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Monte Rosa Ski Tour 2024
Altitude ski tour, that is snow sure, which offers several ski summits
Course overview
This is one of the most famous ski tours in the Alps, as the Monte Rosa massif has the highest land area in the Alps over 4000m. The high altitude means this ski tour can keep good snow for longer and so run later in the season than others ski tours.

For those with a mountaineering focus, this tour will give you the ability to summit several summits over 4000m in a week, as well as some fantastic long ski descents.

Good ski ability and stamina will make the week more enjoyable and mean you achieve more summits. Due to the altitude, descents over spring snow powder is guaranteed!
Your expert IFMGA Mountain & Ski Guide will help to develop your technical skills in crevasse rescue, Alpine ropework and avalanche tranceiver searches, as well as route planning for ski touring in terms of your avalanche awareness.
The mountain huts in the area are all comfortable with great quality cooked meals and stunning mountain views. The week includes skiing all the way up to the Margherita hut at 4556m.
Please note that due to the altitude and snow conditions, this ski tour has to be more flexible than most, so read the itinerary as an outline of what you could do, but it is not set in stone!
The Italians affectionately call this the 'Spaghetti Tour' due to the wriggly ridge crests, and the pasta in the mountain rifugios. It is one of our hand picked popular IFMGA guide team leading these trips.
Dates: these are listed in the column on the right, and they show the live availability from our secure online booking system. When you book online, you receive immediate confirmation, your Alpine Information Booklet, course specific kit list and invoice.

Brief course itinerary options
The Monte Rosa massif offers so many options for ski touring, that the itinerary can be flexed to allow for any changes in conditions, and cable car openings in the late season. This itinerary flexibility allows us to offer this trip all the way through until late April each year, so really appeals to skiers who want the longest winter season possible. This trip is guided by one of the IFMGA guides handpicked from our core guiding team.
  Option 1 - Swiss start & finish
Option 2 - Italian start & finish
Sun Travel to Zermatt to check into the hotel for the night. In the early evening there is a course safety and itinerary briefing. There is time for kit checks or rental of equipment. Briefings are over by 19:00 and you are free to go out for dinner & drinks. Night in Zermatt. Travel to Gressoney to check into the hotel for the night. In the early evening there is a course safety and itinerary briefing. There is time for kit checks or rental of equipment. Briefings are over by 19:00 and you are free to go out for dinner & drinks. Night in Gressoney.
Mon Day 1: Meet your guide, and catch the cable car to Kleine Matterhorn 3883m. From here you skin upwards and ascend to the summit of Breithorn 4168m, and ski down to skin across the plateau to reach the Rifugio Guide del Cervino at 3480m, where you spend the night. Day 1: Meet your guide after breakfast, then catch the cable car and skin up to the Gnifetti hut. This will start your acclimatisation, and you will have the opportunity for some transceiver training, as well as ski touring techniques skills. Night in the Gnifetti mountain hut.
Tue Day 2: An Alpine start for good conditions to skin to the summit of Castor 4228m and / or Pollux 4092m, before the long and exciting ski descent all the way down to Champoluc 1800m, where you stay the night in a great local Italian hotel on a half board basis for the night. Day 2: Early start to ski tour all the way up to the highest hut in the Alps, the Margherita hut or to the summit of Zumstein, and then ski down all the way back to the Gnifetti hutt. Although you are skiing to high altitude today, you are sleeping lower, to avoid altitude sickness.
Wed Day 3: From the village you catch the cable car (ticket costs c.40€pp) and spend the day ski touring, and enjoying great freeride aound the Monterosa ski area, before heading up skinning to reach the Rifugio Gnifetti 3647m, where you spend the night. Day 3: Another early start to ski up to the summit of Piramide Vincent, your second 4000m peak of the week, and then ski all the way down to the valley in Gressoney. The night is spent in a hotel in the village on a half board basis.
Thu Day 4: Today is the highest point of the ski tour with an ascent of Signalkuppe 4554m, where the Margherita hut is perched, the highest mountain hut in the Alps. Either you stay here, or sometimes ski down to the Monte Rosa hut. Either option is a big day. Night in hut on half board. Day 4: Drive around to Cervinia, and take the cable car up to Plateau Rosa. From the hut, you set of to skin up and ski down the Breithorn, your third 4000m peak of the week. You ski back to the Guide del Cervino hut, where you spend the night, again on a half board basis.
Fri Day 5: An early start to either ski down from Margherita hut via Monte Rosa hut. If staying at Monte Rosa hut you ski up to Dufoursattel 4515m, nestled between Dufourspitze and Nordend, then ski down. Night in Zermatt hotel. Most groups opt to go out for a celebratory meal in the evening.

