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Piz Morteratsch

3,751 m

Switzerland

Elevation
3,751 m
Prominence
324 m
Difficulty
4/10
Alpine hike
Best Season
Jul–Aug
Routes
2

Routes

2
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AlpineFSources differ: PD- (Camptocamp) · L, 35° (alpenvereinaktiv.com)GlacierNormal route

Sources differ: PD- (Camptocamp) · L, 35° (alpenvereinaktiv.com)

One of the easiest high glacier tours in the Bernina range: from the Tschiervahütte up a short chain-and-ladder step and cairned slabs to the gently angled Vadrettin da Tschierva, round below the Fuorcla da Boval and up a 35° north-east slope to a summit with a close-up view of the Biancograt. 3–4 hours from the hut.

Elevation Profile

1,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0000 km2.557.51012.515PontresinaChamanna da Tschierva
Distance
15.6 km
one way
Ascent
+2,004 m
start → summit
High Point
3,751 m
Time Up
8h 41m
DIN 33466
Time Down
6h 03m
DIN 33466 · same way back

Walk from Pontresina up the Val Roseg to the Hotel Roseggletscher (about 2 hours; horse carriage or bike possible), cross the valley floor, follow the east lateral moraine of the Roseg glacier and a scree gully to the Tschiervahütte (2,583 m). From the hut follow the Biancograt path for about 50 m, then turn left at a marked stone onto a faint, steep scree trail. After about 150 m of ascent a rock band is climbed with a short aluminium ladder and chains (roughly via ferrata B standard). Cairns lead over glacier-polished slabs and block terrain east to the rope-up point just above the tongue of the Vadrettin da Tschierva, at about 3,000 m. From there it is glacier and firn to the summit: across the flat glacier below the south slopes of Piz Tschierva, then in a wide arc to below the Fuorcla da Boval (3,346 m), where the route from the Boval hut joins. Climb the first steep glacier step beside the rocks and head south up a broad north ridge, traverse left below a crevasse zone (or climb the glacier hump at 3,611 m directly, watching the bergschrund), and finish up the steep summit slope (about 35°) and a few metres of snow ridge and easy blocks. Bergwelten gives 3–4 hours and 1,168 m from the hut. Descend the same way, or traverse over the Fuorcla da Boval to the Boval hut and Morteratsch, which avoids the long walk out of the Val Roseg. The route is also a popular spring ski tour.

Start

Pontresina1,774 m

  • Rhaetian Railway to Pontresina; horse-drawn carriage up the Val Roseg to the Hotel Roseggletscher
  • Parking at the trailhead

Stages

DayStagekmm ascentm descentTime
1Pontresina → Chamanna da Tschierva11.981104h 19m
2Chamanna da Tschierva → Piz Morteratsch3.71,193314h 30m

Waypoints

  1. Station:
    Pontresina1,774 m
  2. Waypoint:
    Hotel Roseggletscher2,003 m
  3. Hut:
    Chamanna da Tschierva2,585 m
  4. Col:
    Fuorcla da Boval3,338 m
  5. Summit:
    Piz Morteratsch3,751 m

Key Passages

  • Rock band above the hut (short ladder and chains)
  • Cairned slabs to the rope-up point
  • Steep glacier step below the Fuorcla da Boval
  • 35° summit slope

Equipment

0/7 packed
Technical
Glacier
Safety
Footwear
Clothing

Downloads

Route confidence 80%
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Overview

A 3,751 m glacier summit between the Val Roseg and the Morteratsch glacier, with one of the best close-up views of Piz Bernina and the Biancograt. Its normal route from the Tschiervahütte is among the easiest high glacier tours in the Bernina range.

Piz Morteratsch rises on the ridge between the Tschierva glacier and the Morteratsch glacier, directly north of Piz Bernina. Its broad, snowy summit faces the Biancograt across the Tschierva basin, and the view takes in Piz Roseg, Piz Palü and the lakes of the Upper Engadine.

It is a natural first big glacier peak in the Bernina. From the Tschiervahütte the normal route has a short secured rock band, then gentle glacier and a final slope of about 35°; from the Boval hut a marked rock climb of II–III leads to the Fuorcla da Boval, where the two routes meet. Combining them as a traverse from the Val Roseg to Morteratsch is popular, and in spring the mountain is a classic ski tour.

The east ridge, the Crasta da la Spraunza, is a harder alternative (AD) for parties wanting more rock.

Climbing Notes

Basic glacier skills are needed: roped travel, crevasse rescue and cramponing on slopes up to about 35°. The crevasse risk is still real, so it is not a solo walk. Fitness for a 6–7 hour summit day (about 1,170 m up from the Tschiervahütte) is enough, and the altitude makes it good acclimatisation for Piz Bernina or Piz Palü. Novices often go with a guide from Pontresina.

Typical itinerary: day one, Pontresina to the Tschiervahütte (about 3 hours, shorter with the Val Roseg horse carriage); day two, summit in 3–4 hours and back via the same route or across the Fuorcla da Boval to the Boval hut and Morteratsch station. A one-day round trip from Pontresina is possible for very fit parties (about 2,000 m and 8 hours).

The best season is July and August, when the glacier is well covered; later in summer more crevasses open and the summit slope can be icy.

History

First ascended on 11 September 1858 by Ch. Brugger, Peter Gensler, Karl Emmermann and Angelo Kleingutti.

Season

Best Jul–Aug
  1. January: Not advisable
  2. February: Not advisable
  3. March: Possible
  4. April: Good
  5. May: Possible
  6. June: Good
  7. July: Best (best window)
  8. August: Best (best window)
  9. September: Good
  10. October: Possible
  11. November: Not advisable
  12. December: Not advisable
Jan
Winter; huts unstaffed
Feb
Winter
Mar
Ski tours; Boval hut opens late March
Apr
Popular spring ski tour from the Boval or Tschierva side
May
Late ski tours; Boval hut winter season ends mid-May
Jun
Huts reopen mid-June; good snow cover
Jul
Best season
Aug
Best season; thunderstorms possible
Sep
More open crevasses; icy summit slope possible
Oct
Huts close early to mid-October
Nov
Winter
Dec
Winter

Access & Permits

Hut Booking
Book both SAC Bernina huts online at hut-reservation.org (Tschierva: hut 487; Boval: hut 391) or by phone while they are staffed.
Fees
  • Paid parking below Pontresina station and at Morteratsch station
  • Hut overnight fees, with discounts for SAC and reciprocal alpine club members
  • Horse-drawn carriage up the Val Roseg (optional)
Rules
  • The Boval hut's summer path is impassable in winter because of avalanche danger; the hut is then reached across the Morteratsch glacier
Getting There

Pontresina

Zurich (ZRH) or Milan Malpensa (MXP); Samedan (SMV) for general aviation

  • Rhaetian Railway to Pontresina (Tschierva side) or Morteratsch station on the Bernina line (Boval side)
  • Val Roseg: on foot, by bike or by horse-drawn carriage to the Hotel Roseggletscher

Hazards

  • Glacier
  • Crevasses
  • Weather
  • Altitude

Huts & Shelters

2