Piz Morteratsch

Last updated
Piz Morteratsch
PizMorteratsch.jpg
Piz Morteratsch from the south
Highest point
Elevation 3,751 m (12,306 ft)
Prominence 321 m (1,053 ft) [1]
Parent peak Piz Bernina
Isolation 1.6 km (0.99 mi)  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Listing Mountains of Switzerland
Alpine mountains above 3000 m
Coordinates 46°24′10″N9°54′07″E / 46.40278°N 9.90194°E / 46.40278; 9.90194 Coordinates: 46°24′10″N9°54′07″E / 46.40278°N 9.90194°E / 46.40278; 9.90194
Geography
Switzerland relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Piz Morteratsch
Parent range Bernina Range
Climbing
First ascent 11 September 1858 by C. Brügger and P. Gensler with guides Karl Emmermann and Angelo Klaingutti
Easiest route North flank and ridge (F)

Piz Morteratsch (3,751 m) is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland. It is bordered on the east by the Morteratsch Glacier and on the south-west by the Tschierva Glacier.

One of the easier of the higher mountains in the range to climb, the normal route follows that taken by the first ascentionists C. Brügger and P. Gensler with guides Karl Emmermann and Angelo Klaingutti on 11 September 1858. Three of its ridges present greater difficulties and are highly regarded:

  • South-south-east ridge (D/D+), first ascent P. J. H. Unna with guides, 1903
  • East-north-east ridge (AD), first ascent of complete ridge, Paul Schucan and A. Pfister, 10 October 1908 (the upper section had been climbed by Max Schintz with guides Alois Pollinger and his son Josef Pollinger of St. Niklaus in the canton Valais in August 1892)
  • South-west ridge, (AD), first ascent by T. H. Philpott and Mrs Philpott with guides Peter Jenny and Alexander Fleury in September 1868
Piz Morteratsch from the north. The normal route from both Tschierva and Boval huts goes up the left skyline. PizMorteratschVonNorden.jpg
Piz Morteratsch from the north. The normal route from both Tschierva and Boval huts goes up the left skyline.

The mountain is served by the Boval hut (2,495 m, open 15 March–15 May and 15 June–15 October) and the Tschierva Hut (2,573 m, open end of March–15 May and 15 June–15 October).

Related Research Articles

Aiguille de Bionnassay Mountain in the Mont Blanc massif

The Aiguille de Bionnassay is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif of the Alps in France and Italy. It has been described as "one of the most attractive satellite peaks of Mont Blanc", and is located on its western side. The mountain's south and east ridges form the frontier between the two countries, and its summit is a knife-edge crest of snow and ice. Reaching it via any route provides a "splendid and serious snow and ice climb".

Piz Bernina Highest mountain in the Eastern Alps

Piz Bernina is the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps, the highest point of the Bernina Range, and the highest peak in the Rhaetian Alps. It rises 4,048.6 m (13,283 ft) and is located south of Pontresina and near the major Alpine resort of St. Moritz, in the Engadin valley. It is also the most easterly mountain higher than 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in the Alps, the highest point of the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and the fifth-most prominent peak in the Alps. Although the summit lies within Switzerland, the massif is on the border with Italy. The "shoulder" known as La Spedla is the highest point in the Italian Lombardy region.

Dom (mountain) Mountain in the Pennine Alps, Switzerland

The Dom is a mountain of the Pennine Alps, located between Randa and Saas-Fee in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. With a height of 4,545 m (14,911 ft), it is the seventh highest summit in the Alps, overall. Based on prominence, it can be regarded as the third highest mountain in the Alps, and the second highest in Switzerland, after Monte Rosa. The Dom is the main summit of the Mischabel group, which is the highest massif lying entirely in Switzerland.

Bernina Range

The Bernina Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. It is considered to be part of the Rhaetian Alps within the Central Eastern Alps. It is one of the highest ranges of the Alps, covered with many glaciers. Piz Bernina, its highest peak, is the most easterly four-thousand-metre peak in the Alps. The peak in the range which sees the most ascents is Piz Palü.

Christian Klucker Swiss mountain guide

Christian Klucker was a Swiss mountain guide who made many first ascents in the Alps, particularly in the Bernina Range, the Bregaglia and the Pennine Alps.