Day 5: An early start again, to ski to the summit of Pollux or Castor, your fourth 4000m peak of the week, and ski back down to Cervinia. From here you drive back to Gressoney. You stay there in a hotel, and most groups opt to go out for a celebratory meal in the evening.

Sat Breakfast then the accommodation check out is by 10:00. Most arrange their airport transfers to leave around this time, to catch a flight from about midday. Depart for home.
ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries. Mountain adventures are weather and conditions dependant, so occasionaly we are forced to alter the plans. If this is the case, suitable alternatives are offered. Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of route / activity that you will attempt.

Course Prices
Standard course
5 full days IFMGA guiding, 1:4 max ratio
7 days holiday in total, Sunday-Saturday
£1599
Live availability
Click on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
Latest Availability
Secure online booking system
Standard Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA Mountain Guides for five days, 2) Alpine course hosts for logistics & briefings, 3) Pre course information booklet, 4) Equipment discount voucher for UK shops, 5) Two nights hotel accommodation in Zermatt / Gressoney (inc. bedding & towels), 6) Four nights half board accommodation in mountain huts / hotel including three course cooked evening meals. 8) Free 36 page technical Course Instruction Booklet, 9) Chamonix concierge service for logistics, advice and support.
Exclusions: 1) Travel to and from Zermatt / Gressoney, 2) Cable Cars (budget on approx. £100), 3) Equipment hire, 4) Personal laundry, telephone calls, lunches, & any purchases in mountain huts / hotels / restaurants, 5) Sunday pre-dinner drinks & Friday celebratory meal & drinks, 6) Any valley transfers (not normally required), 7 Activities insurance, & excess baggage charges.
Group sizes: Up to 4 people per IFMGA mountain guide. Scheduled dates are guaranteed to run if there are 2 or more people. Extra dates can be operated for private groups.
Current course availability

Course Dates
Monte Rosa Tour
  • [ 0 ] 7 - 13 Apr 2024
NOTE: This trip has scheduled
dates, but if there are 3+ who
are booking together, it can be
operated on any date you wish
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Price: £1599 Book online

Preparatory trips
Intro Ski Touring

Aosta Ski Tour

Alternatives
Haute Route to Zermatt
Oberland Ski Tour


Next trips
Ski Mount Elbrus
Ski Mont Blanc
Client feedback


I had a great time, especially the party in the hut on the last night. The area was amazing for the choice of summits that we could ski to the summit of each day

Stavros O , Monte Rosa Tour

Brilliant week, and we were so lucky with the weather too. Definately will be back for more next year. Thanks guys

Russell J , Monte Rosa Tour

So many summits and the huts were amazing, but the lodge in Champoluc was AMAZING. Thank you

Sal D , Monte Rosa Tour

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Location data for this trip
The scheduled trips all start in Zermatt, which is easily accessed via train from Geneva airport.
Time Difference
GMT +1hr
Local Currency
CHF & €
Travel from UK
1hr flight
Skis & equipment advice
Because we know it is so important to you to have the most suitable equipment and clothing for off piste skiing and touring, we have devoted a page especially to it, which you can access by clicking on the image, or by clicking here. This page outlines the key equipment you should bring, and gives examples of skis that are suitable for the course. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Suggested reading and kit
View full course equipment list, with examples of kit, click here
Mont Blanc ski extension
Use your acclimatisation, to add a ski ascent of Mont Blanc after your Monte Rosa ski tour. Price is £699pp for 2 people booking, or £1349 for 1:1.



Saturday - On the Saturday afternoon, you return to Chamonix with
your guide, and stay a night in a hotel there instead of in Zermatt / Gressoney.

Sunday - Take cable car (not incl.) to the Plan d'Aiguille, and ski to Grands Mulets hut for the night. Stay half board basis (included). Guide ratio is 1:2.

Monday - Ski to the summit of Mont Blanc, and ski down all the way to Plan d'Aiguille, to catch the cable car down to Chamonix. Depart for airport
.
Any further questions?
A key part of choosing a company is being able to come and talk about your plans with an experienced course advisor face to face. In an increasingly virtual world, we know our clients value speaking to real people, getting open and honest advice. The vast majority of our clients are British, and our office and outdoor store is based in Windermere in the English Lake District.



Get in contact to arrange a meeting, and come in for a coffee to discuss your course in person with a trip advisor.


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