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Which of the alps 4000ers can you ski to the peak of in summer?

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 Anna_wells 26 Dec 2012
Hi,
I'm wondering if people can recal from mountaineering trips which of the 4000ers have snow all the way to the summit in the summer months? I was wondering about the possibility of summiting on skis, although i expect a lot of the descents would be ridden with crevasses and only small bits of downhill would be possible.
thanks,
Anna
 Gawyllie 26 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells: i know very little about ski mountaineering but the normal route on the gran paradiso looks like it would be all ski-able until the last 50m where there's an easy scramble
 Simon Caldwell 26 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells:
I expect Allaninhorn is skiable
OP Anna_wells 26 Dec 2012
In reply to punj: thanks!
OP Anna_wells 26 Dec 2012
In reply to Toreador: thanks, i agree, saas fee is the only place i have been to, and there i was thinking that allalinhorn, strahlhorn, alphubel and weismiss would be skiable.
In reply to Anna_wells:
Breithorn often has skiers on it, with about 300m ascent the top lift at Zermatt.
OP Anna_wells 27 Dec 2012
In reply to richard_hopkins: thanks richard!
 liamo333 27 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells: Mont Blanc is skiable in summer
 OwenM 27 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells: I think it's more a question of "do you really want to"? Summer skiing so often goes from rock hard ice crystals to slush without ever being anything good. Much much better in spring.
altirando 27 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells: I once went up to ski the MtBlanc pistes in summer via the Italian cablecar. Awful after the first hour or so. Would never bother with summer skiing again, and that was official. I would have thought it possible to gain a summit from the top of the Tignes summer ski cable car? But why would anyone want to?
In reply to Anna_wells:

Here's a video of a late spring ascent to Gran Paradiso via the East Ridge and ski descent of the normal route

youtube.com/watch?v=8kk9QQFbE8o&
RockShock 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Luca Signorelli:
> (In reply to Anna_wells)
>
> Here's a video of a late spring ascent to Gran Paradiso via the East Ridge and ski descent of the normal route
>
> youtube.com/watch?v=8kk9QQFbE8o&

Hi Luca, very nice vid (if it's yours - congrats). Do you know what's the grade of the ridge part that leads to the summit on the vid? (Seems from the Piccolo Paradiso Col)?

Cheers
RS

 Simon4 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Luca Signorelli: They are quite handy skiers, some of these Eyties! Fit buggers too.

Quite surprised that he carried his skis so high up, along the rocky ridge. On the face of it it would have made more sense to depot them lower down and crampon the last bit.
In reply to RockShock:

> Hi Luca, very nice vid (if it's yours - congrats). Do you know what's the grade of the ridge part that leads to the summit on the vid? (Seems from the Piccolo Paradiso Col)?

I wish the video was mine... the ridge itself is withing my grasp, but the whole ski down the normal route is definitely not!

The local grade for the ridge as done this way (so not including the Piccolo Paradiso traverse) is AD or AD+.
In reply to Simon4:

The rock ridge is not that difficult, and I think it's more an hassle than anything else having to remove the (lightweight) skis, leave them somewhere and have to go back to the place you've left em all the way along the ridge.
 Simon4 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Luca Signorelli: Well if you can't ski it, I am sure that I don't stand much chance!

They really do look pretty smooth on that descent, looks steep at the start.
Hoppers 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells:
Breithorn is ski piste to the final summit section and that bit is snow covered.
Also look at Pyrimde Vincent, parrotspitze, signalkuppe chain.
You might be able to ski Dome de Neige, altho not the proper summit, that's where most people walk to.
OP Anna_wells 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells:
thanks all for the advice! and the video is awesome
Anna
Shearwater 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells:
I note that Jagged Globe do an Oberland ski tour at the beginning of May which mentions Gross Grünhorn, Gross Fiescherhorn and Finsteraarhorn, all of which are 4000ers and presumably skiiable.
 Simon4 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Shearwater: I'd be intruiged to know how far up the Finsteraarhorn they can ski.
Shearwater 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Simon4:
Oops, managed to miss the "summitting on skis" bit.

Looks practical to ski down from the ridge, which leaves ~200m vertical or so to do on foot to summit. Still, you start from above 4000m, so that has to count to for something, right?

 earlsdonwhu 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Anna_wells: DEpends on how much snow falls in winter, temperatures during spring and what you call summer. Not much help!
 Simon4 28 Dec 2012
In reply to Shearwater: Actually I would love to do that Oberland ski-tour, but I think I need to upgrade my skiing first. Also to make sure I am well aclimitised.
 Gael Force 29 Dec 2012
In reply to Simon4:
> (In reply to Luca Signorelli) They are quite handy skiers, some of these Eyties! Fit buggers too.
>
> Quite surprised that he carried his skis so high up, along the rocky ridge. On the face of it it would have made more sense to depot them lower down and crampon the last bit.

Slightly bizarre comment, how would he have skied down if he had left his skis on the other side?

 jonnie3430 29 Dec 2012
In reply to Shearwater:
> (In reply to Anna_wells)
> Gross Grünhorn, Gross Fiescherhorn and Finsteraarhorn, all of which are 4000ers and presumably skiiable.

Not all the way to the summits, but a most of the way and ski decents would be good there and for the Jungfrau. I would imagine it'd be better in Spring with more snow cover. The Aletsch Glacier this summer was a pain.
 jon 29 Dec 2012
In reply to Gael Force:

I think maybe Simon didn't realise that he came from the other side?
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