Tête de Milon

Overview

Geographical classification: Western Alps >> Pennine Alps > Weisshorn group

Tête de milon is a mountain very close to Bishorn and Weisshorn.The summit is on the glacier side and is like a small flat dom.
The mountain is a pyramid similar to of small Weisshorn with 3 faces and 3 ridges :
- The north-east face is full covered by Turtmann glacier with some seracs and crevasses
- The west face is 900m high with 500m of steep rock.
- The south rocky face is 500m high over Weisshorn Glacier
The North ridge is 1,5km long for a difference in height of 450hm.
The east ridge is quite not descending and connected to Weisshorn north ridge, at the point 4200m.
The southern ridge is like a spur connected at the end to col de Milon and Pointe de l'Ar Pitetta.
Only the easy normal route on Turtmann glacier and the SW ridge are ofen climbed.

Routes overview

normal route from tracuit hut: F, 1h30mn.
All the short route has to be done on the glacier avoiding big crevasses
and serac exposure.
Take Bishorn trail for 500m on the glacier, and
Take the highest part of the glacier for 1km to the direction to Tête de Milon summit - quite south direction.
For the last part of the ascent -last 300m- , try to stay paralell to the N ridge.

Milon ridge route from Ar Pitetta hut: AD+, 3h in cluding 30mn from the hut to Milon pass.
The first not steep part of Milon ridge is made of poor rock. It's better to take it's north side.
The great ascent begins on the steep SW rigde with slabs and gendarme of better gneiss (III, IV) and is finishing with a more easy climb before the summit.

Getting There

by car (highly recommended)

Rhone valley >> Sierre >> Val d'Anniviers road >> Zinal at the end of the road.

For those coming from oversea :
Fly to Geneva international airport. Car or train to Sierre (Rhone valley) , followed by Post bus to Zinal . Car highly recommended but not mandatory if you don't move at any hour.

General Situation Map


Swiss rails (SBB-CFF) time table

Huts

Tracuit Hut 3256m CAS Chaussy.


Ar Pitetta Hut in Italien
Ar Pitetta Hut in french

Belongs to CAS La Dôle, 1260 Nyon
Phone: 027 475 40 28
Guard: : Carrard Jean-Daniel
Rue Trévelin 132 1170 Aubonne
Phone: 021 808 59 01

Red Tape

No red tape. Free parking at the end of the road, at the south of Zinal.
Free camping is forbiden is Switzerland.

When To Climb

The mountain is usually climbed during summer (June to september).

Camping

Zinal camping site:

email: info@camping-zinal.ch
Tél. ++41 027 475 20 22
Fax : ++41 027 475 20 23
Adress: Camping Les Rousses - 3961 Zinal

You can find food and all you need in Zinal.

Mountain Conditions

Meteo Swiss

St Luc Webcam

Maps and books

Maps:

Val d'Anniviers Hiking map 1/25000 (Ok for mountaineering too)
easy to find in Zinal.

Landeskarten der Schweiz / Cartes nationale de la Suisse
1/25000 map Evolène number 1327
1/50000 map 283

Books:
Valais Alps Guide, CAS book number 3, from Col Collon to Theodulpass (exists in German and French)

Images

View Tête de Milon Image Gallery - 20 Images