Sorebois (Corne de)

Overview

The Horn of Sorebois shows its typical shape with its neighbour summits Pointe de Tsirouc to the whole Anniviers valley. Located in the middle of the valley between the lateral valleys of Zinal and Moiry., the horn is the last summit of the chain which spreads in northern direction from Dent Blanche. The other summits of this chain are Grand Cornier, Pigne de la Lée, Garde de Bordon.

The steep north face contrasts with the smooth Sorebois alpine pasture in the east and the west face dominates the Moiry dam.

The marvellous panorama makes forget the chair and skilifts buit on the east face : Corne de Sorebois is located in the heart of some of the finest and most prestigious mountains in the Alps. The summits that surround it in a sort of stretched horseshoe shape, offer a range of climbs for people of all levels of ability. Situated around this curve, like watchful guardians are the following summits: the Diablons (3609 m), the Bishorn (4153 m), the Weisshorn (4505 m), the Schallihorn (3974 m), the Rothorn (4221 m), the Trifthorn (3728 m), the Obergabelhorn (4062 m), Mount Durand (3712 m), the Zinal Point (3790 m), the Dent-Blanche (4356 m), the Grand Cornier (3961 m), the Pigne de la Lé (3396 m), the Gardes de Bordon (3310 m) and in the centre of this gigantic parabolic shape in the axis of Zinal, the Besso (3667 m). These summits were soon called the big crown, and then one spoke of the Imperial Crown that is composed of the Weisshorn, the Zinalrothorn, the Besso, the Bishorn, the Obergabelhorn, the Cervin (Matterhorn) and the Dent-Blanche.

Webcam : http://www.zinal.net/e/hiver/events.asp

Getting There

ACCESS
Right at the end of the Anniviers valley, there is Zinal , start point to Corne de Sorebois.

BY CAR
A9 motorway to Sierre-est, then follow the road signposted Val d'Anniviers, Vissoie, Ayer-Zinal. The access roads are cleared all year round. Free parking in the whole of the municipality of Ayer.
Distances
Sierre: 30 km Sion: 45 km Bern: 203 km Geneva: 205 km Lugano: 247 km Basel: 295 km Zürich: 325 km Milano: 305 km Paris: 758 km Munich: 629 km


BY TRAIN to Sierre station then by postal bus Sierre-Zinal (Change at Vissoie)

BY PLANE: To Geneva International Airport, then by train, Geneva-Sierre, then by postal bus, Sierre-Zinal OR to Sion Civil Airport, then by train Sion-Sierre, then by postal bus Sierre-Zinal.

Red Tape

No red tape

When To Climb

Summer and winter (Sorebois is a ski resort)

Mountain Conditions

Weather : http://www.zinal.net/e/hiver/events.asp

Routes overview

- From Zinal with the use of the cable-car of Sorebois

- From Zinal

- From Moiry - Traverse to Petit Mountet Hut : most covered from Sorebois to Petit Mountet. Often forbidden (danger of rock fall).

Summit panorama East

Les Diablons - Bishorn - Weisshorn - Schalihorn - Zinalrothorn - Besso - Trifthorn - Wellenkuppe - Ober Gabelhorn - Garde de Bordon
Matterhorn can be seen from 100 meters under the cable car station.

Summit panorama West

Dent Blanche - Point de Mourti - Aiguille de la Tsa - Pigne d'Arolla - Lac de Moiry - Mont Blanc de Cheilon - Grand Combin - Aiguilles Rouges d'Arolla - Rosablanche - Sasseneire - Becs de Bosson - Les Diablerets -Wildhorn

Climbing possibilities near Zinal

The horn is a summit for hikers : there are no climbing possibilities on Corne de Sobebois.

Here the climbing sites near Zinal :
-The Belvédère rock and its rock faces
The BELVÉDÈRE rock has six ways up, for beginners and equally experienced alpinists.

-To get to the AIGLE rock face from Zinal, follow the access path to Belvédère, above here a less well marked path zigzags up and leads to the start of the way. It takes about half an hour from Zinal.
ROUTE 1 (route from the eagle) . Superb climb with fissures. This artificial climb (15 pitons , 40 wooden wedges) was opened in 1977 and fitted with spits for free climbing in 1994.
ROUTE 2 (hostile nature) Guaranteed atmosphere! This artificial face (6 pitons and 34 spits) was opened in 1994

-The lée flats Several rock faces can be climbed from the bottom of the Lée flats. These rock faces are ideal for climbing by children or beginners.

