TOUR OF MONTE ROSA
by Hilary Sharp
2 POLICE SQUARE MILNTHORPE CUMBRIA LA7 7PY
About the Author
© Tracey Fantham
Hilary Sharp is British and holds the International Mountain Leader diploma. After 23 years based in the French alpine village of Vallorcine near Chamonix Mont Blanc, she has now relocated further south to the warmer climes of Provence. She runs her own trekking business, Trekking in the Alps and Provence, guiding walks in winter, spring and summer ([email protected], www.trekkinginthealps.com, www.trekkinginprovence.com). Her love of walking and climbing has taken her to many parts of Europe and further afield.
Hilary contributes to several British walking magazines and is author of Trekking and Climbing in the Western Alps (New Holland, 2002, out of print). She is also a keen outdoor photographer.
Other Cicerone guides by the author
Snowshoeing: Mont Blanc and the Western Alps
Mont Blanc Walks
Tour of the Matterhorn
Chamonix Mountain Adventures
© Hilary Sharp 2015
Second edition 2015
ISBN: 978 1 85284 730 2
First edition 2007
ISBN: 978 1 85284 454 7
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Acknowledgements
Lots of people helped me with the first edition of this book, notably Jean-Luc Lugon and Alberto Calaba, owner of the now defunct Rifugio Guglielmina. For this revision I am indebted to Anna Pagani, guardian of the Rifugio Pastore for her ever cheerful replies to my questions. I also want to thank all those people who trek with me and enhance my photos – I am lucky to have such willing and photogenic models. Finally, thanks are due to my husband Jon de Montjoye who once again was in charge of the maps and helped with research.
Updates to this Guide
While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. Any updates that we know of for this guide will be on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk/730/updates), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, 2 Police Square, Milnthorpe LA7 7PY, United Kingdom.
Front cover: Stunning views of the East Face of Monte Rosa from the Rifugio Oberto Maroli, just below the Monte Moro Pass (Stage 6)
CONTENTS
Regional highlights
Languages and currencies
Emergencies, rescue and insurance
Alpine weather
Clothing and equipment
Maps
Glacier travel
Planning your trek
Using this guide
Stage 1 Zermatt to Theodulpass
Stage 2 Theodulpass to Resy/St Jacques
Stage 3 Resy/St Jacques to Gabiet
Stage 3A St Jacques to Gabiet via Colle di Pinter
Stage 4 Gabiet to Alagna/Pastore
Stage 5 Alagna/Pastore to Macugnaga
Stage 8 Grächen to Zermatt – the Europaweg