1865
3,937 m
Adolphus Warburton Moore, Horace Walker, Jakob Anderegg
PIZ ROSEG
Eselsgrat (AD-, III)
Südtirolalpin
Certified Mountain Guide
IFMGA - Mountain Guides Associations
Mail suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Prices from
780,- €
THE MOUNTAIN
A quiet, mighty mountain in the Bernina Range – and the Eselsgrat is exactly the kind of ascent that makes tours like this hard to forget.
2 days · Difficulty AD-, III
No mountain massif in the Eastern Alps offers peaks of such height as the Bernina Massif. Unlike Piz Bernina, however, Piz Roseg falls just short of the magical 4,000-metre mark. But that also means that, despite its imposing shape and striking beauty, it receives nowhere near the attention from alpinists that it truly deserves – which is no bad thing at all.
As a result, you can often enjoy peace and quiet on this wonderful mountain and savour the ascent via the demanding Eselsgrat to the full – with no bottlenecks and none of the usual crowding from other rope teams. That is exactly what makes this tour so special to me: a great summit, a long line, and an ascent that feels like a true alpine mountaineering tour from the first hut day all the way to the highest point.
ABOUT THE TOUR
Piz Roseg via the Eselsgrat is a long and demanding tour that tests the alpinist to the full. Even the approach to the hut is no short undertaking, and summit day also involves a long distance that requires good fitness. The considerable altitude of almost 4,000 metres also calls for good acclimatisation.
In addition, there is a crevassed glacier that requires sure-footedness, and a demanding rock ridge with climbing difficulties up to grade III. In the summit area, confident movement with crampons and ice axe is also necessary, as we travel on steep snow and ice slopes. It is precisely this combination that makes the tour so appealing: first the long approach, then glacier, rock, and finally the high-alpine summit structure.
In return, you are rewarded with one of the finest and most worthwhile tours on one of the most beautiful peaks in the Eastern Alps. For anyone who feels equal to the challenges, Piz Roseg via the Eselsgrat is a true dream tour.
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 Tschierva Hut
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- Optional: Horse-drawn carriage ride through the Val Roseg
- Expenses (accommodation, horse-drawn carriage) for the mountain guide
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per piece of equipment)
Facts
Location:
Bernina group
Best time of year:
July - September
Duration:
2 days
Meeting point:
Pontresina - train station
What you need
Safety-relevant requirements
- Surefootedness
- Confident walking with crampons and a glacier ice axe
- UIAA Grade III climbing
- Good physical condition for a 12-hour tour (ascent and descent) with 1,500 meters of elevation gain on the summit day
Requirements for enjoyment
- No fear of heights
- Good acclimatization
PRICING
Participants:
1-2 people
Prices:
1 person:
2 people:
1.300,- €
780,- €
If you have any questions or need further information, please write them in the comment field of the inquiry form.
Before submitting your request: Please read the "important information" about risks in mountaineering carefully.
Dates:
upon request
PROGRAM
Day 1: Approach to the hut
From the railway station in Pontresina, where we meet and carry out a short equipment check, we first head for quite a while on flat terrain through the Val Roseg to the Hotel Roseg. Here, there is also the option of saving yourself this walk in proper style with a horse-drawn carriage ride. From Hotel Roseg, the approach trail towards the Tschiervahütte begins. At first, we still pass individual trees and meadows, then the terrain becomes increasingly rough and barren as we continue towards the hut, and we gradually but surely enter the high mountains. We cover the final metres of ascent to the hut on the moraine of the Vadret da Tschierva, which is still very impressive, even though it has already retreated a long way.
Walking time: 4.5 h | ↑ 800 m
⌂ Tschiervahütte
Day 2: Via the Eselsgrat
As is customary on alpine tours, breakfast is served early in the morning at the Tschiervahütte, and afterwards we set off by the light of our headlamps down onto the Tschiervagletscher. We traverse it and, via a rocky section, make our way towards Piz Umur. Crossing another crevassed glacier, we gain height and reach the start of the Eselsgrat after a little more than three hours. Now the climbing begins on superb granite, which will keep us occupied for the next few hours. We then continue up steep snow and ice slopes to the Schneekuppe and on to the main summit of Piz Roseg. Here we enjoy the tremendous mountain panorama before descending again along the ascent route. There are several abseil points on the Eselsgrat.
Total time: 12 h | ↑ 1,500 m | ↓ 2,300 m | Difficulty: AD-, III
The story of the first ascent
The first ascent of Piz Roseg was achieved on June 28, 1865, by the Englishmen Adolphus Warburton Moore and Horace Walker, together with their mountain guide Jakob Anderegg. Even today, when climbing Piz Roseg via the normal route, one follows in the footsteps of this first ascent. The route leads through the Val Roseg and over the north ridge, also known as the Eselsgrat, Middlemoregrat, or in Romansh, la cresta, to the summit. Piz Roseg also gained notoriety because one of the best and most famous steep-face skiers, Heini Holzer from South Tyrol, suffered a fatal fall on its north face on July 4, 1977 – witnessed through the binoculars of the then-innkeeper of the Tschiervahütte.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - (FAQs)
How demanding is the tour on Piz Roseg via the Eselsgrat?
The tour is long and challenging. You need very good fitness and confident movement in high-alpine terrain. On the Eselsgrat, there are also climbing sections up to grade III, as well as steeper snow and ice passages.
Does the tour make sense without good acclimatisation?
Good acclimatisation is clearly an advantage for Piz Roseg. We move almost up to the 4,000-metre mark, and especially on long summit days, you quickly notice whether you feel comfortable at altitude or not.
What equipment do I need to bring?
You will receive the exact packing list with the confirmation email. Particularly important are suitable mountaineering boots and clothing for a long summit day. Technical equipment can be rented from Südtirolalpin for a small wear-and-tear fee.
