Hiking beneath the east face of Monte Rosa, Anzasca Valley
Zamboni Zappa Mountain Hut beneath the east face of Monte Rosa
A half-day’s hike from Macugnaga-Pecetto taking in the Zamboni Zappa Mountain Hut and Lago dell Looce beneath the Himalayan scale of the east face of Monte Rosa, Anzasca Valley, Italian Alps.
I was promised an epic mountain landscape of Himalayan scale
So here I am, sitting on a boulder by the Lago delle Locce moraine lake high above the end of the magnificent Anzasca valley with the Nordern glacier beneath my feet. And I am not disappointed. The east face of Monte Rosa is brutal and spectacular.
The wall is three kilometres wide and rises 2500 metres directly above me. Awesome is an overused adjective, but today it is apposite; no other mountain in the Alps can show such a massive face. Tortured iced couloirs are separated by vertical cliffs that drop from the long summit ridge connecting Gnifetti (4556m), Zumstein (4576m), Dufour (4636m) and Nordend (4610m).
The soundscape is unnerving. There is a gentle burbling of nearby streams, a louder hiss of glacial-fed waterfalls and heard above both the roar and pounding of constant rockfall tearing the face apart. The impact of reduced snowfall and rising seasonal temperatures are irrefutable.
Yet, for all that, this is a serene place to stop and take stock. Visually, as far from the built environment as I have ever been; from my perch, there is no evidence of man's hand on this immense landscape. At this moment, I am at peace and immensely satisfied.
Tantalising glimpse of Monte Rosa from the Anzasca valley
Walking to Zamboni Zappa Mountain Hut
Tantalising glimpses of Monte Rosa
The day had started early(ish). While the coffee is brewing, I assemble a small lunch of bread, Italian hard cheese and ham, and – trying not to wake Penny and Draco – tip-toe out of the holiday cottage. It is 7:30 am and already hot.
The drive through the Anzasca valley is splendidly scenic with tantalising glimpses of the Monte Rosa snow-capped peaks. In the upper valley I pass through several beautiful villages with a distinctive architectural character introduced by the Walser, a Germanic people who emigrated from the Vallese area.
At the end of the valley the Macugnaga villages sit in a stunning setting beneath the Monte Rosa massif; all very distracting as I navigate some very narrow village streets.
This is a serene place to stop and take stock. Visually, as far from the built environment as I have ever been.
The journey ends at Macugnaga-Pecetto and the carpark for a chairlift that rises to 1900m. I am expecting a queue, but it is blissfully quiet. The chairlift is good value, and the view from the gently swaying seat is mesmerising with the mountain view expanding metre by metre.
Today is sunny with blue skies and a gentle breeze and the 30 minute ride is superb. However, the slowness of the lift may not be so appealing in less ideal conditions.
Many people ride the lift to access the footpath to the lovely Zamboni Zappa Mountain Hut, 2065m, and that's exactly where I am heading before walking on towards the glaciers. A 50-minute ramble treats me to extensive views of the Anzasca valley to my left and the Monte Rosa face to my right. The path rises and then falls to a crossing of a rock-covered glacier before rising again and heading towards the valley of the Alpe Pedriola meadows.
As the path begins to level I meet cattle grazing lush grasses by mountain streams and pass an ancient stone barn selling cheese and yoghurt. A few minutes later, the mountain hut comes into view: wooden upper floors with a white-washed base, red shutters and an Italian flag fluttering above a very comfortable-looking cafe area. That will do nicely.
The coffee is excellent and the view is outstanding with the whole of the east face of Monte Rosa before me. I spend a few minutes soaking it all in and drying the sweat on the back of my rucksack. Did I mention it was hot? This is July 2022. Oh, and the coffee cost 1.50€!
Delightful as this is, I push on towards the glaciers before the temperature rises further. Leaving the hut I walk across the Alpe Pedriola meadows. Fed with amply water from the many small streams, the area is rich with alpine flowers and mosses, naturally enriched by the cattle whose tinkling bells add the perfect alpine soundtrack.
Huge boulders scatter the meadow and are well suited to bouldering; I believe mats can be rented from the hut,
I start uphill again to crest the edge of the moraine, and below me lies Lago dell Locce, 2220m, pale blue water mirroring the sky and glaciers. I drop down and walk around the edge trying to capture the reflection of the higher peaks in the lake with disappointing results. Must try harder!
And then onwards to the glaciers. Close to they appear steeper than I imagined, and the sound of the rockfall convinces me that a seat on a nearby boulder overlooking the Nordern glacier is the perfect place to take a moment and enjoy the peace, solitude and spectacular scenery.
Hike to Zamboni Zappa Mountain Hut and Lago dell Locce
Start: Macugnaga-Pecetto
From the top of the chairlift
Time: 50 minutes to the hut plus an extra 40 minutes to the lake
Height gain: 400m
From the top of the chairlift
Time: 1 hour 50 minutes to the hut plus an extra 40 minutes to the lake
Height gain: 750m
For further details visit the Zamboni Zappa Mountain Hut website