Grand three day backcountry ski tour in the heart of the Gran Paradiso National Park that leads to two wonderful and majestic mountains: Mount Gran Paradiso, the only "4000" completely standing on Italian soil, and Mount Cima Tresenta, with its 3609 meters.
A particularly fascinating ski mountaineering experience providing spectacular landscapes, greatly satisfying ascents within a majestic and magnetic environment and priceless freeride ski rides.
Day one of Gran Paradiso backcountry ski tour
Start: Pont Valsavaranche (1956 meters)
Arrival: Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele (2735 meters)
Elevation gap: 779 meters
The excursion starts from the little village of Pont Valsavaranche, from the parking lot of a hotel. Going up heading south the path skirts creek Torrente Savara all the way to Rifugio Tetras Lyre. Through the summer trail, then, the hikers will cross a very beautiful larch wood. Once they reach the ruins of Chanté they will leave the trail and they will keep going on a steep slope until they will reach a wide couloir that leads directly to Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele, at an elevation of 2735 meters.
Day two of Gran Paradiso backcountry ski tour
Option 1: Via Normale through Gran Paradiso Glacier
Elevation gap: 1326 meters (climb and descent)
From Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele the path resumes heading northeast towards an evident moraine that skirts the last part of glacier Ghiacciaio del Gran Paradiso. As it keeps going east, then, the path reaches the glacier through an evocative couloir. Through very beautiful slopes the hikers will reach the Schiena d'Asino ("Donkey’s Back"), a hump that divides Laveciau Glacier and Gran Paradiso Glacier, and they will keep going all the way to the plain on which Mount Becca di Moncorvé rises. Heading north, on a slope steep in the beginning and then milder, the path goes up to the ridge where the hikers will take off their skis. Through the ridge -with rope and crampons- the hikers will reach the summit with its statue of Virgin Mary. The descent -taking place through the climb route- develops on marvelous slopes and it provides an unforgettable ski ride.
Option 2: Via Normale through Lavaciau Glacier
Elevation gap: 1326 meters (climb and descent)
From Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele the path goes up heading northeast and it crosses the evident moraine that skirts the south side of Gran Paradiso Glacier. As they keep going, the hikers will reach a particularly steep stretch before -again on mild declivities- going up a wide ridge that divides Laveciau Glacier and Gran Paradiso Glacier. From an elevation of about 3400 meters the path goes down to Laveciau Glacier before going back up to the buttress of Mount Becca di Moncorvé. Through the trace of Gran Paradiso Glacier the path reaches the summit. The very beautiful and thrilling descent ski ride develops on Gran Paradiso Glacier.
Day three of Gran Paradiso backcountry ski tour
Mount Monte Tresenta: 3608 meters
Elevation gap: 878 meters (climb and descent)
From Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele the path goes up to glacier Ghiacciaio di Moncorvè and it keeps climbing towards Mount Colle del Gran Paradiso before reaching the center of the nort-west side of Mount Monte Tresenta. As they keep climbing on steeper and steeper slopes the hikers will reach the wide west ridge from where -skis on, with good snow-they will keep going all the way to the summit. The descent takes place through the climb route and it develops on spectacular, constant and thrilling slopes.
From Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele the descent offers three options: through the climb route, through the itinerary of Grand Etrèt, or heading south to cross creek Chanté before going down on wide slopes. After crossing the creek again, the path connects to the climb route.
The three day backcountry ski tour of Gran Paradiso from Pont Valsavaranche with ascent to Mount Cima La Tresenta and overnight at Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele is rated as BS (good skier). It starts from an elevation of 1956 meters and it reaches an elevation of 4061 meters covering a total 2983 meter elevation gap.
€ 990 - Price up to 2 persons
€ 1080 - Price up to 3 persons
€ 1200 - Price up to 4 persons
To reserve a mountain guide for the Gran Paradiso backcountry skiing, you must send a request that provides and specifies your contact information, the number of participants and the date/period in which you wish to take the Gran Paradiso 3-day trip with Mount La Tresenta from Pont Valsavaranche.
We will respond immediately to confirm the availability of the guide, the deadline, if any, to confirm the option for the reservation, methods of payment, characteristics and organization of the activity.
Once the reservation is confirmed, we will send you the receipt and the presentation voucher with the details of the service, the name of the mountain guide or the mountaineering school, and all the contact information.