Les Diablons
3,609 m
Switzerland
Also known as ლე-დიაბლონიAlso known as
ლე-დიაბლონი
- Elevation
- 3,609 m
- Prominence
- 379 m
- Difficulty
- 5/10
- Easy alpine
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: PD- (SAC route portal (Diablon des Dames SSE ridge only)) · F (SAC guidebooks 2010/2012 (Diablon des Dames from Tracuit)) · T3 (SAC route portal, Zinal–Cabane de Tracuit (T3+))
Long hut path from Zinal to the Col de Tracuit (3,250 m) and the Cabane de Tracuit, then a short scramble up the SSE ridge to the Diablon des Dames (3,538 m) and an easy, mostly walking ridge (I–II) north to the Central summit, the highest of the three Diablons. No glacier in summer. About 1,930 m from Zinal.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 10.1 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,981 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 3,609 m
- Time Up
- 7h 56m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 5h 19m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From Zinal (1,675 m) the SAC normal path to the Cabane de Tracuit crosses the Torrent de Tracuit and climbs steeply through larch forest to the Le Chiesso alp, then traverses south below cliffs to P. 2477, the Combautanna (Composana) alp huts and the cross at P. 2890. Above about 3,000 m it climbs north-east over scree and a short rocky couloir with fixed chains to the Col de Tracuit and the hut just beyond (T3+, 4¾ hours, 1,580 m). From the col follow the SSE ridge of the Diablon des Dames, the southern and easiest of the three Diablons summits: broken rock and scree with a short step of about II, 1–1¼ hours and about 340 m (SAC, PD-). From the Diablon des Dames (3,538 m) the ridge to the Central summit (3,609 m) is easy (I–II): stay on the crest or slightly to its left (Turtmanntal side) and pass a small group of gendarmes on that side, about 30–45 minutes. The rock is uneven in quality throughout. Descend the same way. Fit parties climb it in a day from Zinal by leaving the hut path at the cross (P. 2890) and taking the SW ridge of the Diablon des Dames (F, 5–6 hours to that summit, scrambling of I–II), returning the same way or by the hut. Continuing from the Central summit over the North summit (3,592 m) involves gendarmes of III and a summit block of IV if climbed direct.
Start
Zinal1,660 m
- Train to Sierre, PostBus to Vissoie and on to Zinal.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zinal → Cabane de Tracuit | 8.4 | 1,587 | 0 | 6h 20m |
| 2 | Cabane de Tracuit → Les Diablons | 1.7 | 394 | 34 | 1h 35m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Zinal1,660 m
- Feature: Le Chiesso2,188 m
Alp above Zinal on the Tracuit path (not on route line)
- Col: Col de Tracuit3,238 m
Short rocky couloir with fixed chains just below the col
- Hut: Cabane de Tracuit3,251 m
- Shoulder: Diablon des Dames3,491 m
South summit
- Summit: Les Diablons3,609 m
Central summit, the highest point
Key Passages
- Chained couloir below the Col de Tracuit
- SSE ridge of the Diablon des Dames (II)
- Ridge from the Diablon des Dames to the Central summit (I–II)
Equipment
0/8 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
A three-topped rock ridge of 3,609 m between Zinal and the Turtmanntal. From the Cabane de Tracuit an easy PD ridge leads over the Diablon des Dames to the Central summit, with close views of the Weisshorn, Bishorn and Zinalrothorn.
Les Diablons is a short ridge on the watershed between the Val d'Anniviers and the Turtmanntal, north of the Col de Tracuit. It has three summits: the Diablon des Dames (3,538 m) in the south, the Central summit (3,609 m), the highest, and the North summit (3,592 m). The name 'des Dames' was given in the nineteenth century to peaks that looked technically easy, and the southern summit is indeed the easiest of the three.
The mountain sits right beside the Cabane de Tracuit, the base for the Bishorn, so it is a natural short objective for an acclimatisation day, an afternoon after arriving at the hut, or a poor-weather alternative to the glacier. In summer there is no glacier on the normal route: it is a scree and broken-rock ridge with scrambling to about II. The rock quality is uneven and the ridge is exposed in places.
Harder options include the full N–S traverse from Ayer or Zinal with gendarmes of III–IV on the North summit, and the NE ridge from the Turtmannhütte (AD-). The Central summit is also a demanding spring ski objective.
Climbing Notes
You need sure-footedness on scree and broken rock and a head for an exposed ridge with easy climbing (I–II); no glacier skills are needed in dry summer conditions. The main effort is the 1,580 m approach to the Cabane de Tracuit. A night at 3,256 m is useful acclimatisation for the Bishorn or other 4,000 m peaks.
Typical itinerary: Zinal to the Cabane de Tracuit (about 4¾ hours), then the Diablons in about 2 hours from the hut and back, often the afternoon of arrival or the next morning before descending. Strong walkers climb it in one long day from Zinal by the SW ridge of the Diablon des Dames.
Carry crampons and an axe in early summer or after snowfall, when the ridge and the cols can be snowy or icy. Book the Tracuit hut in advance: reservations are compulsory in every period.
History
The first ascent was made on 24 August 1863 by Sedley Taylor and George D. Whatman with the guides Franz Andenmatten and Joseph Viennin. The NE ridge of the Central summit was first climbed on 19 August 1895 by Louis Hahn and Zschokke with Joseph Fournier.
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; hut winter room only
- Feb
- Winter; ski ascents for experienced parties
- Mar
- Ski touring; Tracuit staffed from mid-March (14 March in 2026)
- Apr
- Ski touring season
- May
- Hut unstaffed from early May; spring snow
- Jun
- Hut reopens around 20 June; snow on the ridge
- Jul
- Main season
- Aug
- Main season; usually dry ridge
- Sep
- Hut staffed until late September (27 September in 2026)
- Oct
- Hut closed (winter room); dry autumn days possible
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Cabane de Tracuit (SAC Chaussy section): online only via the booking system linked from tracuit.ch; phone +41 27 475 15 00.
- Fees
- Cabane de Tracuit overnight fee (half board available)
- Rules
- Cabane de Tracuit: overnight reservation compulsory in every period, online only
- Getting There
Zinal (Val d'Anniviers)
Sion (SIR) for limited flights; Geneva (GVA)
- Train to Sierre on the Lausanne–Brig line, PostBus to Vissoie and on to Zinal
- By car: from Sierre up the Val d'Anniviers road to Zinal; public car parks in the village
Hazards
- Exposure
- Rockfall
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 3,256 m
Cabane de TracuitHutStaffedBooking required
120 beds · Staffed 14 March – 3 May and 20 June – 27 September 2026; winter room (24 places per SAC) outside these periods