Testa Grigia (3315m), Trail 6

As soon as you leave the parking lot, the trail heads up the mountain, towards a waterfall, and before you reach it turns right taking the wide path that climbs in twists and turns through the forest of tall larches (two signs indicate the presence of 9 monumental larches, 500 years old: they are not clearly identified, but can be seen near the particularly large trees). When a first chapel is reached, the trail has a fork: both directions rejoin a few meters before the finish. Normally one climbs to the right (there is also an “Alpenzu” sign urging one to choose this alternative), the left variant is wilder and therefore advisable. From the start it takes about 40 minutes to reach the beautiful village of Alpenzu Grande (1779m).

Arriving in Alpenzu, you pass through the village passing to the right of the Alpenzu Refuge (beyond the grassy clearing you will notice a large tree: it is a 300-year-old maple, as indicated by another sign) and continue uphill to the north, along Trail 6, which climbs diagonally with a few turns in the direction of the huts to the right of the scrub of trees above.

After Alpenzu, we climb northward

We reach the scattered cluster of huts of Montil Inferiore: the first at 1915m…

This hut is at 1915m (although the “Ondermontil” sign says 2001)

…and the second, which is reached after crossing a pasture (quite accidened depending on the time of year), at 2001m .

Lower Montil, 2001m

The path climbs straight up above the last hut in rapid turns and returns briefly through the trees until it crosses the step above. Past this step, the distant Pinter Bivouac appears overhead (from this point on until the pass it will always remain in view), below the large radio repeater positioned on Punta Pinter .

The Pinter bivouac, still considerably distant

On the other side of the Pinter valley you can see the Upper Montil huts,never reached by trail 6.

On the other side of the gully the huts of Obermontel, or Upper Montil

The trail bends to the northwest and ascends the wide Pinter Gorge, consisting of a tight succession of grassy steps that cut through or around each other. At the end of the valley you see Pinter Col, the first major stage of the long trail.

Coming to Loasche, top of the Pinter Col.

We pass two groups of huts: first Loasche (2400m), where a pair of shoes has been hanging from the flagpole for several years…

Loasche, 2400m (sign reads 2364m)

…and, just above, the Pente huts (2460m).

Pente, 2460m

Above Pente, the trail heads to a gully of stacked rocks that descends directly from the pass. It is the last effort before finally reaching Pinter Col (2777m). 1300m of elevation covered so far, and still 500m to go before the summit….

The Pinter Pass (2777m)

At the Pinter pass, the trail coming up from Val D’Ayas also arrives.

From the Pinter pass looking towards the Ayas valley.

From the pass, the trail becomes totally rocky. Start again by heading north up the wide rocky shoulder to the left of the pass (looking toward Gressoney).

Hikers on the ascent and descent

The trail is challenging, though never exposed. The terrain is often covered with gravel and scree, and therefore landslides, and especially on the descent one should never be distracted. Here and there are a few places where you have to lean your hands on the rock to progress (exaggerated to call it climbing).

One of the steps where you have to rest your hands

At the end of the shoulder you pass a rocky gully, where the path is quite obvious but is also marked by numerous yellow bolts.

The collar before the shelf north of the Lateltin bivouac

After this gully, a wide slope is crossed that leads, at 3100m, to a collar on the final ridge from which you can see Rosa again.

The collar where the Pink comes back up.

South of this collar the trail heads toward Pinter Bivouac, which is less than a five-minute walk away. On the other side of the collar is Trail 10C, which ascends from Gressoney-La-Trinité. Looking northwest, however, the ridge leading toward the summit of Testa Grigia appears clear.

The path leading to the top of Testa Grigia

The trail continues to be excellently marked. You climb up a first rocky step, which you can either easily climb over on the right (the markers seem to indicate that is the only direction) or contour walk to the left, following existing tracks. You continue without any particular problems until the only point where you have to hoist yourself up by force of arms: it is the very short passage shown in the photo below; there is a rope and chains that make the passage approachable (the descent is less easy).

The point equipped with chains

Past this point, a second topical passage awaits us: a practically horizontal trending ledge that passes to the east of the mountain’s final ridge. On the right side of the ledge the slope is quite precipitous, but not particularly vertiginous: just stick to the side on the left and, possibly, don’t trip…

The ledge to the east, below the last section

In this photo the ledge is framed looking south along the switchback.

The ledge to the east, framed along the switchback

Once the ledge is finished, the trail turns left, climbing vertically toward the now-visible summit along a rocky gully where progression is facilitated by two steel cables (strongly advised to use gloves to avoid injury from some slipping wire).

The last section equipped with steel cables

Having passed the gully, we finally reached the summit of Testa Grigia (3311m).

The summit, in the background the Matterhorn

The view is unparalleled. Matterhorn, Rosa, Bianco, Gran Paradiso, with binoculars or a good telephoto lens you can see all the refuges on Rosa (Mantova, Quintino Sella, Gnifetti, Margherita, Guide di Ayas…).

Overview towards the Ayas valley

Toward the north appears the plateau at the foot of Rothorn and Piccolo Rothorn