Trip Classification: Strenuous. Some portions of the hikes are classified as Very Strenuous due to steep and challenging ascents and descents. Some hikes require scrambling over boulders and crossing small streams. All our hikes will take place at elevations above 4500′ and we plan to hike, and possibly spend the night, at 11,500′. We will mostly stay in comfortable hotels, but we will spend a couple of nights in basic mountain lodges as we experience a three-day hut-to-hut hike.
Overview. On this 14-day trip we will experience hiking at the foot, and possibly up, the giants of the Western Alps: the Mont Blanc (15,780′), the Monte Rosa (15,203′), the Matterhorn (14,692′), and the Gran Paradiso (13,323′). We will learn about the local culture, taste good food and meet local producers, and of course hike along some of the most scenic trails in the Western Alps. An optional ascent to one of the Monte Rosa peaks can be added at the end. Two experienced hiking guides will accompany the group, which aims to comprise about 10 participants.
We will start and end in Milan at the Malpensa Airport, which has flights to several US and many European cities. We plan on starting on July 8, 2024 and end on July 21 in time to catch an afternoon flight if desired. Our hikes are around 12-16 km in length (7.5-10 miles), with elevation gains/losses of 800-1300 m (2,500-4,300′), and we will do a three-day hut-to-hut traverse. Trails in the valley are gentle, while those up the mountains can be steep and rocky; both offer stunning views. We will stay in comfortable hotels in the valleys most days, apart from 2-3 nights in basic mountain lodges, that usually provide dorm-style sleeping and communal bathrooms, but good food and a lively atmosphere. We will generally hike with daypacks, carrying our warm layers and picnic lunches; on the hut-to-hut traverse, we will need to carry extra clothes, necessities, and snack lunches, but we will not need to carry sleeping or cooking gear, as the huts are guarded and provide food and bedding. The trip provides an opportunity to visit three different areas with their unique features.
- COUMAYEUR AND THE MONT BLANC. On Day 1 we transfer to the Valle d’Aosta, the tiniest of Italian regions, nested in the mountains. We will head to Courmayeur, where we will stay for three nights. In the summer, the village is bustling with tourists, hikers, and mountaineers, getting ready or returning from ascents to the Mont Blanc, the highest peak of the Alps. We will explore the village and hike along the Italian leg of the Tour du Mont Blanc, with stunning views of the South face of Mont Blanc and its snow-capped peaks, hanging glaciers, and rocky pinnacles. If weather allows, an optional cable car ride to Punta Helbronnen may offer a close-up look at the glaciers.
- GRAN PARADISO NATIONAL PARK. On Day 4 we will transfer to Cogne, with a stop en-route to visit the famous medieval caste at Fenis Castle. We will spend the next two days exploring the Gran Paradiso National park, the oldest in Italy, set up to protect the last remaining ibex. The population of these wild mountain goats has since expanded, and we will hopefully get to see a few, together with chamois, marmots, and possibly an eagle or bearded vulture. Our hikes will take us to lakes, waterfalls, and mountain huts perched high above the valley floor.
- AT THE FOOT OF AND UP TOWARDS THE MONTE ROSA. On Days 7-9, we will get a chance to experience the hut-to-hut hiking that is so popular in the Alps, and for good reason: we will traverse from valley to valley, with amazing views along the way and at each col, and sleep in huts high up, marveling at sunsets and sunrises and the starry sky at night, We will reach our trailhead at Cheneil in Valtournenche with a private transfer and a short funicular ride. We will then hike along the Alta Via 1, the Aosta Valley Haute Route 1 all the way to Gressoney, staying at the Grand Tournalin and Frachey Huts. The Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa will appear, if the weather cooperates, as we cross two high passes and traverse the Ayas Valley in between. On Day 9 we will descend into Gressoney valley, our home for the rest of the trip. In Gressoney we will get some well-deserved rest after the traverse and get to know the culture of the local Walser people, descendants of German-Swiss farmers and herders who settled here in the 13th century. We will hike into a remote valley and learn how local cheese is made. Rested and refreshed, we will take on the final challenge of the trip: the hike up to one of the huts from where mountaineers ascend the Monte Rosa peaks, at around 3500m (11,500′). An optional glacier ascent to one of the Monte Rosa summits with an alpine guide can be arranged for the next morning. We will then descend to Gressoney for a well-deserved farewell dinner.
The map gives you an idea of the areas we will be hiking in.
Trip cost. The trip cost is €5,200 per person in double occupancy. The single supplement will be €700 for all nights excluding the two nights in mountain lodges where accommodation will be dormitory-style. The trip cost will include private transfers to, from and between valleys and public transport within, accommodation in three- or four-star hotels and mountain lodges, visits to some attractions, and most meals. It does not include air fares to Italy, some meals on your own, or tips to guides. It also does not include the optional cable car ride in Courmayeur and the optional Monte Rosa glacier climb and equipment rental.
Program Description. For the detailed itinerary of the trip Click here. If you would like to register for the trip please write to the 1818 Trip Coordinator requesting the registration form which will be sent to you if there is still space available on the trip and if your hiking experience qualifies you for this Strenuous hiking trip which includes some days involving Very Strenuous hiking.
Tour Operator: Passamontagna Viaggi, a small tour operator based in Central Italy with experience organizing hiking trips. Website: https://www.passamontagnaviaggi.it
Trip Organizer and Guide: Giovanna Prennushi (gioprennushi@gmail.com)
1818 Trip Coordinator: Anis Dani (adani@1818alumniwbg.org)
