High Altitude Cappuccino

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Jorasses (Ovronnaz, 1,940 m) Highest point: Grand Muveran, 3,051 m Total elevation gain: ~1,200 m Total distance: ~13 km (round trip via Cabane Rambert) Total time: ~ 7 hours (including breaks) Technical difficulty: T4 Alpine hike, marked white–blue–white; exposed sections, use of hands required, helmet/gloves recommended Download GPS file On my second attempt, I made it! Exactly one year ago, I posted about the hike to Cabane Rambert . Back then, I had planned to continue to the summit of Grand Muveran, but I was too tired and stopped at the Cabane. This time, I went all the way up! You’ll find the description of the first part of the hike in my post about Cabane Rambert ( link ) – already a beautiful hike by itself. In this post, I’ll describe only the last section. However, keep in mind that this description starts after already 700 m of elevation gain and 2 hours of hiking from Jorasses. I will not describe the first secton again...

🗺️ Overview Start point: Grimentz, télécabine to Espace Weisshorn (2700 m) Highest point: Garde de Bordon (~3310 m) Elevation gain: ~840 m (from Espace Weisshorn A/R including Corne de Sorebois) Distance:   ~9.4km (from Espace Weisshorn A/R  including Corne de Sorebois ) Hiking time: ~2 h 15 up, ~1 h 30 down (excluding detours) Difficulty: Moderate/Challenging Highlights: Ladder climb up a rock pillar, panoramic views of several 4000 m peaks, Lac de Moiry and glacier, optional Corne de Sorebois detour Return options: Same way back via Espace Weisshorn or long descent to Lac de Moiry with bus back to Grimentz Download GPS file It was a sunny August day when I set out for Garde de Bordon . The hike starts in Grimentz , and when I arrived I spotted the télécabine coming down. I sprinted to catch the next one as it runs every 15 minutes. The ride itself is spectacular: over 1000 m of elevation in 10 minutes, with a particularly vertiginous first sectio...

🗺️   Overview Highest point: Gran Paradiso, 4,061m — the only 4000er fully in Italy Elevation gain: 2250m over 2 days, 1350m the second Duration: 2h30 first day, 10-12h the second Day 1: Hike to Rifugio Federico Chabod (2h35, 950m elevation gain) Day 2: Ascent to summit and return to the valley (~11 hours total) Difficulty: Long but non-technical (glacier + short via ferrata) Gear: Crampons, harness, helmet, ice axe — rentable at the hut Best advice: Start early to avoid slushy snow and traffic on the summit! Download GPS file Gran Paradiso (4,061m) holds a special place in the Alps: it's the only 4000-meter peak located entirely within Italy. After climbing to Capanna Margherita last year (4,556m, the highest building in Europe), Gran Paradiso was the natural next step. It's known as one of the easier 4000ers technically—but don’t be fooled, it’s long and demanding due to the lack of lifts. Day 1 – The Climb to Rifugio Federico Chabod We arrived on a Sun...