42 may–jun 2020 http://www.climber.co.uk
The next stage of the itinerary is
visible from the summit. On the opposite
side of the Trient Glacier, in Switzerland,
and perched on a rocky buttress is the
Trient Hut (3,170m). To get there one
can abseil down snow slopes below Le
Petit Fourche. The Trient Hut is in the
middle of the mountains and you feel
alone in the wilderness. It is a marvel-
lous place to spend a night acclimatising
and taking in the views.
The next day is more leisurely, with
the climbing of the Point D’Orny and the
Petit Point D’orny just above the hut.
They are great peaks to practise moving
quickly and safely on loose scree and
jumbled blocks. After the peak the walkdown the Glacier D’Orny is beautiful
and varied. A brief stop for cake and
coffee to take in the views of the
needle-like Clocher de Porlatet will lead
onto a long traverse across very steep
slopes above the Torrent de Darbelly.
Eventually you reach the La Breya
chairlift, which is an exciting ride down
to the idyllic Swiss village of Champex.Gran Paradiso (4,061m)
Graded F+ and first climbed in 1860 by
Cowell, Dundas, Payot and Tairraz, it is
the seventh highest peak in the Graian
Alps and is the highest wholly in Italy.
Take a one-hour taxi ride to Pravieux in
the Valsaverenche valley to start thewalk-in to the Gran Paradiso. There are
no lifts in the Gran Paradiso National
Park, so you’ll have to hike for two and
a half hours to the Rifugio Chabod at
2,750m or the Rifugio Vittorio-Emmanuel
II. The latter is named after Vittorio
Emmanuel II of Italy who created the
Gran Paradiso National Park in 1856.
Both are great huts, but from the Chabod
you may get to see one of the most
beautiful sunsets you’ve ever seen.
There are two main routes to the
summit; it takes half an hour longer
from the Rifugio Chabod but it is a nicer
journey, in my opinion. From the hut,
follow tracks leading to the edge of the
glacier where you rope up and put on
crampons. The route then meanders
through crevasses below the steep North
Face and up easy-angled slopes to meet
the route from the Vittorio Emanuel.
After two more hours, the route heads
up steeper ground towards the final
summit ridge.
At a small col below the summit
adjust the rope for scrambling and enjoy
the easy climbing along the very exposed
summit ridge protected by some in-situ
bolts. There can be a bottleneck there so
be patient and bring a warm jacket. The
summit has a Madonna statue and a
panorama that looks across to the Mont
Blanc Massif, the Gran Combin, the
Valais Alps and the Monte Rosa Massif.
Descent is the same route as ascent, but
it is a long way to the valley so prepare
yourself mentally and carry ski poles.
This itinerary is an awesome introduc-
tion to the Alps for the adventurous
walker and will open up a whole host
of other peaks.feature
Climbing steep slopes
towards the final rocky
section that leads to the
summit of Gran Paradiso.
Photo: Alun Richardson
ALPINE HUTS
The high-altitude Alpine huts are open
to walkers and climbers throughout the
summer months and even in the winter
there is a ‘winter room’ with blankets.
They are mostly owned by National
Alpine Clubs, but some are privately
owned. The average hut has dormi-
tories and a Guardian who provides a
three-course evening meal and break-
fast. Often the food is where the Guard-
ian makes their money and the hut
fees go to the Alpine Clubs. There are
rules such as no boots or sharp items
inside and folding your blankets before
leaving. Being organised is important,
as waking up early with lots of people
can be a nightmare. Take ear plugs
and be quiet in the dormitories. Please
don’t rummage in your pack. The Trient Hut. Photo: Alun Richardson