Route Climbed: Traverse SE Ridge - West Ridge Date Climbed: july 2019
Nice climb from the Zumsteinspitze. We were alone. Good snow conditions on the ridge. Technical parts in rock free of snow. Recommended!
Descent via the West Ridge to the Monte Rosa hut and all the way down to Rotenboden station.
Ryland - Jul 18, 2019 5:01 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2018
Cold July day with lots of snow
I climbed with an excellent Swiss guide just after a very cool, wet system passed through. We had a slog of a climb, having to make a new path the entire way, but a very enjoyable clear summit.
Bart1984 - Feb 17, 2019 10:51 am Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2018
Dufourspitze Cresta Rey
Beautiful climb. It was my first 4000 peak.
Ascent over the Rey Ridge and back over the Zumsteinspitze. The ridge between the two mountains was a little scary because the Monta Rosa east wall is around 2500m high.
boriskrielen - Feb 5, 2018 5:19 am Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2009
W-ridge solo
Climbed it solo, up & down via the W-ridge.
ye2bnik - Aug 30, 2017 5:04 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2017
Normal route in very snowy conditions
Start at 4am from Monte Rosa Hut, climbed via Sattel. Total 13 hours. We were first climbers group after over one week of snowing, so had tough conditions especially above 4200m. Full attention and assistance on rocky rigde required due to ice and frozen snow.
Jurgen - Aug 5, 2016 9:01 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2016
Normal Route
Normal route from the beautifull Monte Rosa Hut. Due to an early season ascent we found perfect conditions and little danger of crevasses.
My 16th Cantonshighpoint of Switzerland.
TheNobleSunfish - Jul 13, 2016 11:48 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2016
Perfect Conditions
Dufourspitze by the normal route. Trying to back up the thick ropes which protect the way down to Silbersattel is not particularly effective - rappelling would have been more effective.
fubar7500 - Jul 6, 2016 6:37 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2016
Monterosa h. - Sattel- Dufouspitze - Silbersattel - Monterosa h.
Long long sunny day, acsending to the summit from Monterosa hutte via Sattel, descending back to the hutte via Silbersattel.
Upper parts of west rigde exposed to wind, not very compact ice/rock.
Kevintheclimber - Aug 27, 2015 12:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2015
from mont rosa hut
The normal route was a bit harder thanks to the fresh snow, but what an excellent alpine climb.
Climbed the West Ridge from the Monte Rosa Hut. Conditions on the Monte Rosa Glacier were a bit tenuous and I broke into a crevasse up to my thigh in the middle of the night on the ascent! Descended the couloir to the Silbersattel and climbed Nordend before returning to the hut. Bluebird weather. Incredible day.
atavist - Jul 29, 2013 1:42 am Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2013
Warm up
I spent a day in Zermatt waiting for my luggage to catch up from a missed connection in Moscow. Once received I hiked up to camp at Gornegrat. The next day was light as I just moved camp to 3310m above Monte Rosa hut. The following morning I got started at 5:45, made it up to Silberpatter and Nordend (9:20am) before ascending the descent gully to Dufourspitze. I went down the opposite ridge and back to the hut by 2pm. Then back to town same day by 7pm. Good conditions all day.
I first climbed Dufour via a tented camp on Swiss normal route 22 years ago, when I turned back from continuing with the harder 'Italian' normal route from Signalkuppe. Funnily enough I had turned back on the same route coming the other way 9 years earlier - in both instances due to poor conditions.
But this time did the Italian route successfully with rgg & Alasdair. Quite a sensational route - and first 'AD' route for me for many a year.
rgg - Jul 8, 2013 4:21 am Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2013
A beautiful day
On a beautiful day Alistair, Mark and I climbed from the Italian side, starting at Capanna Margherita. The route was in fine shape. There was some snow on the rocks, but it was all pretty solid. The saddle between the Zumsteinspitze and Dufourspitze, of which I had read some scary stories, was a bit corniced, but not seriously so.
