Bortelhorn
3,194 m
Switzerland, Italy
Also known as Punta del Rebbio, ბორტელჰორნიAlso known as
Punta del Rebbio · ბორტელჰორნი
- Elevation
- 3,194 m
- Prominence
- 430 m
- Difficulty
- 5/10
- Easy alpine
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: PD+ (gipfelbuch.ch (WS+))
From the Simplon road at Berisal (1,524 m) up to the small staffed Bortelhütte (2,113 m), then a cairned, unsigned line over scree and the bare bed of the former Bortel glacier to the SW ridge, where fixed ropes and a few bolts protect the loose start and two short exposed steps (II). About 1,670 m of ascent; usually two days.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 7.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,702 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 3,194 m
- Time Up
- 6h 39m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 4h 25m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From Berisal on the Simplon pass road, a well-signed T2 path climbs past Löüb through forest and pasture to the Bortelhütte (2,113 m), about 600 m and 2 hours. The hut has a small staffed main building and a neighbouring ski-club hut; many parties sleep here. From the hut, follow the marked path uphill for about 20 minutes, then turn left at three white-painted cairns onto an unsigned trail marked only by cairns up to the glacier-polished slabs below the west face (alternatively go right to the Bortelsee dam and climb straight up the scree). The Bortel glacier has shrunk drastically and recent descriptions report it ice-free, but snowfields can remain into summer and older guides advise crampons there. Cross its bed to the foot of the SW ridge at about 2,900–2,990 m. A fixed rope placed by the hut warden helps on the steep, loose climb onto the ridge. On the ridge, two short exposed steps have bolts and another fixed rope; the climbing is never harder than II, and the final section is trail traces and easy scrambling to the summit. Allow about 4 hours from the hut. Descend the same way. The Italian normal route from Ponte Campo and the Alpe Veglia joins the same ridge via the Forca del Rebbio.
Start
Berisal1,525 m
- PostBus from Brig station towards the Simplon pass to Berisal.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berisal → Bortelhütte | 3.9 | 612 | 33 | 2h 35m |
| 2 | Bortelhütte → Bortelhorn | 3.4 | 1,086 | 0 | 4h 03m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Berisal1,525 m
- Feature: Löüb1,650 m
- Hut: Bortelhütte2,105 m
- Summit: Bortelhorn3,194 m
Key Passages
- Cairned line over glacier-polished slabs below the west face
- Former Bortel glacier bed (snowfields early season)
- Fixed rope onto the SW ridge (steep, loose)
- Two short exposed ridge steps with bolts and fixed rope (II)
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
A 3,194 m border summit between the Simplon region of Valais and Italy's Alpe Veglia, climbed from the small Bortelhütte by a cairned line and a short SW ridge with fixed ropes. A modest, quiet alpine objective with wide views over the Simplon and down the Rhône valley.
The Bortelhorn (Punta del Rebbio in Italian) rises on the Swiss–Italian border north-east of the Simplon pass, in the Monte Leone group of the Lepontine Alps. On the Swiss side it looks down on the Bortel alp and the Ganter valley; on the Italian side on the Alpe Veglia basin, part of the Veglia–Devero natural park.
The normal route from the Bortelhütte is short on technical difficulty but needs mountain sense: the path above the hut is unsigned, the Bortel glacier has melted away to bare rock and scree, and the start of the SW ridge is steep and loose. Fixed ropes and a few bolts placed by the hut warden help on the steepest bits, and the ridge itself is easy scrambling at grade II with two short exposed steps.
It makes a good two-day outing: an afternoon walk from Berisal or Rosswald to the hut, which is known for its sunset over the Rhône valley, and the summit next morning.
Climbing Notes
Suitable for experienced mountain walkers with scrambling skills and some alpine experience; inexperienced parties should take a guide. Expect about 600 m to the hut and 1,085 m from the hut to the summit, roughly 4 hours up from the hut. A helmet is advisable for the loose ridge approach; take crampons and an ice axe in early summer when snowfields remain, and a short rope if anyone in the party wants a belay on the exposed steps.
Typical itinerary: day one, PostBus from Brig to Berisal and walk 2 hours to the Bortelhütte (or 2½ hours from Rosswald); day two, leave early, summit in about 4 hours and return to Berisal. Navigation above the hut relies on cairns, so avoid the route in poor visibility.
History
The first ascent is unrecorded, probably by surveyors before 1840. On 17 July 1889 Edoardo Perondi and Vittorio Roggia climbed the south side and SW ridge, and on the same day W. A. B. Coolidge and Christian Almer the younger climbed the NE ridge.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Good
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; ski ascents from Berisal for experienced ski-mountaineers
- Feb
- Winter; ski touring
- Mar
- Spring ski ascents via the WSW face
- Apr
- Spring ski ascents
- May
- Snow on the summer route; hut closed
- Jun
- Hut opens mid to late June; snow on the upper route
- Jul
- Hut staffed; snowfields possible early in the month
- Aug
- Usually snow-free; afternoon thunderstorms
- Sep
- Hut closes at the end of September
- Oct
- Hut closed (winter room only); early snow possible
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Book the Bortelhütte by phone (+41 27 924 52 10) or email (mail@bortelhuette.ch), giving the date, number of people and a mobile number. The winter room (4 places) cannot be reserved.
- Fees
- Bortelhütte overnight with half board (rates on request)
- Getting There
Brig
Geneva (GVA) or Milan Malpensa (MXP)
- PostBus from Brig station towards the Simplon pass to Berisal; free parking at Berisal
- Alternative: PostBus from Brig and the Rosswald cable car, then 2½ hours on the high path to the Bortelhütte; free summer parking at the Rosswald valley station
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 2,113 m
BortelhütteHutStaffedBooking required
18 beds · Staffed late June to late September; winter room with 4 places, no water