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| Cresta del Soldato   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Valsesia/Gressoney, Italy, Europe Lat/Lon: 45.90700°N / 7.86310°E Route Type: Mountaineering Time Required: Most of a day Difficulty: PD+
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| Page By: andrea.it Created/Edited: May 11, 2004 / May 26, 2008 Object ID: 160948 Hits: 2425 Loading... Page Score: 86.77% - 3 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview
Not everybody knows Punta Giordani is the 14th summit of Monterosa group over 4000 meters.
That is just because it is shoulder of the bigger Pyramide Vincent, and it doesn't look a mountain apart.
But it is a summit by itself. So the route here explained is a very nice occasion that permits to climb two summits in the same day.
The Cresta del Soldato in reality is the whole crest connecting Punta Vittoria (m 3435) to Punta Giordani.
The name, very unique, was assigned by William Martin Conway, that reached in 1884 together with an Italian soldier, border guard in cholera.
Infact "Cresta del Soldato" means "Ridge of the Soldier".
The itinerary here proposed take only part of the ridge, which is the crest south-east of Punta Giordani.
ApproachThe route can be done in the same day, or in 2 days heaving a rest in the refuge Mantova (also good for aclimatisation).
The ascent can be tested starting from Rifugio "Città di Mantova", which is 3470 meters on a rocky prominence between Lys Glacier and Indren glacier.
In this case it leads to the base with a crossing between the glaciers of Indren and Bors, from a harness to the arrival of the highest ski lift.
I could not verify on the ground this path, so reference to information that can provide the guardian of ref. Città di Mantova (telephone: 0163.78150).
To reach the refuge: from Alagna Valsesia, can be reached by cable car (telephone: 0163.922922) station top of Punta Indren (the first race of a round part to 8.45, the last return to 16.15 - but times may vary and therefore it is better to call).
From here you traverse slightly uphill (north-west) of the glacier Indren; by its board continues to climb (west) on broken rocks and snow for a few hundred metres, then turns decidedly to the north and climb to the refuge ( 1 hour).
200 meters over the hut, refuge "Gnifetti" is also a good basecamp for the Monterosa group routes, but in this case only suitable for the return.
Infact it's placed too high, and it doesn't permit to approach the ridge from the base.Route DescriptionAs we said, the route start on the back of the cablecar station, the refuge will reach more directly share the harness around 3700 m, from where the crest south-east of Punta Giordani.
From the cablecar station of Punta Indren (m 3260), proceed in a northerly direction and reach the foot of the glacier Bors, it crosses all uphill (attention to crevasses), pointing to a snow saddle (share about 3700) at the begin of the most steep stretch of the Cresta del Soldato (which coincides to the crest south-east of Punta Giordani).
The ascent of the ridge does not present particular difficulties, the path is logical and obvious.
After the first jump, following the sharp edge (advisable), the rock in the whole is quite beautiful.
In the last part there is a considerable bite of solid rock. It exceeds by a shot 25/30 metres, the difficulty is III°, with a short central more difficult (IV-), but well protected by two nails shorter.
Just above you reach the top of Punta Giordani (4046 m - 3.30 hours from Punta Indren).
From there, follows the snow ridge (easy), slightly downhill, leads behind the ridge east-southeast of the Pyramid Vincent.
The first part is exceeded on the right, avoiding an edge (easy but exposed) and then climbing the north-east to the top.
Take an exposed snow crest (the beautiful landscape of the underlying glacier Piode) that leads to the base of rocky final stretch.
It follows with beautiful climbing easy and air (II / II +, solid rock) until the snow cap of the summit (4215 m - 1.30 hours from Punta Gordaniai).
The descent is made along the normal way. Going to the north-west reaches the normal track of the "street" that rises to Punta Gnifetti of Monte Rosa.
Along this, turning south, you arrive at refuge Gnifetti and here comes the cable car Punta Indren (hour 2 / 2, 30). The ease of this path often leads to underestimate the fact that you move on a large glacier is not devoid of crevasses (some even large).
The presence of the runway must not exempt from the act adequately to the situation. Images
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Piramide Vincent