After the climb, we returned ovet the Zumsteinspitze, then descended to the Punta Indren lift station and went down to the valley.
slantycheese - Jun 24, 2013 5:16 am Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2012
My first 4000er! Normal Route
My first ascent of a 4000er - talk about starting at the deep end! An amazing first experience - though there was some fitness lacking, I saw it through to the end with my partner. A 7 hour slog up to the Silber Sattel, with amazing views down into northern Italy, and stunning weather conditions. The small couloir to the Dufour summit adds some flavour to an otherwise monotonous ascent. We also ascended the Nordend to bag the 2nd highest Swiss peak, and then humped down to the Monte Rosa hut.
Leave in plenty of time as the way back to the Roten Boden is a bitch after such a long day, and we just about made the last train home to Bern.
Would liked to have tried from a different hut, as I'm not a huge fan of the big commercial Monte-Rosa hut - more like a hotel, and the food is only standard fare, not nearly as good or as well laid on in other, less well known huts.
More here at - http://www.ansgarschanz.de/dufour.shtml
highpointa - Jun 18, 2013 7:38 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2012
Via west ridge
Fought firece winds on the west ridge but prevailed while many other parties came undone that day.
Valtho - Sep 9, 2012 9:43 am Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2012
Silbersattel
Due to 1 meter fresh snow a few days before we could only reach the summit via the Silbersattel.
selinunte01 - Aug 24, 2012 10:38 am Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2012
Normal route
from the usually fully booked new Monte Rosa Hütte. Good conditions up to Sattel, very hard snow and iced rocks on the summit ridge - perfect sunny day. Agony in my feet when walking back to Rotenboden station.
goodwilson - Nov 12, 2011 2:18 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2011
Normal Route
Climbed the peak after Matterhorn
markhallam - Dec 29, 2010 1:48 am Date Climbed: Sep 30, 1991
Normal route via tented camp
Climbed this route right at the end of the season, last few days of September that year - very cold, but fantastic views especially down into Italy. Carried full camping gear to the top intending to traverse the mountain, but the ridge was plastered in unstable powder snow so we ended up carrying it all back down the way we came.
arosusi - Jul 8, 2020 2:24 am Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2020
Traverse SE Ridge - WPerfect weather.
il.rocciatore - Jul 30, 2019 9:47 am
Route Climbed: Traverse SE Ridge - West Ridge Date Climbed: july 2019Nice climb from the Zumsteinspitze. We were alone. Good snow conditions on the ridge. Technical parts in rock free of snow. Recommended!
Descent via the West Ridge to the Monte Rosa hut and all the way down to Rotenboden station.
Ryland - Jul 18, 2019 5:01 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2018
Cold July day with lots of snowI climbed with an excellent Swiss guide just after a very cool, wet system passed through. We had a slog of a climb, having to make a new path the entire way, but a very enjoyable clear summit.
Bart1984 - Feb 17, 2019 10:51 am Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2018
Dufourspitze Cresta ReyBeautiful climb. It was my first 4000 peak.
Ascent over the Rey Ridge and back over the Zumsteinspitze. The ridge between the two mountains was a little scary because the Monta Rosa east wall is around 2500m high.
boriskrielen - Feb 5, 2018 5:19 am Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2009
W-ridge soloClimbed it solo, up & down via the W-ridge.
ye2bnik - Aug 30, 2017 5:04 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2017
Normal route in very snowy conditionsStart at 4am from Monte Rosa Hut, climbed via Sattel. Total 13 hours. We were first climbers group after over one week of snowing, so had tough conditions especially above 4200m. Full attention and assistance on rocky rigde required due to ice and frozen snow.
Jurgen - Aug 5, 2016 9:01 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2016
Normal RouteNormal route from the beautifull Monte Rosa Hut. Due to an early season ascent we found perfect conditions and little danger of crevasses.
My 16th Cantonshighpoint of Switzerland.
TheNobleSunfish - Jul 13, 2016 11:48 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2016
Perfect ConditionsDufourspitze by the normal route. Trying to back up the thick ropes which protect the way down to Silbersattel is not particularly effective - rappelling would have been more effective.
fubar7500 - Jul 6, 2016 6:37 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2016
Monterosa h. - Sattel- Dufouspitze - Silbersattel - Monterosa h.Long long sunny day, acsending to the summit from Monterosa hutte via Sattel, descending back to the hutte via Silbersattel.
