2-day Aiguille des Glaciers traverse via the Kuffner Ridge
A 2-day alpine traverse of the Aiguille des Glaciers via the Kuffner Ridge, climbing from Italy and descending into France. This quiet and technical route combines snow, rock and mixed terrain up to grade IV, with an overnight stay at the remote Hess bivouac.
Private
Alps
2 Days
Jun - Aug
Highlights
- Approach the route through Val Veny by e-bike before continuing on foot to the remote Hess bivouac.
- Climb the Kuffner Ridge on a quiet and technical section of the Mont Blanc massif, with snow, rock and mixed terrain up to grade IV.
- Complete a full alpine traverse from Italy into France, with the option to add a preparation and acclimatization day before the main objective.
Description
Join me for a 2-day ascent of the Aiguille des Glaciers via the Kuffner Ridge, a wild and technical alpine traverse on the western edge of the Mont Blanc massif.
Located in Val Veny, on the border between Italy and France, this is a beautiful option if you are looking for a quieter high-mountain experience away from the busier classic routes around Chamonix and Courmayeur. There are no lifts and no staffed mountain huts close to the route, so the approach is an important part of the adventure.
We begin in Val Veny, using e-bikes to cover the first section of the valley efficiently before continuing on foot towards the Hess bivouac. This allows us to make the long approach more manageable while still keeping the overall character of the trip remote and self-contained.
On the second day, we climb the Kuffner Ridge from the Italian side, following a varied alpine line that combines snow, rock and mixed terrain, with climbing sections up to grade IV. After reaching the summit of the Aiguille des Glaciers, we descend on the French side before completing the loop back towards Rifugio Elisabetta, recovering the e-bikes and riding back down Val Veny.
The standard program takes 2 days, but depending on your previous mountaineering experience, I may recommend adding a preparation and acclimatization day before the climb. This extra day is particularly useful if you already have solid mountaineering basics but have limited recent experience on technical mixed ridges.
We can use a route such as the Aiguilles Marbrées traverse, Aiguilles d’Entrèves or the Tour Ronde in early season to assess your crampon technique, your confidence on exposed terrain and how efficiently we move together on a short rope. It also gives us the opportunity to acclimatize and make sure you are comfortable before committing to the Kuffner Ridge. This is not a beginner training day, but a way to confirm that your existing skills are appropriate for the route.
Send a request with details of your previous mountaineering experience, and we can decide whether the 2-day program or the version with an additional preparation day is the best fit.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
Price details
- Not Included:
- Ebike rental costs approximately €50 per person/day.
- Optional preparation day: €500
Meeting point
Itinerary
Day 1: Val Veny > Rifugio Elisabetta > Hess bivouac
We will meet in the Courmayeur / Val Veny area and start from the parking area near the campground.
We will use e-bikes for the first part of the approach, riding up Val Veny towards Rifugio Elisabetta. We will leave the bikes there and continue on foot.
From Rifugio Elisabetta, we will climb approximately 600 vertical meters to reach the Hess bivouac, located at around 2,900–3,000 meters.
The Hess bivouac is a very small, unguarded bivouac with only five places, and it cannot be booked in advance. We will therefore carry lightweight sleeping bags and need to be prepared to sleep outside if the bivouac is already full.
Because we are doing a traverse and will not return to the bivouac the following day, we will carry all our overnight equipment with us during the climb.
Day 2: Kuffner Ridge > Aiguille des Glaciers > Val Veny
We will leave the bivouac early in the morning and start climbing the Kuffner Ridge from the Italian side.
This classic mixed alpine route combines snow and rock, with climbing sections up to grade IV.
We should reach the summit of the Aiguille des Glaciers after approximately 5-6 hours of climbing.
From the summit, at around 3,800 meters, we will descend on the French side. The descent takes approximately 4 hours and brings us back to Rifugio Elisabetta.
We will then recover our e-bikes and ride back down Val Veny.
Details
Accommodation
1 night at the Hess bivouac, an unguarded bivouac at approximately 2,958 meters with only four places. It cannot be booked in advance, so participants must carry a lightweight sleeping bag and be prepared to sleep outside if the bivouac is full.
More info
Requirements
This route does not require an extreme level of physical fitness, but good technical mountaineering experience is essential.
You need to be comfortable using crampons on mixed snow and rock terrain and moving efficiently on exposed alpine ridges.
Having climbed routes such as Mont Blanc, Gran Paradiso or to the Margherita Hut is not sufficient experience on its own, as these are technically easier glacier objectives.
You should already have experience on mixed alpine ridges. Good examples include:
- Liskamm Traverse
- Dufourspitze
- Breithorn half-traverse
- Aiguilles Marbrées
If I have any doubt about your previous experience, I may recommend doing the preparation day together before attempting the Kuffner Ridge.
Optional preparation day
If you already have the necessary mountaineering basics but have limited recent experience on technical mixed ridges, I recommend adding a preparation and acclimatization day before the Kuffner Ridge.
We can, for example, climb the Aiguilles Marbrées traverse, Aiguilles d’Entrèves or the Tour Ronde in early season.
This is not a day for learning mountaineering or crampon technique from scratch. The objective is to check that you are comfortable and confident on your crampons, assess how you move on a short rope and make sure we work efficiently together as a rope team.
It is also a good opportunity to acclimatize before the main objective.
Best period
The best period is generally from early/mid-June until early August, depending on snow and mixed climbing conditions.
The exact season can vary considerably from year to year, so I will always assess the current mountain conditions before confirming the objective.
