Piz Sesvenna is the highest mountain of the likewise called mountain group in the Rhaetian Alps. It is located on the border between Switzerland (Unterengadin) and Italy (Südtirol / Alto Adige). As the highest summit far around it commands great views across the neighbouring mountain groups, mainly the Ötztal Alps and the Ortler / Cevedale Group but also the Silvretta and Samnaun Groups. On its top you can find a wonderful big summit cross.

Sesvenna is a popular mountain in summer as well as in winter when the two normal ascent routes from Schlinig / Slingia on the Italian side and S-Charl on the Swiss side can be done as moderately difficult ski tours. To the north of the summit you find Vadret da Sesvenna, the last glacier in the area, which has suffered heavily from global warming. Like many other glaciers in the Rhaetian Alps it has shrunk a lot during the incredibly hot summer of 2003.

The word Vadret is Rhaeto-Romanic and translates glacier (compare the Italian word Vedretta).

- Link to my Piz Sesvenna page on hikr.org: Piz Sesvenna 3204m

Written and climbed by Cyrill aka Digitalis
If you have any question, do not hesitate to contact me: cyrill74@gmx.ch

Summit Panorama

GriankopfFernerpitzeRasaßspitzeWeißseespitzeWeißkugelMuntpitschenForatridaHasenöhrlLaaser SpitzeVertainspitzeOrtlerPiz TerraPiz StarlexPiz ChristannesPiz RimsS-ChalambergSchadlerSesvennascharte

360° summit panorama from Piz Sesvenna. Pictures linked from http://www.seilschaft.it/. Posted with permission.

Route Difficulties

Climbing the Sesvenna Summit

Ski-Difficulty: ZS-
Mountaineering-Difficulty: L-WS (F-PD)
Hiking-Difficulty: T5

Getting There

Piz Sesvenna

There are two reasonable trailheads for Piz Sesvenna, one on the Italian side near Sesvenna Hut, which you reach from Mals im Vinschgau / Malles in Val Venosta via a Road through Burgeis / Burgusio to Schlinig / Slingia. The Swiss trailhead is at the village of S-Charl to the west of the mountain. It can be reached from Scuol via a narrow mountain road.

The nearest international airports are Innsbruck in Austria, Milano and Verona in Italy and Zürich in Switzerland, though only Innsbruck is real close by. Consequently the itineraries from the other airports are far more lengthy and complicated.

From Innsbruck
Simply take motorway A12/E60 west towards Landeck. There take B184 towards Reschenpass. At Nauders you can turn onto B27 into Unterengadin / Switzerland for the S-Charl trailhead. At Scuol turn south to S-Charl.
Alternatively take B180 / SS40 which will take you to the Schlinig / Slingia trailhead. At Mals / Malles turn off onto SP2 for Burgeis / Burgusio and Schlinig / Slingia.
From Zürich
Take motorway A3 east to Vaduz. At exit Bad Ragaz take B28 to Davos and across Füelapass to Susch. Here turn on B27 north until you reach Scuol.
From Milano
Take the ring motorway north and leave for SS36 north. It will take you by Monza and Lago di Como until you reach Chiavenna. There turn Onto SS37 east in direction of St. Moritz. The road turns into B27 on the Swiss side of the border and takes you on to Susch and further onwards to Scuol.
From Verona
Take Motorway A22 (Brenner Motorway northward until you reach Bozen / Bolzano. There turn onto SS38, Vinschgauer Staatsstrasse, which takes you to Schluderns / Sluderno. Take SS40 to Mals / Malles and on to Schlinig / Slingia on SP2

Red Tape

The Swiss part of the group is a National Park. The usual rules apply - leave plants and animals, take your refuse, keep dogs on leash etc. Also, you are in the border region between three European countries and though Italy and Austria belong to the EU, Switzerland doesn’t. Keep your Pass or ID handy.

Weather Conditions

Accommodation

Sesvenna Hut

Austria

Nauders

Italy

Switzerland

Unterengadin

- The closest mountain hut is Sesvenna Hut on the Italian side of the border.

- A advantageous accommodation on the Swiss side is in S-Charl 1810m, the guesthouse Mayor. S-Charl is close to the village Scoul.

Maps & Books

Maps

Digital Maps
- www.swissgeo.ch
- Vinschgau / Val Venosta
  Kompass GPS Map GPS 4052
  ISBN: 3-85491-659-0
Regular Maps
- Vinschgau / Val Venosta
  Kompass Map WK 52
  1:50.000
  ISBN: 3-85491-058-4
- Unterengadin-Nationalpark
  Kompass Map WK 98
  1:50.000
  ISBN: 3-85491-331-1
- Obervinschgau / Alta Val Venosta
  Kompass Map WK 041
  1:25.000
  ISBN: 3-85491-580-2
- Schweizer Landeskarten, available at German Alpine Club
  - SLK 259 S Ofenpass, 1:50000, Art.Nr.: 147259
  - SLK 1219 S-charl, 1:25000, Art.Nr.: 141219

Books

Alpine Skitouren, Bd.2, Graubünden
Vital Eggenberger, Georg Calonder
Rother Verlag
ISBN: 3-8590-2171-0
Bündner Alpen, Bd.9, Engiadina Bassa, Val Müstair
Jachen Egler, Martin Pernet
Rother Verlag
ISBN: 3-8590-2058-7
Unterengadin
Rudolf Weiss / Siegrun Weiss
Rother Verlag
ISBN: 3-7633-4043-2
Vinschgau
Henriette Klier
Rother Verlag
ISBN: 3-7633-4205-2

Images