Hut

S o r e b o i s m o u n t a i n h u t
The hut is found at 2430m in altitude near the cable car upper station and the restaurant
Description
The hut has a kitchen, dining hall, showers, toilets and electric heating. It is equipped for 30 people in 3 different rooms : 1 room sleeps 18 people, and
2 rooms sleep 6 people each.

Camping

Camping Les Rousses 3961 Zinal Tel. +41 (0)27 475 20 22

The campsite is a 10 minute walk from the village at the end of a magnificent valley. It has everything you need: A food shop with postcards and stamps, camping gaz, washing machine, hot water showers, games area, table tennis, bowls etc.

Pont De Mission Camping Site 3961 Mission Tel. +41 (0)27 475 13 91
The camp site has 35 places. It has a small shop, a café-restaurant and reception, 2 hot water showers, 8 toilets and washbasins.

Avalanche Training Center

The avalanche training center of Zinal is the world’s first-ever permanently equipped training terrain, where people learn how to use an avalanche beacon in a lifelike avalanche simulation. The ATC terrain is a triangular zone with ca. 100-meter-long sides, representing an avalanche site. Within this zone 16 fixed transmitters have been installed, which can be activated by an electronic command. The training center is open free of charge to all guests during the winter season. This means all freeriders can learn how to use their transceiver in a lifelike simulation of an avalanche because they do not know where the transmitters are placed. In addition, an electronic module makes it possible to randomly select the transmitters, thus obtaining a large number of possible combinations. This is not the case in most avalanche courses: someone has to bury the transmitter and their footprints give away the location of the device. The courses held in Zinal are based on a scenario that is much more true-to-life

The people

Up to the beginning of the twentieth century, the Anniviards were nomads. At the start of springtime they came down from the mountains to work in the vineyards for several months. This transhumance to the valley was not easy. The children left first with the smaller cattle and then followed their elders with the cows and finally their parents with the mules. As the vegetation grew up the valley so more people would be found in the villages there. These people made a living essentially from the products of their soil and their principal activities were vineyards, cattle and agriculture. Then the first tourists arrived. English mountaineers wishing to conquer the famous summits of the imperial crown. Summer tourism developed quickly and the village people diminished somewhat their principal activities to concentrate on tourism. It was thus that the first hostel in Zinal was built. The famous British mountaineer Wymper was its first guest. The farmers became guides, hotel owners, craftsmen…..

Inalpe – Désalpe and cowfights

Inalpe – Désalpe and cowfights In Anniviers the cows are queens….or they fight to become so. All originating from the Hérens valley. Their fighting and aggressive attitude contributes to maintaining this race of cows and makes them a bit special compared to other bovine races.
Around the end of June the cattle go up to the alpine pastures of Nava. For the cow owners this day (inalpe) is of great importance. It is on this day that his cow may become queen for a day. The cattle leave the cowsheds for the alpine pastures above Ayer early in the morning, accompanied by the herdsman and a few owners. Once the cows get up there they instinctively start fighting amongst themselves, much to the satisfaction of the spectators. The owners, who ensure that the combats are fair, quickly start showing signs of anxiety as their cows start to fight. Often they will shout at their cows to encourage them. The combats last as long as the cows keep fighting. The ‘queen’ is the cow which hasn’t lost one single fight during the day. The hierarchy of the herd is decided during these sometimes violent combats and changes frequently during the summer. After about ninety days spent in the alpine pastures of Nava it is time for the cows to go back down to the cowsheds of Ayer. Around the end of September it is ‘désalpe’ day. The herd leaves the pastureland and goes back to Ayer according to an established hierarchy with at the head of the herd the ‘queen’ followed by the second the third and so forth up to the tenth. These cows wear on their heads a ‘charlette’ rather like the queen of England with her crown. This day is a special day for all the owners. In Ayer canteens are put up to allow all to eat something and drink a nice glass of wine. Such days offer a rare atmosphere of a passion shared by all. NOT TO BE MISSED !

Images

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