Dents de Morcles
2,969 m
Switzerland
Also known as Дан дьо Моркл, Dent de Morcles, +2Also known as
Дан дьо Моркл · Dent de Morcles · დან-დე-მორკლე · Grande Dent de Morcles
- Elevation
- 2,969 m
- Prominence
- 466 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2Showing From Morcles via the Rionda, the Grande Vire and the Nant Rouge couloir: the ’s line is approximate.
Sources differ: T4- (Camptocamp remarks)
The western route from the Vaud side: from Les Martinaux above Morcles past the Rionda military barracks, along the Grande Vire ledge and up the steep zigzags of the Nant Rouge couloir to the summit. About 1,300 m of ascent from Les Martinaux; exposed, gravelly paths of military origin.
About 2% of this line is approximate (no mapped trail; drawn from the terrain). Check it against a map before relying on it.
Why? 4 check notes
- summit reached only via terrain-checked gaps (156 m past mapped ground)
- DIN time up 6.83 h vs published 4.0 h (+71%)
- Rionda → Grande Dent de Morcles: corridor (detour; 156 m of gaps, 2.8 km)
- unresolved waypoints: Couloir du Nant Rouge, Grande Vire (OSM match off-route)
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 8.6 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,639 m
- −147 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 2,969 m
- Time Up
- 6h 50m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 4h 50m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Drive from Lavey-les-Bains to Morcles and up the Route des Planaux to the barrier at Les Martinaux (about 1,670 m). Follow the path left of the military track, rejoin it below the Cabane de la Tourche and continue across ravined slopes to the Rionda barracks (2,156 m), the last water. About 200 m beyond, leave the balcony path towards the Col du Demècre and climb left on zigzags up grass and then rock below the Petite Dent de Morcles, followed by a narrow, outward-sloping ascending traverse to a military shelter set into the cliff. The Grande Vire is a near-level ledge with views over the Rhône. At point 2,628 continue along it for about 200 m, then climb the Nant Rouge couloir in tight zigzags on a trail cut into rock and often covered with slippery gravel; do not leave the track. About 100 m below the summit the path forks: left through a gully blocked by a boulder and a narrow notch almost directly to the top, or right past a second shelter (Abri A97) round the summit cliff to join the Ovronnaz route at about 2,825 m. Allow about 4 hours up and 7 hours for the round trip. Descend the same way; the right-hand variant is better on the descent as it avoids stonefall in the top of the couloir. The paths cross military land with jeeps on the track; check firing notices. Only go when the ground is dry, usually from early July; late snow at the foot of the Nant Rouge has turned back parties without ice axes.
Start
Les Martinaux1,477 m
- Train to Saint-Maurice; bus to Morcles where it runs, then a long road walk to Les Martinaux (check the timetable).
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Les Martinaux → Grande Dent de Morcles | 8.6 | 1,639 | 147 | 6h 50m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Les Martinaux1,477 m
- Hut: Cabane de la Tourche2,183 m
- Feature: Rionda2,163 m
Military barracks; last water
- Summit: Grande Dent de Morcles2,969 m
Key Passages
- Outward-sloping traverse below the Petite Dent de Morcles
- Grande Vire ledge
- Nant Rouge couloir zigzags
Equipment
0/4 packedDownloads
Route confidence 65%Overview
A twin-summited limestone massif (Grande Dent 2,969 m) on the Vaud–Valais border at the south-western end of the Bernese Alps, rising 2,500 m above the Rhône at Saint-Maurice. The normal route from Ovronnaz is a long T4 mountain walk with a short scramble through the summit rock barrier.
The Dents de Morcles are the last high summits of the Bernese Alps before the Rhône bends north at Saint-Maurice; with the Dents du Midi opposite they frame the valley like a gateway. The Grande Dent de Morcles (2,969 m) is the higher top, with the Petite Dent (2,929 m) as a north-western buttress. Ridges run north over Roc Champion to the Pointe des Martinets, south-south-east over the Pointe de la Grande Vire, and west-north-west over Dent Favre towards the Grand Muveran. The folds of the Morcles nappe, a classic of Alpine geology, are visible on the Petite Dent.
The mountain is riddled with military works: the Dailly and Savatan forts at its foot are among the largest in Switzerland, around 23 km of tunnels run inside the massif and the summit carries a gun position and shelters. Many of the paths on the western side were built by the army, and parts of the area are still used for firing.
There is no glacier on the normal routes. From Ovronnaz on the Valais side, a pleasant walk to the Cabane du Fenestral is followed by an exposed, blue-white marked alpine trail through loose marl, blocks and a short rock step. From Morcles on the Vaud side, narrow paths cut into the cliffs climb the steep Nant Rouge couloir. The summit view takes in the Pennine Alps from the Weisshorn to Mont Blanc.
Climbing Notes
Fitness for 1,100–1,600 m of ascent in a day, sure-footedness on loose, exposed ground and easy scrambling (I+) are needed; there is no glacier. Most people take the Jorasse chairlift from Ovronnaz, walk to the Cabane du Fenestral (about 2 hours) and do the summit as a long day trip, or sleep at the hut and go up early. Go only when the ground is dry and snow-free above the hut, normally from early July to October; old snow in the summit gully and at the Col de Fenestral can require an ice axe and crampons. A helmet is sensible because of stonefall from other parties and ibex. The Morcles side is steeper and more exposed and crosses an active military area; check firing notices before going. In winter the Ovronnaz side is a classic ski tour.
History
No first-ascent record was found. During the Second World War the massif became a central part of the Saint-Maurice fortress of the Swiss 'Réduit national', with the Dailly and Savatan forts and the summit gun position; the area remains a military training ground.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Not advisable
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Ski tour from Ovronnaz for experienced ski-tourers; avalanche terrain
- Feb
- Ski tour only
- Mar
- Spring ski tours
- Apr
- Spring ski tours
- May
- Snowmelt; neither good for skiing nor walking
- Jun
- Snow at the Col de Fenestral and in the summit gully; turn back if snow lies above the hut
- Jul
- Usually dry from early July; afternoon thunderstorms
- Sep
- Stable weather and fewer people
- Oct
- Early snow possible; check the chairlift timetable
- Nov
- Early winter conditions
- Dec
- Ski tour if snow is sufficient
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- The Cabane du Fenestral (Ski-Club Chavalard) takes reservations online only, via Alpsonline.
- Fees
- Ovronnaz–Jorasse chairlift ticket (optional)
- Hut overnight fees at the Cabane du Fenestral
- Rules
- The western side of the massif (Rionda, La Tourche, Dailly) is a military training and firing area; access is forbidden while firing is in progress. Check the Swiss Army firing notices (vtg.admin.ch/fr/avis-de-tir or the firing layer on map.geo.admin.ch) and obey sentries and red-and-white flags
- Do not touch unexploded ammunition; report it on 117
- Getting There
Ovronnaz (Valais side); Morcles and Saint-Maurice (Vaud side)
Geneva (GVA)
- Ovronnaz: by car from the A9 exit at Riddes via Leytron; by train to Riddes and bus to Ovronnaz
- Jorasse chairlift from Ovronnaz to about 1,850 m in summer
- Morcles: by car from Lavey-les-Bains near Saint-Maurice, then the Route des Planaux to Les Martinaux; by train to Saint-Maurice
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
2- 2,198 m
Cabane de la TourcheHut
- 2,453 m
Cabane du FénestralHutBooking required
45 beds · Volunteer-guarded by members of the Ski-Club Chavalard in turns through the year; check the guarding periods on the hut website