Pointe de Zinal

Pointe de Zinal south, at the Upper Blue set

The Zinalspitze (or in the more usual French term Pointe de Zinal ) is a 3'789 m high twin peaks in the Pennine Alps and lies south-east of the Dent Blanche ( 4'357 m). The higher north peak is from the South Summit ( 3'778 m) separated by a 300 -meter-long Connection Ridge. The summit delegate three ridges: northwest toward Dent Blanche, of the Pointe de Zinal by the Col de Zinal ( 3'490 m) is separated, south to Schönbiel horn, and northeast to Mont Durand. The latter is in the course of Arbengrat, the ( 4'063 m) occupies the Obergabelhorn, the deepest notch is the Col Durand ( 3'438 m). To the northeast of the mountain is the Glacier Durand, in the southwest of Schönbiel Glacier and southeast Hohwänggletscher. The summit is somewhat overshadowed by his more famous and higher neighbors, the Dent Blanche and the Obergabelhorn.

Increases

The usual increase in leads from the Col Durand ( 3'438 m) over the northeast ridge. Here, snow and rock alternate. The last meters require rock climbing. The Col Durand is usually achieved by the Schönbielhütte on the Einschartung between Schönbiel Horn and Gemsspitz (top blue set, 3'209 m) and the Hohwänggletscher. From the hut to the Col Durand are about 3 hours to plan for the northeast ridge about 1 ½ hours.

The south summit is accessible via the south ridge. This can be achieved either from the Upper Blue record by crossing the western flank of Schönbiel horn at the lowest notch ( 3'358 m). Alternatively, you can also exceed the Schönbiel horn with an additional time of about 45 minutes to get into this notch. The transition from the south to the higher north summit requires climbing in III. Difficulty, with two Grattürme must be climbed over. From the Schönbielhütte to South Summit are about four hours to plan for the transition to the northern peak again about an hour.

Sources and maps

  • Michael Waeber: field leader Valais Alps. 13th edition, Bergverlag Rother, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-7633-2416- X.
  • Hiking map 1:25.000, Zermatt. 2008 Rotten Verlag, ISBN 978-3-905756-46-3 ( Base Map: National Maps of Switzerland 1:25.000)
Ober Gabelhorn
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