▲Rosa dei Banchi

The "Rosa dei Banchi" (3164m) is the more representative top of the Valley of Champorcher and the second peak of the small Group of the Mont Glacier (3186m). Good panorama on the Pianura Padana on the Gran Paradiso Group.

La Rosa dei Banchi (3164 m) è la cima più rappresentativa della Valle di Champorcher e la seconda vetta del piccolo Gruppo del Mont Glacier (3186 m). Buon panorama sulla Pianura Padana e sul Massiccio del Gran Paradiso.

First Ascent

• First on the summit: Unknown or Cap. Albert della S.M.S., (1831).
  
• In winter: Scipione Cainer, Adolfo Gervasone and Carlo Ratti, (Feb 14th, 1888).
  
• NW Wall: Alessandro Jaccod, (Dec 28th, 1971).
  
• NE Arête (from Cime Beccher): Unknown.
  
• S-SE Arête (from Borra Pass): Unknown.

Getting There

BY CAR:

• From Torino, Milano, etc: Motorway A5. Exit Pont Saint Martin for then to continue on SS26 toward Hone Bard.
  
• From Switzerland: through the Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel or the namesake pass. Drive to Aosta, Verrès and Hone Bard.
  
• From France: through Mont Blanc Tunnel or Petit Saint Bernard Pass. It isn't necessary to take Motorway A5: you can drive on SS.26, in the direction of Aosta and Verrès and Hone Bard.

BY PLANE:

• Aeroporto Internazionale "Corrado Gex" Saint Christophe (Aosta).

Route

If you take the motorway, exit in Pont San Martin and follow the direction Aosta along the normal route; take care after Donnas: right side, immediately after the village, you can see approx. 100 meters of the roman consular road and a nice arc. A few hundreds meters after the fort there is a bridge left side, over the Dora river, with the indication Champorcher; follow it. Drive a few km, till the village of Chateau, and look right side for the indication Petit Mont Blanc. Follow this road, not too large, for a lot of km. Part is asphalted, the most part no. Usually the conditions of this second part are good, ask in the area. Follow this road till Dondena; at the end a sign forbids the traffic after the parking; there are 3/4 parking area, but the road is steep and demaged; take care and park in the upper one. When you start walking, you will find a table with the indications, and the map of the area. Come down left till the river, pass over the bridge and along the road arrive to the refuge of Dondena (15 min.-2097m).

Itinerary

From Dondena (2110m) to come down the small bridge on the Torrent Ayasse for the old real road to reach the Lake Miserin (2582m 1h'30). From the Lake it travel in south direction, for small gravelly valley, the path for the "Colle della Rosa" (2957m); to direct itself under it "Punta dell'Asgelas" and with a diagonal one to southeast to surpass the small Glacier "dei Banchi" (a sheet under the hill asks for caution!). From the pass it travel the crest west (normal route) surpassing stand out for a ledge on the Campiglia (Piedmont) with a passage of II°; it is reached the peak (4h'00).

Descent: on the same route.

Da Dondena (2110 m) scendere al piccolo ponte sul Torrente Ayasse per la vecchia strada reale raggiungere il Lago Miserin (2582 m 1h'30). Dal Lago percorrere in direzione sud, per piccoli valloni detritici, il sentiero per il Colle della Rosa (2957 m); dirigersi sotto la "Punta dell'Asgelas" e con un diagonale a sud-est superare il piccolo Ghiacciaio dei Banchi (un lastrone sotto il colle richiede attenzione!). Dal colle percorrere la cresta ovest (via normale) superando un risalto per una cengia sul versante Campiglia (Piemonte) con un passaggio di II°, esposto; si raggiunge la vetta (4h'00).

Discesa: lungo la stessa via di salita.

Difficulty

This route can be considered PD-.

L'itinerario è classificato PD-.

Equipment

Standard mountaineering equipment.

Da alpinismo.

Huts

Internet: Rifugio DONDENA
Email: info@rifugidellarosa.it

Camping

Remember that free camping is forbidden (except for emergency reasons, over 2500m, from darkness until dawn).

Mountain Conditions

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

Webcam

• WEBCAM on Aosta Valley:
  Webcam

Books and Maps

BOOKS:

• "Guida delle Alpi Occidentali" di Giovanni Bobba e Luigi Vaccarone C.A.I. Sezione di Torino Volume II (parte II), 25 Maggio 1896.
• "Guida dei Monti d'Italia–Emilius Rosa dei Banchi Parco del Mont Avic" di Giulio Berutto e Lino Fornelli-Club Alpino Italiano/Touring Club Italiano, Marzo 2005 (in Italian).
• "I Rifugi della Valle d'Aosta" di Stefano Ardito, Ed. Guide iter, Febbraio 2003.
• "Guida della Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta" di Mario Aldrovandi; Ed. S.P.E. di Carlo Fanton, Torino 1964.
• "Diari Alpinistici" di Osvaldo Cardellina e Indice Generale accompagnato da Schedario Relazioni Ascensioni 1964-2013 (inediti).