Piz Ot
3,246 m
Switzerland
- Elevation
- 3,246 m
- Prominence
- 631 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: T4+ (SAC Tourenportal) · F (SAC Bündner Alpen 6 (2000), route archive: L)
Samedan's house mountain: from the Marguns gondola above Celerina, paths lead over the Fuorcla Valletta (2,858 m) and past a small lake, then a blue-white marked alpine route zigzags up a steep ridge onto the east ridge, partly exposed but secured with chains and railings, to the summit. About 1,070 m of ascent and 3¼–3½ hours.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 5.6 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,069 m
- −94 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,246 m
- Time Up
- 4h 27m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 09m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the top station of the Celerina–Marguns gondola (about 2,280 m), follow the track towards the Chamanna Saluver; just before the hut a fainter path branches right towards the Fuorcla Valletta, passing the Trais Fluors lift on the right and skirting Piz dal Büz on its left. From the Fuorcla Valletta (2,858 m) descend briefly to a small lake at P 2777. From the lake, the blue-white marked alpine route climbs scree and rock up the south-east flank. From the notch the path drops about 80 m steeply to a 'Piz Ot' signpost; go left past the lake to the foot of a long ridge, zigzag steeply up it and pass through a hollow onto the east ridge. Tricky spots on the summit section are secured with chains or railings, and the ridge is partly exposed but well secured, with a secured steep step near the top. It leads to a fore-summit with a cairn and then right to the summit (3,246 m). The SAC gives T4+, 3¼ hours and 1,080 m of ascent. Descend the same way to Marguns, or (Rother) return towards the Fuorcla Valletta and branch left to the Margunin saddle (2,426 m), then via Alp Munt and the St. Peter church down to Samedan station: 7¼ hours for the whole loop. Early in summer, snow on the flank calls for crampons and an ice axe.
Start
Marguns2,269 m
- Celerina–Marguns gondola
- Rhaetian Railway to Celerina, then the Celerina–Marguns gondola (summer operation); or start on foot from Samedan station.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marguns → Piz Ot | 5.6 | 1,069 | 94 | 4h 27m |
Waypoints
- Lift: Marguns2,269 m
Top station of the Celerina–Marguns gondola
- Col: Fuorcla Valletta2,859 m
- Summit: Piz Ot3,246 m
Key Passages
- Steep slope below the Fuorcla Valletta
- Steep zigzags up the ridge above the lake
- Secured, partly exposed east ridge and steep step below the summit
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
The pointed granite pyramid (3,246 m) above Samedan, visible from much of the Upper Engadine. A popular, blue-white marked T4+ alpine route with chains and railings on the east ridge reaches the top from the Marguns gondola in about 3¼ hours, with a wide view to the Bernina.
Piz Ot ('high peak' in Romansh) is the highest point of the small group named after it, between Samedan, Celerina and the Val Bever. Three ridges meet at its summit, and the west side falls in a steep rock and broken flank into the Val Bever. From the Engadine it appears as a sharp, isolated pyramid, which makes it Samedan's house mountain and one of the most frequently climbed 3,000 m peaks in the area.
The normal route is an alpine hike, not a climb: from the Marguns gondola above Celerina over the Fuorcla Valletta, then a marked path up the south-east flank and the east ridge, where exposed steps are secured with chains and railings. It is graded T4+ by the SAC (T4 elsewhere) and has no glacier. The view takes in the Bernina group, the Engadine lakes and the Albula Alps.
It suits experienced mountain walkers with a head for heights. Older guidebooks also describe the south ridge (ZS-) and the east ridge as a climb (WS), and the mountain is skied in winter by experienced tourers.
Climbing Notes
Fitness for 1,100 m of ascent (or 1,600 m on the Samedan loop), sure-footedness on scree and blocks, and a head for heights on short secured sections are needed. No technical gear is needed in summer; a helmet is sensible on busy days, and crampons and an ice axe help when snow lies on the flank in early summer or after autumn snowfall.
Typical day: train to Celerina, gondola to Marguns, about 3¼–3½ hours to the summit, then either return to Marguns or walk down via the Margunin saddle, Alp Munt and the St. Peter church to Samedan station (about 7¼ hours for the full loop from Marguns). There is no hut on the route; Alp Muntatsch above Samedan is a common break on the Samedan side.
Start early in summer: thunderstorms build quickly over the Engadine, and the secured ridge is no place to be in lightning.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Ski touring only for experienced parties
- Feb
- Ski tours (up to ZS+) for experienced parties
- Mar
- Ski tours for experienced parties; avalanche terrain
- Apr
- Spring ski tours
- May
- Transitional snow
- Jun
- Snow on the flank; crampons and ice axe useful
- Jul
- Main season; afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season
- Sep
- Often stable and dry
- Oct
- Possible until the first snow; check gondola operation
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Fees
- Celerina–Marguns gondola ticket
- Getting There
Samedan and Celerina/Schlarigna
Engadin Airport Samedan (general aviation); Zurich (ZRH) for scheduled flights
- Rhaetian Railway to Celerina, then the Celerina–Marguns gondola in summer
- On foot from Samedan station via the St. Peter church, Alp Munt or Alp Muntatsch (longer, about 1,550 m of ascent)
Hazards
- Exposure
- Rockfall
- Weather