Upper parts of west rigde exposed to wind, not very compact ice/rock.
Kevintheclimber - Aug 27, 2015 12:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2015
from mont rosa hutThe normal route was a bit harder thanks to the fresh snow, but what an excellent alpine climb.
SarahThompson - Sep 7, 2013 5:58 pm Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2013
West RidgeClimbed the West Ridge from the Monte Rosa Hut. Conditions on the Monte Rosa Glacier were a bit tenuous and I broke into a crevasse up to my thigh in the middle of the night on the ascent! Descended the couloir to the Silbersattel and climbed Nordend before returning to the hut. Bluebird weather. Incredible day.
atavist - Jul 29, 2013 1:42 am Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2013
Warm upI spent a day in Zermatt waiting for my luggage to catch up from a missed connection in Moscow. Once received I hiked up to camp at Gornegrat. The next day was light as I just moved camp to 3310m above Monte Rosa hut. The following morning I got started at 5:45, made it up to Silberpatter and Nordend (9:20am) before ascending the descent gully to Dufourspitze. I went down the opposite ridge and back to the hut by 2pm. Then back to town same day by 7pm. Good conditions all day.
markhallam - Jul 14, 2013 2:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2013
Repeat visitI first climbed Dufour via a tented camp on Swiss normal route 22 years ago, when I turned back from continuing with the harder 'Italian' normal route from Signalkuppe. Funnily enough I had turned back on the same route coming the other way 9 years earlier - in both instances due to poor conditions.
But this time did the Italian route successfully with rgg & Alasdair. Quite a sensational route - and first 'AD' route for me for many a year.
rgg - Jul 8, 2013 4:21 am Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2013
A beautiful dayOn a beautiful day Alistair, Mark and I climbed from the Italian side, starting at Capanna Margherita. The route was in fine shape. There was some snow on the rocks, but it was all pretty solid. The saddle between the Zumsteinspitze and Dufourspitze, of which I had read some scary stories, was a bit corniced, but not seriously so.
After the climb, we returned ovet the Zumsteinspitze, then descended to the Punta Indren lift station and went down to the valley.
slantycheese - Jun 24, 2013 5:16 am Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2012
My first 4000er! Normal RouteMy first ascent of a 4000er - talk about starting at the deep end! An amazing first experience - though there was some fitness lacking, I saw it through to the end with my partner. A 7 hour slog up to the Silber Sattel, with amazing views down into northern Italy, and stunning weather conditions. The small couloir to the Dufour summit adds some flavour to an otherwise monotonous ascent. We also ascended the Nordend to bag the 2nd highest Swiss peak, and then humped down to the Monte Rosa hut.
Leave in plenty of time as the way back to the Roten Boden is a bitch after such a long day, and we just about made the last train home to Bern.
Would liked to have tried from a different hut, as I'm not a huge fan of the big commercial Monte-Rosa hut - more like a hotel, and the food is only standard fare, not nearly as good or as well laid on in other, less well known huts.
More here at - http://www.ansgarschanz.de/dufour.shtml
highpointa - Jun 18, 2013 7:38 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2012
Via west ridgeFought firece winds on the west ridge but prevailed while many other parties came undone that day.
Valtho - Sep 9, 2012 9:43 am Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2012
SilbersattelDue to 1 meter fresh snow a few days before we could only reach the summit via the Silbersattel.
selinunte01 - Aug 24, 2012 10:38 am Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2012
Normal routefrom the usually fully booked new Monte Rosa Hütte. Good conditions up to Sattel, very hard snow and iced rocks on the summit ridge - perfect sunny day. Agony in my feet when walking back to Rotenboden station.
goodwilson - Nov 12, 2011 2:18 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2011
Normal RouteClimbed the peak after Matterhorn
markhallam - Dec 29, 2010 1:48 am Date Climbed: Sep 30, 1991
Normal route via tented campClimbed this route right at the end of the season, last few days of September that year - very cold, but fantastic views especially down into Italy. Carried full camping gear to the top intending to traverse the mountain, but the ridge was plastered in unstable powder snow so we ended up carrying it all back down the way we came.