zoom lens, or be satisfied to keep the memory in your head.
When to go
The Tour of Monte Rosa crosses cols often close to 3000m, which are likely to remain snowy well into June. The huts used on the trek generally do not open until late June or early July, so it is not advisable to set out before the summer Alpine season begins. However, later is not necessarily better as fresh snow is quite likely late in the season.
Névé on certain sections of trail can make passage quite difficult – either because the snow is hard and slippery or because it’s a hot, late afternoon and the snow has melted and doesn’t hold your weight. For example, the stage from Testa Grigia to Plan Maison/Cime Bianche is really only feasible when there is no snow on the slopes, be it névé or fresh snow. Similarly the climb to Monte Moro from Mattmark can be very tricky in névé or fresh snow as there is a passage across sloping rocky slabs which is aided by cables.
In addition to thinking about snow conditions, you have to decide if you are going to walk every part of the route or whether you intend to take the occasional lift. If you’re planning to take lifts, be sure of their open season – usually early to mid-July to early September. In line with the lift season, the hotels in villages such as Macugnaga have a short summer season.
The wild and scenic Ruesso Valley leading up to the Gabiet Lake (Stage 3A)
The best time to do this trek is during this brief summer holiday season – late July to late August. The earlier you go, the more flowers there will be on the hillsides; the middle of the season sees the most holidaymakers in the Alps; the end is generally noted for beautiful autumn light, but can be prone to fresh snowfall above 3000m.
If in doubt call local tourist offices or the huts for up-to-date information on conditions.
Getting there
Zermatt/Saas Fee
By air
The nearest airports are Zurich and Geneva. From Britain these airports are served by many airlines, including British Airways (www.britishairways.com), Easyjet (www.easyjet.com), Swiss International (www.swiss.com). Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) fly to Geneva from Ireland.
Onward travel to Zermatt or Saas Fee is best done by train.
By train
Eurostar run a regular service from London to Geneva, which takes about 6 hours (www.eurostar.com) and for travelling around once in Switzerland the train service does not disappoint. The Swiss railway network is incredibly efficient; timetables and online ticket sales can be found at www.sbb.ch. For the best prices it may be worth buying a Swiss rail pass – all the different passes are described in detail on www.myswissalps.com/swissrailpasses with helplines and forums to advise on the best choice of pass.
By car
If you drive to Switzerland you’ll need to buy a motorway vignette on entry to the country, which in 2014 cost 40CHF for the year – this price has been held for years and each year there is talk of a considerable hike in price, so don’t be surprised if it costs more than this in the future. You cannot take the car to Zermatt, but must park at Täsch and take the train up to the town. Saas Fee is also a car-free resort with a large paying car park at the entrance to the town. The other Saas villages, notably Saas Grund, all allow cars and have lots of parking areas.
By bus
Eurolines offer a regular service from Britain and Ireland to Switzerland, serving both Geneva and Zurich. Although the journey is long the price is competitive: www.eurolines.com tel: 08717 818178.
Breuil-Cervinia/Gressonney/Alagna
By air
The nearest airport is Turin (www.aeroportoditorino.it). The other option is Milan Malpensa (www.milanomalpensa-airport.com). Turin and Milan Malpensa airports are served by various airlines, including British Airways (www.britishairways.com) and Easyjet (www.easyjet.com).
By train
There is a train service from Milan to Turin and a train and bus service from Turin to Aosta, then good bus services up the valley to Breuil-Cervinia. There is no direct connection from Turin or Milan to Cervinia; you have to change buses at Châtillon. The bus stations are in the city and not at the airports.
By car
Driving in Italy is generally good fun so long as you have an adventurous spirit. The motorways usually charge tolls.
By bus
Eurolines offer a regular service from Britain and Ireland to Italy with stops at Turin and Aosta and Châtillon (at the bottom of the valley up to Cervinia): www.eurolines.com tel: 08717 818178.
Access to other towns
From Zurich, Geneva or Turin airports you can reach any of the other towns encountered during the trek. In Switzerland the train is the best way to get along the main valleys, from where the yellow Swiss PTT buses give access to all but the remotest villages. These tend to meet up with the trains, so travel is exceptionally easy. There is also train access along the Aosta Valley from Turin and Milan, with buses up the side valleys.
Getting around
There are several possibilities for using lifts during the Tour of Monte Rosa. These can be very useful for a number of reasons. If you are pressed for time, using a lift could cut off several hours of walking, and if your knees are hurting, taking a lift down could make all the difference to your comfort on the rest of the trip. Furthermore, lifts are inevitably in ski areas, and some of these look a lot better when covered in snow. So to avoid walking up or down bulldozed pistes it may be a good idea to take the lift – the ascent from Stafal (Gressoney) to the Passo dei Salati springs to mind, as does the descent from Testa Grigia to Plan Maison.
The marvellous trail leading down from Colle del Turlo on Stage 5
However, it is important to bear in mind that the lifts have a very limited open season in the summer. Typically this may be from the first week or even the second week of July to the first week of September, so if these are an integral part of your trek planning you need to be absolutely sure they will be running. If they are just an option this is less crucial, though once you’ve decided to take a lift, finding it closed can be a very traumatic experience! It’s worth knowing that some lifts have a timetable in the summer (rather than running continuously) and they tend to close for lunch or close early afternoon to fit in with summer skiing requirements.
Buses are a useful means of escape if you have to
