1859
4,314 m
Charles Joseph Sainte-Claire Deville, Daniel, Emmanuel and Gaspard Balleys, Basile Dorsaz
GRAND COMBIN
Meitingrat (AD, III)
Südtirolalpin
Certified Mountain Guide
IFMGA - Mountain Guides Associations
Mail suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Prices from
1.700,- €
THE MOUNTAIN
Despite its considerable size and its mighty and imposing appearance, the Grand Combin is a relatively rarely climbed four-thousand-meter peak, and quite unfairly, isn't really on the agenda for many mountaineers. One more reason to visit this mountain massif covered in mighty ice sheets. For many, the view of the Grand Combin is one of the most beautiful in the entire Alps, perhaps precisely because it lacks the bold and slender forms of other mountains like the Matterhorn, but instead towers like an impregnable bastion high above almost everything around it.
ABOUT THE TOUR
Grand Combin - Meitingrat (normal route): The characteristic ice balconies on the Grand Combin, which give it its unique appearance, now make ascent via the classic route, also chosen by the first climbers, a dangerous undertaking. Massive seracs repeatedly collapse onto the glaciers below, where the ascent routes run. For this reason, the actually easiest climbs are now largely avoided, and the Meitingrat, among others, has emerged as an alternative normal route. While objectively safe, it is somewhat more difficult, but it offers a wonderful opportunity to climb to the top of this mighty ice giant.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
- Entire organization and guidance by a state-certified mountain guide
- All necessary reservations are made in advance
Additional costs:
- 1x overnight stay with half board at the Valsorey Hut
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- Expenses (accommodation) for the mountain guide
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per piece of equipment)
Facts
Location:
Walliser Alps
Best time of year:
July - mid-September
Duration:
2 days
Meeting point:
Bourg Saint Pierre
What you need
Safety-relevant requirements
- Surefootedness
- Safe walking with crampons and ice axe
Requirements for enjoyment
- Good physical condition (on the summit day 1,300 m ascent and 2,200 m descent)
PRICING
PROGRAM
Day 1: Valsorey Hut Approach
We'll meet in Bourg Saint Pierre, where we'll conduct a quick gear check and then continue our ascent of approximately 150 meters towards Valsorey (parking is very limited). We'll then begin our ascent through the Valsorey Valley, past Alpe Cordonne and the Chalet d'Amont mountain hut to the Valsorey Hut (a total of 900 meters of elevation gain). Here, we'll enjoy a leisurely afternoon and conserve our energy for the summit day.
Day 2: Grand Combin
The next morning, we'll set off early. After breakfast, we'll ascend to the Meitin Glacier and follow it to the Col Meitin. Here, the Meitin Ridge begins, taking us to the Combin de Valsorey via challenging ridge climbing, rated up to grade III. We'll then continue on the glacier to the main summit, the Combin de Grafeneire. For the descent, we have two options, which we'll choose depending on the conditions. Either we return along the ascent route or we cross the Grand Combin and descend again via the northwest flank under impressive ice balconies - with a 150 meter ascent up the Col Meitin we reach the Valsorey Hut again and continue descending to Bourg Saint Pierre.
The story of the first ascent
Like the Monte Rosa massif, the Grand Combin is not a single peak that bears this name, but rather a massif consisting of several peaks. The highest point, the Combin de Grafeneire (4,314 meters), was first reached by a five-man rope team consisting of Deville, the three Balleys brothers, and Dorsatz. Two years earlier, the Englishman William Mathews had already climbed the Combin de la Tsessette (4,134 meters). Not much is known about these first ascents. However, it is a fact that the Cabane de Panossière, built subsequently by the SAC in 1881 on the eastern edge of the Corbassière glacier at 2,770 meters, made tours in this area much easier.
