Testa Grigia

First Ascents

• First on the summit from Pinter Pass: by mountaineers L. Delapierre, A. Laurent, B. Rignon, J. and J.C. Pinney, Aug 7th, 1858
• In winter: Antonio Laurent, Jan 10th, 1864

Getting There

• From Torino or Milan: Motorway A5, exit in Pont Saint Martin. Follow Val di Gressoney direction or alternatively exit Verrès and follow the Val d'Ayas direction.
• From Switzerland (Tunnel or Grand Saint Bernard Pass): in Aosta Est, get into Motorway A5. Follow Torino direction, exit from A5 in Pont Saint Martin, follow Val di Gressoney direction or alternatively exit Verrès and follow the Val d'Ayas direction.
• From France (Tunnel Mont Blanc or Petit Saint Bernard Pass): get into Motorway A5, follow Torino direction, exit from A5 in Pont Saint Martin, tell a couple of bad words to the man in the box for the huge motorway fee, and follow for Val di Gressoney direction or alternatively exit Verrès and follow the Val d'Ayas direction.
• Route 1, "La diretta". Park the car in Gressoney la Trinitè, and look for a shop called "Alimentari Welf". Very close to this shop there is the headtrail.
• Route 2, "Ondre Castel, Pinter", Gressoney Saint Jean. At Km 31 of Val di Gressoney Road, there is a little park, close to a garbage collector. 50 meters under this little parking there is headtrail ("Colle Pinter" indication on yellow panel). It is possible to begin this route from Chamonal village (km 28,8 of Val di Gressoney road). It's a little big longer, but a visit to the typical village of Alpenzu Grande (1.779m) will satisfy your curiosity for old Walser architecture. People interested in Champoluc destination, follow the same instruction as before changing Pont Saint Martin with Verres (exit from A5), and follow Val d'Ayas direction.

Testa Grigia Normal route from Champoluc (Val d'Ayas)

Testa Grigia Normal route from Champoluc

Summit altitude: 3.314m
Difficulty: EEA 
Difference in level: 907m from Ostafa, 1.745m from Champoluc

A good and panoramic route to summit one of the classic 3.000m peak of Valle d'Aosta 

From Champoluc you can reach the Ostafa cable car station with the path n° 13 or using the cable car. Go down briefly to take the path n° 12. Follow the path winding along the slope with moderate ascent and finally reach the Alta Via n 1 just before the detour to the right to the Pinter lakes. Ignore the detour to the lakes  (that can be reached in a few minutes) and climb up the easy gully leading to Colle Pinter (2.777m). 

From the col turn to left taking the path n° 12 along the steep ridge that descends from Monte Pinter. With a series of hairpins quickly gain altitude. The path slowly head to West, overlooking the Val Ayas and entering the severe world of the high mountains. Proceed on crumbly ground and go up a short gully, just below Monte Pinter, to exit on the semi-flat ridge of the Testa Grigia. The slanting path head to the North-East to reach the wide ridge and the detour to the Ulrich Lateltin bivouac (3.115m). Now proceed towards the summit, climb up a first buttress and then go up again in the direction of a second one to be circumvented on the side of Gressoney. After passing a slight collar on rocky slabs, proceed around a particular rocky conformation eroded by the wind to the west and finally reach the most difficult passage of the ascent: a rocky step that can be overcome with the aid of a chain. Follow now a ledge on the Gressoney side until you meet some metal ropes that facilitate the ascent of a short stretch of rocks, after which you finally reach the summit of Testa Grigia. On the top there is a Madonna and a bell.

Descent: reversing the same itinerary. Do not miss the Pinter Lakes which can be reached with a very short digression!

Testa Grigia from Chemonal (Valle Gressoney)

Testa Grigia from Chemonal 

Summit altitude: (3.314m)
Difficulty: EEA 
Difference in level: (1.900m) from Chemonal

A long interesting itinerary joining the previous route on Colle Pinter

Drive up the Gressoney valley, pass Gressoney Saint Jean and after about 2 km reach the Chemonal locality. After Chemonal reach the parking lot of the Alpenzù Refuge. From here take the path n° 6 which climbs up with several hairpin bends and exits the wood to reach the Alpenzù Grande village where the Rifugio Alpenzù (1.779m) is located. Pass through the houses and exit to the left reaching Alpe Meher (1.856m), from where with a long traverse to the right you reach the Pinter valley which starts from Alpe Montil Inferiore. After crossing the Alpe Loasche (2.355m) go up the detrital slope that leads to Colle Pinter (2.777m), where the itinerary coming from Val d’Ayas also arrives. Continue as described in the previous itinerary.

Gear

Camping and other accomodation

Huts

Mountain Conditions

• You can get meteo information at the official site of the Regione Valle d'Aosta:
• Valle d'Aosta Meteo

• Meteo: You can find more weather information on the website 3B Meteo:
• Meteo Brusson

Webcam

• WEBCAM on Aosta Valley:
• Webcam

Guidebooks and Maps

• "Guida delle Alpi Occidentali" di Giovanni Bobba e Luigi Vaccarone C.A.I. Sezione di Torino Volume II (parte II), 25 Maggio 1896.
• "Diari Alpinistici" di Osvaldo Cardellina e Indice Generale accompagnato da Schedario Relazioni Ascensioni 1964-2019 (unpublished).
• "Guida dei Monti d'Italia" Monte Rosa di Gino Buscaini - Club Alpino Italiano/Turing Club Italiano, Maggio 2002 (In Italian).