The Iron Cutter

Tagliaferro is the highest summit of the watershed between Val Grande and Val Sermenza, the two main branches of Valsesia. Its name, "Iron Cutter" in english, is due to the shape of its summit, a sharp edged ridge long more than 60 meters.
This mountain rises over the villages of Rima and Alagna like a dark isolated pyramid. Four symmetrical ridges descends from the summit delimiting four big walls.
The East ridge and the West one fall till the bottom of the valleys below, with a difference in altitude of more than 1600 meters, giving the impression that the peak wants to put his nails over the lovely villages at its feet.
The South ridge, used by the normal route, climbs to the top from Moanda pass, at 2400 meters, forming the massive southern shoulder called Dosso Grinner and the saddle called Passo del Gatto("pass of the cat"), at 2700 meters.
The N-NW ridge, often called simply North ridge, is an huge pillar with an height of 700 meters that is considered as one of the most classical rock climbing routes of Valsesia.
This ridge is moreover the watershed between the NW face and the N wall, the most important and severe face of the mountain, with a prominence of 850 meters and a width of more than 1000.
The other walls and ridges are very high as well, but the overgrown vegetation makes dangerous to climb there, the typical dark green color of Tagliaferro's flanks is in fact due to the lichens that cover the rocks and that become very slippery when wet.
This mountain is the first high peak in front of Monte Rosa facing the rain storms that born from the ascending dampness of the planes and lakes at south, sudden weather changes are thus frequent and numerous accidents, some of them lethal, have afflicted the story of this mountain.
When the sky is clean the summit of Tagliaferro offers one of of the most spectacular view of this part of the Alps, embracing the big lakes of Piedmont, the huge SE face of Monte Rosa and most of the Pennine and Lepontine alps ranges till the summit of Bernina.

Tagliaferro from the top of Corno Mud, N-NW

Faces.

From left: S face, W ridge, NW face, N-NW ridge, N wall.

Getting There

The trailheads for ascending to Tagliaferro are Rima in Valsermenza and Alagna in Valgrande.
To get there the quickest route is to follow the A26 highway, taking it from Milano or from Torino, exit at Romagnano Sesia and then follow the statal road of Valsesia till Balmuccia, here you have to continue on the main road to reach Alagna or take the provincial road of Valsermenza to reach instead Rima.

Road Map of high Valsesia

Red Tape

The rocks covered by lichens that become slippery when wet and the sudden weather changes have been the cause of many accidents on this mountain, avoid the normal route from Alagna or the ones that demand rock climbing when the weather is unstable.

Accomodation

A camping is located in Alagna and there are possibilities for all the budgets in the valley.

See also the link section.

Huts

Rifugio Ferioli (2200m): it's near Mud pass, under the N-NW ridge of Tagliaferro, it's used to climb the N-NW ridge and the north face both starting from Alagna and from Rima.

Alpe Sattal (2100m): this is not a real hut but it offers a bad and breakfast service and can be used to break in two days the hike along the normal route from Alagna.
It's located under the West ridge of Mount Carnera.

The trailhead to reach these huts from Alagna is Pedemonte(1200m), a locality just a few kilometers at north of the main village.
To reach Ferioli hut from Rima(1400m) you have to follow the trail to Mud pass, cross the pass and then get to the hut by a short walk on Alagna's side.

Routes

Along the normal route from Alpe Sattal

South Ridge (Normal Route), for expert hikers.
This route climbs the S ridge from Passo del Gatto ('Pass of the cat' in english) at 2700 meters, the large saddle at North of the S shoulder of the mountain, called Dosso Grinner.
Reaching this pass is the difficult part of the route, Especially from the side of Alagna, where there are some exposed passages on a slippery terrain.
To reach 'Passo del Gatto' there are two possibilities:

- From Moanda Pass, This is the normal route from Alagna and it can be very dangerous if the rocks and meadows of Dosso Grinner are wet.
The trail to Moanda pass is easy and pleasant and starts from Pedemonte, a lovely Walser village a few kilometers at North of Alagna.
From the village(1210m) the trail gets to Alpe Campo(1932m)and,
after the small lake of the Alpe, crosses the green meadows in the cirque under Tagliaferro and Carnera walls reaching at last the pass at 2400m.
After Moanda pass there are a couple of risky and exposed passages on the south face of Dosso Grinner. This part of the trail do not demand rock climbing skill but a secure step and some cold blood. If you suffer for dizziness you should choose the route from Rima.
Once to Passo del Gatto, the route follows the south flank of the ridge till the summit without difficulties.

If you want to split this long route in two days you can sleep at Alpe Sattal. Once that you have reached Alpe Campo follow the trail on the right of the one to Moanda getting to Alpe Sattal balcony in 30 minutes.
The second day, when you start from Sattal you can descend to Alpe Campo to get back on the direct trail from Pedemonte or you can follow the trail to Moanda pass that crosses under the North face of Carnera without losing altitude.

- From Vallarolo pass, this is the normal route from Rima and is the most secure way to climb Tagliaferro.
From the village(1400m) follow the trail to Mud pass and Ferioli hut, after an hour or less a sign near Rio ValMontasca guides you to cross the river toward south. From here the trail turns around the east ridge of the Mountain and passing by the buildings of Alpe Scarpia reaches the pass called Vallarolo at 2300 meters, Between Tagliaferro and Moncucco.
From Vallarolo the route scrambles over the East face of Dosso Grinner and reaches again Passo del Gatto. This part of the trail is very steep but more easy and less exposed than the route from Alagna.
The final part of the ridge, From the 2700 meters of the pass till the summit, is secure and without difficulties.

N-NW Ridge, D+ III, IV and a passage of V- (UIAA scale).
This ridge is usually called simply North ridge, it starts at the Mud pass and it's high more than 700 meters.
It’s dangerous when wet, but the rocks are firm and with good weather it offers a pleasant climbing with great views.

North Face, direct route, D+, principally IV and V.
The huge North face of Tagliaferro is an impressive cliff with a prominance of more than 800 meters and a width of more than 1000.
This route has an elevation gain of 850 meters, but is not frequently repeated, the rock is not always firm and is very slippery when wet.

Links.

Alagna home page
Home page of Alagna, informations about the huts, the trails and the accomodations

www.cappef.com/le%20valli/varie(IT)/tagliaferro.htm
Trip report of an ascent to Tagliaferro by the normal route from Rima, with pics and maps, very nice and useful.

Alpe Sattal
Home page of this lovely place with useful informations and a lot of wonderful pics.

Ferioli hut
Informations about Ferioli hut.

Images



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