Piz Kesch Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Kesch (German) or Piz d'Es-cha (Rumantsch) is a peak in the Albula Alps of the Rhaetian Alps in Switzerland. At 3,418 metres (11,214 ft), it is the highest peak in the Albula Alps and the municipality of Bergün, Grisons.

Schreckhorn Mountain in Switzerland

The Schreckhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps. It is the highest peak located entirely in the canton of Berne. The Schreckhorn is the northernmost Alpine four-thousander and the northernmost summit rising above 4,000 metres in Europe.

Piz Palü Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Palü is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, located between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large glaciated massif composed of three main summits, on a ridge running from west to east. The main summit is 3,900 metres high and is located within the Swiss canton of Graubünden, although the border with the Italian region of Lombardy runs about 100 metres west of it at almost the same height. The western summit is named Piz Spinas and is the only one not covered by ice. The eastern summit is named Piz Palü Orientale. The name Palü derives from the Latin palus, meaning a swamp, and the mountain is said to be named after the Alpe Palü, a high alpine pasture some 4 km to its east.

Piz Roseg Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Roseg is a mountain of the Bernina Range, overlooking the Val Roseg in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

Piz da la Margna Mountain in Switzerland

Piz da la Margna is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, overlooking Lake Sils in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It lies to the south-east of the Maloja Pass at the south-western end of the Engadin valley.

Weisshorn Mountain in the Pennine Alps

The Weisshorn is a major peak of Switzerland and the Alps, culminating at 4,506 metres above sea level. It is part of the Pennine Alps and is located between the valleys of Anniviers and Zermatt in the canton of Valais. In the latter valley, the Weisshorn is one of the many 4000ers surrounding Zermatt, with Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn.

Piz Tschierva Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Tschierva is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, located south of Pontresina in the canton of Graubünden. It lies in the range that separates the valley of Roseg from the valley of Morteratsch, north of Piz Bernina. Its summit is located within the valley of Roseg.

Crast Agüzza Mountain in Switzerland

Crast' Agüzza is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Italy and Switzerland.

Piz Argient Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Argient is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps on the border between Italy and the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

Piz Fora Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Fora is a mountain in the Bernina Range (Alps), on the border of Italy and Switzerland. The mountain has an elevation of 3,363 metres (11,033 ft) and is the tripoint between the valleys of Val Fedoz, Val Fex and Val Malenco.

Marco e Rosa Hut

The Marco e Rosa Hut is a high mountain refuge located on the southern slopes of the Piz Bernina in Italy. It lies adjacent to the Swiss border. The hut is positioned on the Fourcla Crast' Aguzza and is the highest known mountain hut in Lombardy. It requires mountaineering experience to reach it safely. Its location on the southern ridge (Spallagrat) of the Piz Bernina makes it an important staging post in ascending that mountain.

Tschierva Hut

The Tschierva Hut is a mountain hut located in the Swiss canton of Graubünden at the foot of Piz Bernina, Piz Tschierva and Piz Morteratsch at the end of Val Roseg. The hut lies at 2,584 metres above sea level near the Tschierva Glacier and can be accessed from Pontresina via a trail. The hut is the starting point of the Biancograt, the serpentine north ridge of Piz Bernina.

Johann Coaz

Johann Wilhelm Fortunat Coaz was a Swiss forester, topographer and mountaineer from Graubünden. In 1850 he made the first ascent of Piz Bernina, the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps. He also gave Piz Bernina its name, after the eponymous pass.

Thomas Middlemore English mountaineer

Thomas Middlemore was an English mountaineer who made multiple first ascents during the silver age of alpinism. His audacity earned him a reputation as the enfant terrible within the Alpine Club. He was also the head of the Middlemores Saddles leather goods company in Birmingham, England, after the retirement of his father, William Middlemore, in 1881. Thomas Middlemore had taken over the management of the company in 1868 and established a bicycle saddle factory in Coventry.

Piz Buin Pitschen Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Buin Pitschen (Rumantsch) or Kleiner Piz Buin (German) is a peak in the Silvretta Alps. The Piz Buin Pitschen lies western of his higher neighbor the Piz Buin Grond or Großer Piz Buin.

References