The highest house of Europe, Capanna Regina Margerita, an ideal starting point to climb many four thousand meter peaks.

Written By Jeroen Roosen

Q2, 2019

The current Capanna Regina Margerita, lastly renewed in 1980.

To make sure we were well acclimatized before we traversed the narrow snake shaped ridge of Liskamm from East to West, we went to Capanna Regina Margherita and did some climbs in the vacinity. The highest building of Europe is located at 4554 meter on the summit of Punta Gnifetti or Signalkuppe, on the border of Italy and Switzerland. This mountain hut of the Italian Mountain Club (Club Alpino Italiano) can host 70 people for an overnight. The climb to the hut usually takes two days. Most climbers spend first a night at the Swiss Monte Rosa hut, the Italian Gnifetti hut or the Resegotti hut. Whatever approach, it is a long hike across glaciers that demands alpine and orientation skills.
The mountain cabin has often been used as a research centre for high elevation medicine, because of it’s altitude. Water is scarce making a bottle of water as expensive as a bottle of wine. Taking a shower is not possible. To solemnize marriages, which happens regularly, the groom and the bride have to hike to the hut and are not allowed to take a helicopter. These worth knowing facts makes this location special. Above all, what makes this site special are the breathtaking views. And they are breathtaking not only because of the thin air at altitude. From this viewpoint you’ll see never ending mountains ranges, layer after layer, like waves in an endless ocean.

A view for hundreds of kilometers into Italy, France and Switzerland.

View from Zumsteinspitze to Capanna Regina Margherita, while a helicopter is delivering supplies.

Sunrise hitting the summits of Liskamm and its 1100 meter steep ice covered north wall. Its fascinating narrow and exposed snake shaped 5 kilometer long ridge is attracting many climbers. The Swiss call this ridge the ‘Menschenfresser” or people eater. It gained this reputation of the fragile cornices of centimeters narrow snow ridges letting the ground disappear under your feet and strong gusts of wind on this weather barrier of northern and southern Europe.

Logistic services at high altitude by airstar aviation

Jeroen Roosen https://www.momentsinmountains.com
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