Monte Rosa Backcountry Skiing: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

For backcountry skiers headed to the Monte Rosa massif, there are three main backcountry destinations: Alagna, Champoc and Gressoney.

Alagna sits on the southeastern foot of the massif and offers steep and highly technical freeride skiing options. The most popular of these is heading up the chairlift way above the resort and making the 10-kilometer, 1,500 vertical meter descent along the Balma route.

Sitting on the southwestern slopes of Monte Rosa, Champoc is the largest resort area on the mountain. It offers many simple runs for novice backcountry skiers. Fro more advanced participants, the most popular route is to take the lift up to Col du Bätt at 2.676 meters and make the long and scenic run through the Lys Valley to nearby Gressoney.

Gressoney sits in between Alagna and Champoc. It is mostly known as a popular starting point for ski mountaineering expeditions to the summit of the massif, but also offers plenty of exciting freeride options.

Stunning scenery

Monte Rosa is an incredibly scenic backdrop for any backcountry skiing trip. From higher up on the mountain, one can see the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc as well as many other iconic alpine peaks. Farther down, there are stunning views of the evergreen forests and picturesque valleys that surround the massif.

Perfect powder

From mid-December until April, Monte Rosa is renowned for its plentiful covering of excellent ski powder. Combine this natural excellence with lower ski traffic than other nearby resorts and the result is plenty of perfect powder on which spend your trip skiing. Getting out into the backcountry means the chances of finding the perfect patch of unspoiled powder greatly increases.

Avoid the crowds

While Monte Rosa is far from Europe’s best kept secret, it is also not nearly as popular as neighboring Chamonix and Zermatt. The area also has much less nightlife meaning most people head here solely for skiing. As a result, enjoy a less crowded experience and get more skiing in while also doing less waiting, a win-win situation if ever there were one.

During the winter, average daily temperatures range from -7 °C to -10 °C on the slopes of the mountain. Factoring in the windchill and temperatures can feel as cold as -15 °C to -20 °C. Snow generally begins to fall in January and piles up quickly, sticking well until about April.

Any trip to Monte Rosa best begins with a flight into the Milan Malpensa (MXP) airport. From here, the mountain is just a two hour drive away. Buses are also available, but take a bit longer than driving.

Italian

+39

Euro

January to April