Story and images of the climb to Capanna Regina Margherita, the highest shelter in Europe
Story and images of the climb to
Capanna Regina Margherita (4556 masl), the highest shelter in Europe, on Punta
Gniffetti of the Massiccio of Monte Rosa 19-21 August 1998 (official version)
- 
Versione
italiana
In August 1998, Pigno, Zacco and I engaged in a trek in the Parco Nazionale
del Gran Paradiso.
It was our intent to leave Thumel (1868 masl), in high Val di Rhemes, and,
crossing Colle Nivoletta (3130 masl), Colle della Terra (2911 masl), Colle
della Porta (3002 masl), Bocchetta del Ges (2692 masl), Colle dei Becchi (2990
masl), the Telessio (or Teleccio) glacier, Colle di Telessio (3304 masl) and
Valeille glacier, arrive after approximately ten days, at Lillaz
(1617 masl), where the base of the Vallone di Valeille merges with the high
Valle di Cogne.
Certainly a fascinating trek, among high altitude lakes, “mountain
pastures” and the snow of glaciers...
However, after a few hours walk we were exhausted, we could not take anymore!
The reason being that, like good megalomaniacs, we had 20kg each in our backpacks
between food and equipment!
So, taking it easy, after a night at the foot of the Lavassey glacier, one by Lago Rosset (2703 masl) and another one by Lago Nero (2746 masl), where we were earned a hefty fine for not dismantling the tent by 10:30 (!), we gloomily backtracked to Val Savrenche.
What to do at this point?!?
After roving a bit in Valle D’Aosta, I proposed: "Capanna Margherita!"
The comments are same as in the "unofficial
version" (Italian language).
In the end we go just the same!
Here is the chronology of the events according to our labile memory...
We were staying at the Gressoney la Trinité camping.
After two rather drizzly days spent shopping and organizing things for the
climb:
Wednesday 19
- 08.30 We wake up. Incredibly it’s sunny, it’s a go!
- 09.30 We get in the car and we close with the cableway near Staffal.
- 10.00 Zacco loses his Bancomat (ATM) card!
- 10.10 Zacco with indescribable desperation realizes he has lost his Bancomat.
- 10.20 Zacco finds his Bancomat card on the ledge of the Bancomat (…only
in Valle D’Aosta this can happen!).
- 10.40 We arrive at the cableway, the wrong one!
- 10.50 We arrive at the cableway, the right one!
- 11.15 We arrive at the second segment of the cableway, Passo dei Salati
(2930 masl).
- 11.20 We depart! In the backpacks we have the minimum necessary for the
climb: above 4000 meters every extra kilo is very cumbersome.
After about 20 minutes the weather begins to change and threatening clouds loom nearer.
- 12.30 At Punta Indren (3200 masl) we reach the station above the cableway
from Alagna on other versant.
- 12.50 We start walking toward the Gnifetti shelter.
- 13.00 We begin the crossing of the Indren glacier. We prepare our equipment,
Zacco wears his helmet for ways with fixed ropes!
- 14.15 Once reached the opposite side, we begin a small climb on partially
roped rock.
- 15.10 We are on the crest (3590 masl) that divides the glacier of Indren
from the glacier of Garstelet. We see the shelter in front of us. Pictures
and lunch.
- 15.45 We cross the Garstelet glacier.
- 16.30 We are at the Gniffetti shelter (3647 masl).
Thursday 20
- 07.30 We open our precious little eyes...
- 08.00 We get up.
- 08.30 We are almost ready.
From a window I observe the route we will take: fortunately it does not cross this enormous “seracs”, but it’s immediately above. And time goes by...
- 08.58 ...we eat breakfast just in time...
- 09.00 ...the kitchen closes.
- 09.20 We are out of the shelter.
- 09.30 We prepare the equipment. Zacco, as usual, wears his handkerchief
and the usual helmet over it...
- 09.50 Finally the caravan is back on track climbing the Garstelet and Lys
glacier.
Every now and then we stop to admire the panorama and rest!
As time goes by the sun gets hotter: we renew on lips and faces the 100% sun blocking cream: perhaps I exaggerate a bit!
- 13.25 We reach the Colle del Lys (4248 masl) on the border between Switzerland
and Italy. The altitude and the fatigue take their toll. Capanna Margherita,
on the tip of Punta Gniffetti, is enveloped in clouds. Occasionally we catch
a glimpse of it. Lunch, senseless talk.
- 14.00 We leave with another roped group, in Swiss territory, crossing and
climbing the snowfield that feeds the Grenz glacier (Grenzgletscher). 300
meters separate us from Capanna Margherita, but the scarcity of air makes
these two hours a torture. During the last thrust, the steepest, of roughly
150 meters, we are forced to stop every 15-20 meters. At this altitude, the
43% less oxygen available bears terribly on us especially in this maximum
effort situation.
These are the last pictures taken before arriving at the top. Due to fatigue, my only thought is to reach the peak. The second picture shows the last part of the way followed. The weather is decidedly variable.
- 16.10 We arrive at Capanna Margherita (4556 masl) completely exhausted
by the effort. Zacco, with incredible meticulousness has the will to put into
proper order ropes, crampons and slings... even ours! Pigno and I look at
him with pity and admiration!
- 19.00 We have dinner.
- 20.30 We play briscola (an almost simple card game, but the fatigue makes
it rather “articulate”).
- 21.30 A group of daring English arrives. They look like aliens to us!
- 22.00 Zzzzzzz...
Friday 21
- 05.30 Pigno and Zacco wake up to see the Sunrise, I open an eye, I don’t
even think about it and I close it again...
- 05:50 Pigno and Zacco realize that Sunrise isn’t Sunrise Adams, a
Texan porn star... they tell me, I nod.
- 06.30 End of show.
- 08.00 I finally open my eyes (admittedly, I have taken it easy!).
- 08.30 We have breakfast.
- 09.00 We exit the shelter. We are on the pinnacle (almost…) of Europe!!
We can admire Punta Parrot (4436 masl), Eastern (4527 masl) and Western (4481 masl) Lyskamm, Punta Zumsteim (4563masl) and the mythical Punta Dufour (4634 masl).
We prepare for the descent. It’s incredibly cold and the strong wind accentuates it. My thermometer indicates -7°C but it feels like -20°C, despite the flannel shirt, the wool sweater, the ceramic fibre pile and the anorak...
- 10.00 We begin the descent. Zacco wears the headpiece de rigueur!
At these altitudes the time difference between climb and descent is great. We are five times faster, we have all the time to “reconnoitre” a few crevasses, always secured with ropes to our companions.
In less than an hour we reach Colle del Lys, from where we can finally admire Punta Gniffetti and Capanna Margherita, that during the ascent were concealed among the clouds.
- 12.00 With a small variant with respect to theascent we reach the Città di
Mantova shelter (3500masl). We have lunch.
- 14.30 We leave for the station above the cableway. The descent from the
crest, this time on unroped rock, made slippery by light rain, is a bit dangerous.
- 16.00 We are at the cableway.
- 16.35 We are at the car.
- 17.50 Ritual picture, at the end of every trek, of the sunset from the highway:
unfortunately, by pure coincidence, the sun sets on top of the Barilla production
plant! To render the exact color of the sun the photo was taken measuring
the light in spot mode, then it has been scanned at 3400 dpi and cut.
- 20.40 Pizza in an place known only to Pigno. He claims it’s a bargain.
We’ll tell him it was good...
- 22.00 Bologna, finally! Tired, but proud...!
For the "unofficial” version clic here (Italian language).
