1865
3,937 m
Adolphus Warburton Moore, Horace Walker, Jakob Anderegg
PIZ ROSEG
Eselsgrat (AD-, III)
Südtirolalpin
State-certified mountain and ski guides IFMGA
South Tyrol Mountain and Ski Guides Association
Mail suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Tour duration:
2 days
Piz Roseg – Eselsgrat
A quiet, mighty mountain in the Bernina Range – and the Eselsgrat is a route that never fails to inspire.
2 days · Difficulty AD-, III
No massif in the Eastern Alps has peaks as high as the Bernina Massif. Unlike Piz Bernina, however, Piz Roseg narrowly misses the magical 4,000-metre mark. This also means that, despite its mighty form and striking beauty, it gets nowhere near the attention among alpinists that it really deserves – which is no bad thing at all.
As a result, you often have this wonderful mountain to yourself and can savour the climb via the demanding Eselsgrat to the full – with no queues and none of the usual jostling with other rope teams. That is exactly what makes this tour so special for me: a big summit, a long line and a climb that feels like a real alpine tour from the first day at the hut all the way to the highest point.
THE TOUR
Piz Roseg via the Eselsgrat is a long and demanding tour that tests alpinists to the full. Even the hut approach is not short, and summit day also brings a long distance that calls for good fitness. The high altitude of almost 4,000 metres also requires good acclimatisation.
Add to this a heavily crevassed glacier that demands sure-footedness, and a challenging rock ridge with climbing at grade III. In the summit area, confident walking with crampons and ice axe is also essential, as we move across steep snow and ice slopes. It is exactly this mix that makes the tour so appealing: first the long approach, then glacier and rock, and finally the high-alpine summit block.
In return, you are rewarded with one of the finest and most rewarding tours on one of the most beautiful summits in the Eastern Alps. For anyone who feels up to the challenge, Piz Roseg via the Eselsgrat is a true dream tour.
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:
'- 1 night at the Tschiervahütte with half board
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- optional: horse-drawn carriage ride through Val Roseg
- Expenses (accommodation, carriage) for the mountain guide
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per item)
Facts
Location:
Bernina Range
Best time of year:
July - September
Duration:
2 days
Meeting point:
Pontresina - railway station
Requirements
Safety-relevant
'- Sure-footedness
- Confident walking with crampons and ice axe
- Climbing at UIAA grade III
- Good fitness for a 12-hour tour (ascent and descent) with 1,500 metres of ascent on summit day
Key to enjoyment
'- A head for heights
- Good acclimatisation
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
From the railway station in Pontresina, where we meet and run a short equipment check, we first walk for quite a while on the flat through Val Roseg to the Hotel Roseg. Here you can also skip this walk in true style with a horse-drawn carriage ride. From Hotel Roseg, the approach path to the Tschiervahütte begins. At first we still pass the odd tree and meadow, then the terrain towards the hut becomes ever more rugged and barren, and we slowly but surely enter the high mountains. We cover the last few metres of ascent to the hut on the moraine of the Vadret da Tschierva, which is still very mighty but has already retreated a long way.
Walking time: 4.5 h | ↑ 800 m
⌂ Tschiervahütte
Day 2: Via the Eselsgrat
As usual on alpine tours, breakfast at the Tschiervahütte is served early in the morning, and we then set off by the light of our headlamps down onto the Tschiervagletscher. We cross it and continue via a rocky section towards Piz Umur. Crossing another heavily crevassed glacier, we gain height and reach the start of the Eselsgrat after a little over three hours. Now the climbing begins on superb granite, keeping us busy for the next few hours. Steep snow and ice slopes lead on to the Schneekuppe and the main summit of Piz Roseg. Here we enjoy the spectacular mountain panorama before descending 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 made on 28 June 1865 by the Englishmen Adolphus Warburton Moore and Horace Walker together with their mountain guide Jakob Anderegg. Even today, anyone climbing Piz Roseg by the normal route follows in the footsteps of this first ascent: through Val Roseg and up the north ridge – also known as the Eselsgrat, Middlemoregrat or, in Romansh, la cresta – to the summit. Piz Roseg also gained tragic fame when one of the best and best-known extreme skiers, South Tyrolean Heini Holzer, fell to his death on its north face on 4 July 1977 – watched through binoculars by the then hut keeper of the Tschiervahütte.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
How demanding is the tour up Piz Roseg via the Eselsgrat?
The tour is long and challenging. You need very good fitness and must move confidently 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 a clear advantage for Piz Roseg. We climb almost to the 4,000-metre mark, and on long summit days in particular you quickly notice whether or not you feel comfortable at altitude.
What equipment do I need to bring?
You will receive the detailed packing list with your confirmation email. Above all, you need suitable mountaineering boots and clothing for a long summit day. Technical equipment can be rented from Südtirolalpin for a small wear-and-tear fee.
MOUNTAIN GUIDE ALPINE CLASSICS
# PIZ ROSEG # ESELSGRAT # MOUNTAIN GUIDE