Difficulty of ascending 4000m peaks

If you are thinking of climbing a mountain that exceeds an altitude of 4000m above sea level and don’t know where to start maybe this article can help you. You will find a classification of climbs on peaks in the Alps that are over 4000m above sea level according to the difficulty of the climb. Training events will also be offered to help you learn all the progression and safety techniques useful for dealing with glacial terrain and a high mountain ascent in complete autonomy.

Let’s start.

Table of content

• First 4000m summit – getting started
• Summits of 4000m intermediate level
• Summits of 4000m advanced level

First 4000m peak – getting started

Not many 4000m peaks are accessible even to beginners. Especially if you are a beginner, we advise you to always consult a mountain guide. Precisely because they are located at a high altitude, scending these peaks involves crossing glacial terrain. The presence of objective dangers such as landslides, crevasses or avalanches limits access to these peaks to experienced people only. But don’t worry.

If you are a novice and have never reached a 4000m peak or gone on a glacier you can always rely on a mountain guide.

If you are curious to learn all the climbing and safety techniques necessary for the ascent of these peaks you can also find events in the stage formula, where in addition to the ascent of the peak through the accompaniment of a guide, you can use the opportunity to conduct, at the same time, a mountaineering course.

Here is the complete list and in order of difficulty of all the climbs you can make if you are a beginner:

• Western Breithorn – 4165m
• Gran Paradiso – 4061m
• Monte Castore, normal route – 4223m
• Capanna Margherita, Punta Gniffetti – Monte Rosa – 4554m
• Monte Rosa: Capanna Margherita 4554m+ Piramide Vincent – 4215m + Balmenhorn – 4167m
• Punta Giordani, Monte Rosa – 4046m

4000m summit + mountaineering stage formula:

Stage 4000 Monte Rosa Base:
4 peaks above 4000m (Breithorn Occ., Piramide Vincent, Balmenhorn, Punta Gniffetti – Capanna Margherita) + basic mountaineering course

4000m peaks intermediate level

If you already practice winter mountaineering, know your way around snow or mixed ridges and are familiar with glacial terrain; if you are familiar with preservation and all safety techniques in case of a crevasse fall; or if you have participated in the Stage 4000 Monte Rosa Base; then we recommend that you also try climbing the following peaks:

• Mount Pollux – 4092m
• Castor traverse (west face) – 4223m + Pollux – 4092
• Cresta del Soldato, Punta Giordani, Monte Rosa – 4046m
• Punta Zumstein, Monte Rosa – 4563m
• Aiguilles des Marbrées, Mont Blanc – 3535m

4000m summit + mountaineering stage formula:

Stage 4000 Monte Rosa Advanced: 3 peaks above 4000m (Castor, Pollux, Lyskamm Nose) + advanced mountaineering course

4000m peaks advanced level

You will need to have good physical training, and experience on many of the peaks exposed above, as well as knowledge of safety and progression techniques in winter mountaineering and glacial terrain. Another prerequisite to be able to do these climbs is to have participated in the Advanced 4000 Stage, Matterhorn Stage or Mont Blanc Stage.

• Punta Dufour, Monte Rosa – 4634m
• Matterhorn Mountain – 4478m
• Mont Blanc – 4809m

4000m summit + mountaineering internship formula:

Stage 4000m Mont Blanc:
mixed ridge + 3 peaks above 4000m (Aiguilles des Marbrées, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Maudit and Mont Blanc) + advanced mountaineering course

Stage 4000m Mount Matterhorn:
East Breithorn Central ridge + Hornli ridge to Mount Matterhorn + advanced mountaineering course

Stage 4000m Punta Dufour:
Soldier’s Ridge to Punta Giordani + Punta Gnifetti (Capanna Margherita) + Punta Zumstein + Punta Dufour + advanced mountaineering course