1855
4,634 m
Charles Hudson, John Birkbeck, Edward J.W. Stephenson, Christopher and James G. Smyth
DUFOURSPITZE
West Ridge (AD-)
Südtirolalpin
State-certified mountain and ski guides IFMGA
South Tyrol Mountain and Ski Guides Association
Mail suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Tour duration:
2 days
Dufourspitze – Normalweg
On the Dufourspitze you truly stand on the roof of Switzerland
2 days · Difficulty AD-
The Dufourspitze is the highest summit of the Monte Rosa Massif and also the highest point in Switzerland. However, as the summit lies only a few metres from the national border and a large part of the massif is on Italian territory, the Swiss often call the Dom their highest mountain. Nevertheless, on the Dufourspitze you are standing on the roof of Switzerland.
But that is not the only superlative it can boast: after Mont Blanc, it is the second-highest peak in the Alps. The entire Monte Rosa Massif is also the mightiest in the whole of the Alps, outdoing even the Mont Blanc Massif in sheer mass.
The summit used to be called the Gornerhorn, including at the time of its first ascent in 1855. It takes its current name, Dufourspitze, from the Swiss general Guillaume-Henri Dufour, who earned great merit as the publisher of Switzerland’s first official map series. The “Dufour Map” was honoured worldwide, including at the 1855 World Exposition in Paris. To this day, the Gornerhorn’s new name commemorates the cartographer, who, incidentally, was also one of the co-founders of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
THE TOUR
The Dufourspitze via the normal route is the classic line and essentially follows in the footsteps of the first ascensionists. On the first day, we head from Zermatt to the Monte Rosa Hütte, which is a remarkable base in its own right, set amid a world of glaciers.
On the second day, the route climbs the Rosagletscher up to the Sattele. This is where the exposed West Ridge begins, making this ascent considerably more demanding than many another famous four-thousander. Yet it is precisely this final climb that gives the tour its character: first glacier, then rock, then summit.
Safely belayed on your mountain guide’s rope, the ridge becomes a pleasure, and we safely reach the highest point in Switzerland. The summit panorama is immense – with views far across the Valais Alps and deep down into the glacier basins of the Monte Rosa Massif. A big alpine tour, no question – and that is exactly why it stays with you for so long.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
'- Complete organisation and guiding by a state-certified mountain guide
- All necessary reservations are made in advance
Additional costs for participants:
'- Gornergratbahn ticket to Rotenboden and back
- 1 night at the Monte Rosa Hütte with half board
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- Expenses (accommodation, cable car) for the mountain guide
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per item)
Facts
Location:
Monte Rosa massif
Best time of year:
Mid-July - mid-September
Duration:
2 days
Meeting point:
Zermatt - Gornergratbahn valley station
Requirements
Safety-relevant
'- Sure-footedness
- Confident walking with crampons and ice axe
- Climbing up to grade III
Key to enjoyment
'- Very good fitness for the summit climb with 1,800 metres of ascent at very high altitude
- Plus a further 400 metres of re-ascent back to the cable car – also on summit day
- Good acclimatisation beforehand is absolutely essential
PRICE
Participants:
1-2 people
Price:
Tailor-made on request
Every tour is priced individually.
The price depends on factors including the duration and difficulty of the tour, group size, date, travel effort and scope of services.
You can find more information about our rates in our terms and conditions.
If you have any questions or need more information, just add them in the comments field of the enquiry form.
Before you send your enquiry: please read the "important information" on the risks of mountaineering carefully.
Dates:
on request
PROGRAMME
Day 1: Approach to the hut
We meet in Zermatt at the valley station of the Gornergratbahn, where we buy tickets to Rotenboden station. The ride up already offers a magnificent panorama. From the station, the Panorama Trail, newly built in 2019, takes us to the Monte Rosa Hütte in around three hours. There we spend a relaxed afternoon and save our strength for summit day.
Walking time: 3.5 h | ↑ 550 m | ↓ 450 m | Difficulty: L
⌂ Monte Rosa Hütte
Day 2: Summit day on the Dufourspitze
The day starts early with breakfast at the hut. We then set off by the light of our headlamps towards the Rosagletscher. First we cross the rocky landscape above the hut left behind by the retreating glaciers. Then we reach the glacier, where an exciting crevasse system awaits us. We continue across the wide expanses of ice up to the Sattele. Here the final climb begins, along the West Ridge to the summit of the Dufourspitze.
At the top, the highest point on Swiss soil awaits us, with views of all the great peaks of the Valais. Once we have taken in this scenery to our heart’s content, we follow the ascent route back down to the saddle and, passing the Monte Rosa Hütte, tackle the strenuous re-ascent to Rotenboden station. From there, the train takes us back down to the valley, tired but overjoyed. All in all, this summit day puts an impressive 2,200 metres of ascent in our legs. A tour we can only recommend to mountaineers with very strong stamina – but for them, a real highlight in any tour log.
Total time: 14 h | ↑ 2,200 m (1,750 m to the summit + 450 m back to Rotenboden) | ↓ 2,300 m | Difficulty: AD-
Info: If a summit day with 2,200 m of ascent and 2,300 m of descent puts you off, we will gladly book you an extra night at the Monte Rosa Hütte. This makes the descent back to the valley much more relaxed!
The story of the first ascent
After several attempts in the years before 1855 to climb the highest point of the German-speaking Alps and the highest point in Switzerland – some of which came within 100 metres of the summit as the crow flies – it was a rope team led by Charles Hudson that finally reached the summit on 1 August 1855. Ten years later, Hudson was also among the first ascensionists of the Matterhorn, but was killed on the descent. Unlike earlier attempts, the five-man rope team did not take the route via the Silbersattel, but climbed the route still commonly used today, from the saddle up the West Ridge to the summit. In a sense, the ascent of the Dufourspitze marks the beginning of an era in which peaks were no longer climbed purely out of scientific interest, but also out of sporting drive and personal ambition. The "golden age of alpinism" was about to begin.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
How demanding is the Dufourspitze via the West Ridge?
This is a long and challenging alpine tour graded AD-. You should have very good fitness, sure-footedness and solid climbing experience. Summit day in particular is long, and the West Ridge demands concentration right to the end.
Where do we stay overnight on the tour?
As a rule, we stay at the Monte Rosa Hütte. It is the ideal base for climbing the Dufourspitze and perfectly located for the early start the next morning.
What equipment do I need?
You will receive the detailed packing list with your confirmation email. Above all, you need suitable mountaineering boots and warm clothing for the early start. Technical equipment can be rented for a small wear-and-tear fee.
MOUNTAIN GUIDE ALPINE CLASSICS
# DUFOURSPITZE # NORMAL ROUTE # MOUNTAIN GUIDE