Summary
Day 1: Valtournenche
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Day 2: Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi
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Trail in numbers
- Distance: day 1: 20 km – day 2: 12 km
- Total climb: day 1: 454 m – day 2: 951 m
- High point: day 1: 2573 m – day 2: 2807 m
- Ridable: day 1: 90% – day 2: 100%
- Duration: day 1 & day 2: 2-4 h
Highlights
- The Matternhorn is a must see for every outdoor enthusiast. Even in the summer its towering peak is covered in snow, and its vertical walls inspire awe especially if observed from its base. A good observation point is Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi, our destination for our second day of riding as you can read down below.
- In Cervinia there is a very active Bike Park (check it out here), so if you want to pump up the adrenaline you know where to go. The “Dark Trail” is their highlight: an 12 km descent from the Plateau Rosà glacier at 3480 m asl (you will find snow here, for sure) all the way down to Cervinia (2000 m asl). This trail will hammer you, but its unique variety of terrains (from snow, to big rocks, to grassy fields and then rooty forest) will leave you breathless.
Useful info
- When to go: July and August, maybe early September – Remember Cervinia sits at 2000 m asl. You can check the opening season of the Cable Car in Cervinia to get a more precise idea of when this part of the Alps is rideable
- Food and Water: you will not encounter water fountains during the ride, but you will always be reasonably close to a village (in the Valtournenche trail) or on your way to the mountain hut (in the Rifugio Duca D’Aosta trail). Just bring your hydration pack and a couple of energy bars.
- Recommended gears: The trails described down below can be ridden on a hardtail rather easily. If you fancy hitting the Bike Park, of course, you would need a full suspension downhill bike and the appropriate protections – everything available for rent at the cable car station.
- Starting point: both tracks begin in Cervinia, which is reachable in something more than 2 hours by car from Milan, even less from Turin.
Table of contents:
Photostory
It’s been a while since I promised Maria to take her to the Matternhorn. I tried to organize it in the past, but never succeeded because of bad weather or lack of time. This weekend is the one: the forecast is cloudy on saturday but sunday should be just perfect. We decide to go for it, carrying our tent with us and loads of clothes in order to be prepared for whatever weather.
The destination is Cervinia, in Val D’Aosta, which sits on the Italian side of the Matternhorn (Cervino). The mountain town is at 2000 meters above sea level and is the last one in the Valtournenche valley, the westernmost of the gigantic Monte Rosa range. The Matternhorn is one of the tallest peaks of the Alps, reaching 4478 meters of altitude, and it is famous all over the world for its almost perfect, iconic pyramid shape.
Day One – Downhill from Plain Mason to Valtournenche
We get there by noon on Saturday and find out that we are not going to be able to see the peak, at least not today. The weather is overcast, and the dark grey clouds hover just a few hundred meters above us, preventing us from spotting the majestic peaks surrounding us.
There are not many people around, less so if you consider bikers, but we decide to go for it. It might rain but it looks like there won’t be thundersorms. Just to be save, we plan our half-day ride to be a rather easy one: we climb to Plain Mason (2500 mt) using the gondola and then it’s all downhill until our designated campsite, down in the valley, more than 1000 mt below in altitude.
During the ascent to Plain Mason we share the gondola with a group of Downhill riders that are spending the day in the bike park, trying to convince Maria to try the bike park tracks. Of course it is a no-go, but they are all obviously jealous of me being able to go mountain biking with my girlfriend – they all say their respective girlfriends would never even go to the mountains, let alone ride a mountain bike!
We begin the descent among the grass fields of Plain Mason, trying some freeride out the tracks when possible:
The descent to Cervinia is easy and pleasant, and follows a gravel road of moderate steepness that unwinds down a very wild valley, where we spot (and hear) several Marmots and a family of mountain deers.
Once in Cervinia, the steepest part is done. We begin a smooth and mild descent along the river and down the valley. The landscape changes rapidly as we descent below 2000 meters and enter the woods
Once we arrive at a nice blue lake, the trail merges with an old road and finally with the main road, that takes us to our campsite.
Now we’re already experienced, and in no time our tent is up and running with all the sleeping material inside:
It is good that it took us so short to prepare the tent because we have a committment tonight, which is watching the Euro Cup game Italy vs Germany, a quarter-final match beginning at 9 pm. We struggle to find a decent place from where to watch it, and finally we settle for a modest restaurant that at least has the TV on.
Unluckily, after 120 painful minutes, Italy loses at the penalty kicks.
Day 2 – Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi
When we wake up after our (cold) night spent in our tent, we are rewarded by a beautiful postcard-like panorama. As forecasted, the weather is amazingly beautiful today, there are no clouds at all and the sky has a deep, vibrant blue tone.
It would be feeling like cheating if we went for a downhill ride also today, so we decide to climb to the Rifugio Orionde’ (Duca degli Abruzzi) which sits at 2810 meters just at the bottom of the Matternhorn. This is their first day of opening, they have cleaned the gravel road from the snow, so nothing can stop us!
We begin our climb around eleven and aim at getting there for lunch. The Cervino is awe-inspiring today,with its sheer rocky cliffs and snow-covered ridges, in sharp contrast with the surrounding green valleys (a couple of thousands meters below!).
The climb is not too steep, almost entirely on a gravel road, but breathing becomes harder as we ascend.
Above 2500 mt the snow starts to show. Maria has a bit of an energy down moment, but she keeps going (cursing in her worst Italian), determined to make it to the hut.
Finally we make it, and even in time for a (late) lunch!
The Matternhorn is just at rock-throwing distance. It is humbling to be so close to its gigantic slopes! There is also a group of German guys who are setting up their tents to sleep by a small frozen lake at its feet, at this elevation ! Maria gets super excited and goes to talk to them, asking them all the details of the gears and preparation needed to spend a night in such cold conditions. She resolves that we have everything we need already, so no excuses! Our next adventure will be camping at high elevation close to a mountain hut!
After eating and a relaxing siesta (see above), we descend down to Cervinia. The temperature goes from very chilly to very warm in just 20 minutes, it is impressive to notice how much difference elevation can make!
Maps and Stats
Day 1 – Valtournanche
Max elevation: 2573 m
Total climbing: 454 m
Day 2 – Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi
Max elevation: 2807 m
Total climbing: 951 m