forecast every day. Our original plan is to climb Mont Blanc via the normal route in two days. The timing of this two-day ascent doesn’t allow us to cross the Goûter Couloir early in the morning. After a brief cold snap, temperatures are soaring this week, with a heat wave peaking on the day we’d planned our ascent… After a quick strategy session among the guides, we decide to remove this sword of Damocles hanging over our heads and head over to Monte Rosa instead. So our group won’t get to experience the thrill of sprinting under the Goûter’s hail of snow with a guide screaming, his eyes bulging from the stress! Instead, we’ll have to settle for the antipasti at Citta di Mantova and the undulating contours of the great snow-capped peaks of Monte Rosa...
For this trip, there are a few changes to the team: Denis isn't here, but Romain is filling in for him! And among the guides, there are two new recruits from the Hautes-Alpes: Charles and Mathieu.
The ascent to Citta di Mantova lets us start the day without too much stress, thanks to a 1,500-meter elevation gain via the cable car... A little twist for our group over these two days: Yann, Christophe, and I will be on skis—we’ll be practically the only ones using this mode of transportation right now!
Everyone appreciates the comfort and hospitality of Italian mountain huts—especially us guides. We have to juggle having an aperitif with our group and another with the hut keepers. It’s a demanding job at every moment, where even the slightest lapse in attention can have dramatic consequences...
We got off to a flying start this morning. The weather isn't going to play any tricks on us like it did last week!! It's just beautiful out, just as predicted! As for the team, nothing has changed: we're moving at breakneck speed, barely affected by the lack of oxygen!
Yann, Christophe, and I are out on our boards—which we thought we'd put away until next winter!
The view of all the major peaks in Valais is incredible... They look almost tiny from here.
We all found ourselves together (and alone!) at the summit of Zumstein Peak at just the right moment—miraculously sheltered from the wind... Another wonderful moment for the PIASIO team!
The atmosphere on the descent from the Zumstein...
We stop by the Margherita hut to take shelter for a few minutes, then we go our separate ways... Yann, Christophe, and I head off on skis toward the Pyramide Vincent. Because of the wind and cold, the snow hasn’t softened at the top, but since it’s perfectly smooth, it’s easy to ski on. What a joy to glide through this extraordinary setting!!
We quickly make our way back up to the Vincent Pyramid, where we begin a beautiful descent to the cable car...
Smooth sailing...
Carpet is in!!
What are those two looking at?
Ahhhh! A serac!
Before heading down the run that takes us back to the cable car on our skis, we carve a huge swath through the snow.
Our colleagues on foot were also making good time on the descent, and by noon we were all back in Staffal to enjoy Italian cuisine together one last time.
Patrice, Yann, Christophe, Jordi, Denis, Romain, Jérémy: Thank you all for your trust and for these wonderful, fun times together!! Let's do it again whenever you want!
Practical Info / Route Topo
J1 — Vittorio Emanuele II hut
- First weekend with the French-Swiss team and Sylvain. A brisk climb to the hut, plenty of conversation and a rather unpromising forecast.
J2 — Gran Paradiso summit
- The sunshine proves the forecast wrong! We climb the glacier, then follow the rocky ridge to the summit. A sociable break on the descent before returning to the valley.
J3 — A new massif and the Mantova hut
- The following weekend, forecast heat encourages us to choose Monte Rosa instead of Mont Blanc. We approach Città di Mantova with help from the lifts; Yann, Christophe and I have brought skis.
J4 — Zumsteinspitze and Piramide Vincent
- The whole team meets on Zumsteinspitze. After a stop at Margherita, the skiers continue towards Piramide Vincent, then enjoy a long descent to the cable car. Everyone meets in Staffal for one last Italian meal.
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