Equipment you will need to bring
Keeping the backpack light is particularly important on this route. Because we will not return to the bivouac, everything we take for the night needs to be carried during the traverse.
Mountaineering boots
You will need rigid or semi-rigid crampon-compatible mountaineering boots with good ankle support.
I prefer boots compatible with semi-automatic crampons.
Crampons
You need steel crampons for this route. Aluminium crampons are not appropriate.
For this type of mixed route, I particularly like 10-point crampons. Their shorter points provide good stability when moving on rock compared with longer 12-point crampons.
Ice axe
A classic steel mountaineering ice axe is appropriate.
I recommend a relatively short ice axe adapted to your height, typically around 48–58 cm.
Backpack
Your mountaineering backpack should ideally be no larger than 30–32 litres.
We need to carry our sleeping equipment during the climb, so keeping the backpack compact and light is important.
Clothing
You should bring:
- Waterproof Gore-Tex shell
- Stretch softshell mountaineering trousers
- Appropriate insulating layers
- Gloves
- Sunglasses
- Standard high-mountain clothing
Harness
You need an adjustable mountaineering harness.
Make sure it fits correctly when wearing the layers you will actually use in the mountains.
Sleeping bag
Bring a lightweight sleeping bag, ideally under 1 kg, with a comfort temperature around 0°C.
Because we cannot reserve places at the bivouac, it should also be suitable for sleeping outside if necessary.
A final tip on packing
One of the most common mistakes I see is actually bringing too much rather than too little.
Spare clothes, unnecessary toiletries and other non-essential items quickly add weight to your backpack.
Before leaving the car, we will check the equipment together and leave behind anything we do not need.
FAQs
How difficult is the Kuffner Ridge?
The route combines snow, rock and mixed terrain, with climbing sections up to grade IV.
The physical effort is reasonable for an experienced mountaineer, with approximately 5-6 hours of ascent and 4 hours of descent, but the route is technically demanding.
You need to be confident using crampons on mixed terrain and moving efficiently on exposed alpine ridges.
Is climbing Mont Blanc or Gran Paradiso enough experience?
No, not on its own.
These climbs provide useful high-altitude and glacier experience, but they do not necessarily prepare you for the technical mixed terrain of the Kuffner Ridge.
Previous experience on routes such as the Liskamm Traverse, Dufourspitze, Breithorn half-traverse or Aiguilles Marbrées is more relevant.
Can I add a preparation day?
Yes. If you have the required mountaineering background but need to refresh or demonstrate your technical skills, we can add a preparation day.
We can use a route such as the Aiguilles Marbrées traverse, Aiguilles d’Entrèves or the Tour Ronde in early season to acclimatize, assess your crampon technique and get used to moving together as a rope team.
When is the best time to climb the Kuffner Ridge?
Usually from early/mid-June until early August.
The exact window depends on snow, temperatures and mountain conditions, so I will assess the conditions before the trip.
Where will we sleep?
We will spend the night at the Hess bivouac, at 2,958 meters.
It is an unguarded bivouac with only four places and cannot be reserved. We therefore need to be prepared to sleep outside if it is full.
Do we leave our sleeping equipment at the bivouac?
No. We are doing a traverse and will not return to the bivouac.
Everything we bring for the night needs to fit into our backpacks and be carried during the climb.
Why do we use e-bikes?
The e-bikes allow us to cover the long approach through Val Veny much more efficiently.
We will leave them around Rifugio Elisabetta and recover them after completing the traverse.
What crampons should I bring?
Steel crampons. Do not bring aluminium crampons for this route.
I particularly like 10-point crampons for this type of mixed climbing because their shorter points provide good stability when moving over rock.
What size backpack should I bring?
I recommend a mountaineering backpack of no more than approximately 30-32 litres.
The objective is to carry everything we need while keeping the pack as light and compact as possible.
What equipment brands do you recommend?
For equipment of this type, some of the brands I personally trust include Scarpa for mountaineering boots; Grivel, Petzl and Climbing Technology for crampons and ice axes; and Marmot and Valandré for sleeping bags.
The most important thing, however, is not the brand but having equipment that fits you properly and is appropriate for this particular route.
About the guide
Enrico & Guides' Team
4.9
(29)
Mountain Guide
Enrico and IFMGA Guides’ team
At the age of 15, I knew I wanted to become a mountain guide, I wanted to live in the mountains, teach and share my new passion with everyone. In 2006 I realized my dream and I became a professional certified mountain guide.
I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience with my clients, embarking on a journey that slowly transforms the guide-client relationship into a climbing partner and often a lasting friendship. I am not and never will be a lone climber but "a fellow explorer”. My specialty is certainly climbing on ice and mixed terrain at high altitude.
With my clients I have climbed the most difficult faces in the Alps, explored mountain ranges, and traveled across America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Now I share all this with a group of friends and highly qualified, professional guides who will be pleased to lead and teach you whenever I am not available.
If I trust them…you can trust them too!
Languages
Italian | French | English
Certificates
IFMGA
What people are saying about Enrico & Guides' Team
Anna
Florence
Trip of a lifetime, thank you!
Eiffel
Manuel took us on a 4 day trip through the French Alps climbing different routes on different terrain. Amazing adventure. Thanks Enrico and Team for coordinating.
Ian
Fantastic guide, very flexible and adapted to the conditions each day. Great recommendations for restaurants too.
Ben
Enrico is a great guy and a brilliant mountain guide. He is easy to get on with and focused on developing the skills I needed to develop, adapting the itinerary to my needs and was able to provide a very worthwhile few days even in less than ideal conditions.
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