Three day on Monterosa’s glacier with overnight stay in Margherita hut.
If you are dreaming about gazing at dawn and sunset from the highest balcony in Europe, that’s the hike for you. The climb to Capanna Margherita, the highest refuge in Europe, is one of the most coveted and exciting experiences for mountain enthusiasts. From the height of the 4,554 meters of Punta Gnifetti, the gaze sweeps from the vertiginous south face of Monte Rosa over Alagna and Val Sesia, losing itself in the Po Valley to the Maritime Alps. The trip to the Capanna Margherita is a challenge with ourselves, a test of endurance, a desire to satisfy, a sudden emotion, a journey into one's personal history and above all an irrational and, fortunately, irrepressible adventure.
Reaching the summit in three days is the right balance between rhythm and physique, even though you’ll not have a fabulous sleep at 4554mt. The best emotion have to be conquered!
IFAGM guide for three days, half-board at Capanna Gnifetti, half board at Capanna Margherita, round-trip cable car to Indren.Technical equipment if needed (harness, crampons).
- 5 layers of clothing for the upper body (thermal shirt, light fleece, heavy fleece, down jacket, anorak.)
- two set of gloves (soft and ski ones)
- sunglasses (with 3 or 4 protection)
- heavy trousers (windproof)
- underpants
- gaiters
- rigid, ankle height, waterproof boots.
- two pair of ski socks
- headlamp
- hat that covers your ears
- bag sheet for the hut
- sun screen & lip balm
- poles
- ice axe (if are used to it)
- helmet is recommended but not compulsory
- 1lt water bottle/thermos
- harness & crampons
Please note, a sleeping bag liner is mandatory in all mountain huts.
We suggest a lightweight, reusable sleeping bag liner. Let's protect the mountains from waste
Our favorite sleeping bag liner
The climb to Margherita is for all the people who have a good level of training and know how to handle walks of 4/5h straight. You will reach the top in two steps, on the first day you’ll walk up the first part of the glacier, reaching the first hut in 1/1.5h. The difference in height between Gnifetti and Margherita, covered on the second day, is of 900m; that means that in order to reach the summit you’ll need to walk on a speed of 200/250m per hour in elevation.
The trip does not involve any particular technical difficulties but the path is entirely on high mountain, this tour is indeed a hike along the glacier where we will use a roped party, because the way crosses lareas with crevasses and the fall of somebody can easily be stopped by the weight of the others.
You will not find exposed points or edges to overcome; there are just two easy vie ferrate, one to reach Gnifetti hut and one to reach Cristo delle Vette peak.
Remember that acclimatization is the key to success! If you have lack of time the best choice is surely the two days trip, but we recommend you to sleep in Alagna or Gressoney the day before departure.
On this mountain trip, each guide is allowed to accompany maximum 5 climbers.
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