UKC

Hi All

First ever post here so pls be nice

I am off to the Italian side of the alps in August for a couple of weeks of fun in the Monte Rosa area. Can anyone recommend any nice campsites they have used recently? We have a car so will be pretty flexible for travel. Been looking at Alagna, Gressonay (both of them) and Stafal. Any info would be really appreciated.

Cheers

Adam

Any of them really - good food, good uplift systems. I'd think there's probably more accommodation possibilities in the Gressoney valley than Alagna and it's a lot easier to get to. Stafal would be ideal as you could just walk out of your accommodation and on to the lift.

+1 for Stafal though it’s a very small village re food & supplies.

Been spending some time recently in the Monte Rosa area & the area of choice to stay for most people seems to be Gressoney for the reason mentioned by Jon, ease of access by car from the Aosta valley.

If your coming over the Simplon pass though, Alagna can be reached eventually, with the lift right in the center of the village. Be warned though, its very quiet which obviously adds to its charm, with no supermarket, only two small shops & no Chamonix style climbing shops.

There are camp sites coming up the valley in the various villages that you travel through & one in Alagna as you enter the village & obviously great pizza, bars, associated restaurants etc all so much cheaper & better value both in terms of price & quality than Chamonix.

Have fun, its an area I'm just beginning to explore with lots of very quiet areas, valleys, bivi huts in which to acclimatize before heading up to the Gniffetti refuge

Thanks guys - heard some good tales about the area (food mentioned repeatedly!) We are flying into Turin so only a short drive too.

Walts4 - any routes you have particularly enjoyed/willing to share? We love getting off the beaten path so any hidden gems??

Ooooh also... which maps have you been using for the area?

The Escursionista series of maps are best and available in the valleys. The IGC series are rubbish!

If you have car, consider Vallpelline as a warm up area too. Great peaks at around 3600m (also Dent D'herens),  free bivouac huts and a good campsite. 

It was more an acclimistisation trip but really enjoyed the walk up to the Ravelli bivi & stopping the evening there, from there a climb of Corno Bianco would be possible & looks like a worthwhile objective.

We also had a interesting day trying to reach Rif Gugliermina, being turned back by not having crampons for the final exposed snow field, although fording the 'streams' on the way back & nearly becoming benighted due to being trapped on the wrong side made up the excitement levels. The Alpe Vigne valley is totally wild with nobody else around, well worth seeking out.

The only real route we completed was the Cresta del Soldato which is a great way to reach the summit of Punta Giordani, our other attempt to reach the Marghertia rif was aborted due to bad weather. As mentioned, this was a acclimitisation trip, but it did open my eyes to possibilities for really rewarding days out, most of the time other than at the Gniffetti, totally alone.

Gressoney St Jean is where I've stayed previously. The food is amazing and the Flying Brasserie a quality pub with the occasional famous visitor (I met Simone Moro in there!)