GUNUNG · Switzerland

Piz Bernina

Piz Bernina (RM/DE) / Pizzo Bernina (IT)

Information

Elevation: 4.049 m
Country: Switzerland (CH)
Location / Range: Bernina Range — Rhaetian Alps, on the border of Graubünden (Switzerland) and Sondrio Province (Italy)
Mountain type: Non-volcanic igneous rock peak (granodiorite and orthogneiss) — Bernina Range, Eastern Alps
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 46.3808, 9.9090
Difficulty: Hard (Alpine AD; the Biancograt — a classic snow ridge — is one of the most beautiful routes in the Alps; requires ice/snow skills, crampons, ice axe, and rope; the normal route via the Labyrinth is slightly easier but still glacial)
Best Season: June–September (snow and glacier conditions most stable; the Marco e Rosa hut is open in summer)
Permits & Rules: No summit permit; reservation required for the Bivacco Marco e Rosa (3,609 m) and Rifugio Marinelli (2,813 m) in peak season
Hazards: Seracs and glacier crevasses in the Labyrinth and on the Biancograt in wet conditions; strong wind exposure on the open ridge; the Biancograt is cornice-prone after fresh snow; rapid weather changes in the Eastern Alps

Description

Piz Bernina (4,049 m) is the highest peak of the Eastern Alps — the entire mountain chain east of Piz Adula and the Lauteraarhorn — and the only Eastern Alpine summit above 4,000 m. It stands exactly on the Swiss–Italian border, in the cantons of Graubünden (Upper Engadin) and Lombardy, overlooked by the legendary Bernina Express railway which passes below at Passo del Bernina. The first ascent was made on 13 September 1850 by Swiss engineer Johann Coaz with brothers Lorenz and Jon Tscharner — a landmark in Eastern Alpine mountaineering history. Piz Bernina is famous for the Biancograt — a pure snow ridge descending northwest from the summit toward Piz Bianco (3,995 m) — widely regarded as one of the most aesthetically perfect alpine routes in the entire Alps and a rite of passage for experienced alpinists. The two main huts serving the ascent are the Marco e Rosa bivouac (3,609 m) on the Italian side and the Diavolezzahütte (2,978 m) on the Swiss side, accessible by gondola from Pontresina. The surrounding area is also home to the world-famous Diavolezza glacier ski and trekking terrain.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Biancograt (Punggung Barat Laut) — Jalur Klasik Estetika Terbaik Alpen

Berat (Alpine AD–; punggung salju klasik ±1 km dengan kemiringan 40–50°; wajib crampon, piolet, dan tali; paparan tinggi di punggung bukit)

20.00 km +1800 m 2 hari (hari 1: Pontresina → Tschierva Hut; hari 2: Tschierva → Biancograt → Puncak → turun ~10–12 jam)

The Biancograt is the most celebrated route on Piz Bernina (4,049 m) and considered one of the most aesthetically perfect alpine lines in the entire Alps — a pure snow ridge, almost horizontal-vertical, extending approximately 1 km from Piz Bianco (3,995 m) to the main Piz Bernina summit. Day one starts from Pontresina (1,805 m) — or can be shortened by using the Roseg gondola to the valley — then hiking to Chamanna da Tschierva (Tschierva Hut, 2,583 m). Day two begins before dawn, climbing via the Tschierva Glacier to Fuorcla Prievlusa (3,430 m), then ascending to Piz Bianco (3,995 m) — a fine summit in its own right that provides the first dramatic view of the Biancograt. From here, climbers traverse the iconic snow arête, at its narrowest barely a stride wide, with sheer drops on both sides, before reaching the Piz Bernina summit. Descent usually follows the Labyrinth/Diavolezza route for variety, or reverses the Biancograt. Snow conditions on the arête are critical — cornices and freeze–thaw cycles require careful judgment.

Route Segments

1

Pontresina (1.805 m) → Chamanna da Tschierva / Tschierva Hut (2.583 m)

⏱ 3–4 jam 2.583 mdpl

Berjalan menyusuri Lembah Roseg; dapat dipersingkat dengan gondola Roseg (beroperasi musim panas) sejauh ~7 km; Tschierva Hut dikelola SAC, kapasitas ~100 orang, reservasi wajib
2

Tschierva Hut (2.583 m) → Fuorcla Prievlusa (3.430 m)

⏱ 2–3 jam 3.430 mdpl

Mendaki Gletser Tschierva; wajib crampon dan tali sejak gletser; roping up sebelum gletser; kondisi celah bervariasi tiap musim
3

Fuorcla Prievlusa (3.430 m) → Piz Bianco (3.995 m)

⏱ 2–3 jam 3.995 mdpl

Pendakian punggung bukit salju yang semakin curam menuju Piz Bianco; paparan tinggi di bagian atas; Piz Bianco adalah puncak mandiri yang memberikan pemandangan perdana Biancograt
4

Piz Bianco (3.995 m) → Puncak Piz Bernina (4.049 m) via Biancograt

⏱ 45–90 menit 4.049 mdpl

Seksi ikonik Biancograt: punggung bukit salju murni ±1 km, kemiringan 40–50°, paparan ekstrem di kedua sisi; kecepatan dan keseimbangan kritis; balikkan ke Tschierva Hut atau lanjut turun via Diavolezza

Source

Via Labyrinth — Rute Normal dari Diavolezza (Lebih Mudah Diakses)

Berat (Alpine PD); glacial penuh — crampon, piolet, tali; lebih pendek dari Biancograt namun tetap menuntut

14.00 km +1070 m 1–2 hari (dari Diavolezza; dapat dilakukan dalam satu hari panjang bagi pendaki berpengalaman)

The route most commonly used by modern climbers due to its accessibility — the Diavolezza gondola from Pontresina lifts directly to 2,978 m, eliminating hundreds of metres of walking from the valley. From the Diavolezzahütte, climbers descend to the Pers Glacier, cross the broad glacial plateau toward the Morteratsch Glacier, then ascend through a series of crevasses and glacial passages called the 'Labyrinth' to the Marco e Rosa Bivouac (3,609 m). From the bivouac, the route continues via Forcola di Crast Agüzza to the Piz Bernina summit (4,049 m). The route is entirely glacial with crevasse conditions that vary each season; a guide or highly experienced leader is essential. Descent follows the same route back to Diavolezza, or varies via the Morteratsch Glacier.

Route Segments

1

Stazione Diavolezza (2.978 m) → Gletser Pers → Gletser Morteratsch

⏱ 1–1,5 jam 2.600 mdpl

Turun dari stasiun gondola Diavolezza ke gletser; gondola beroperasi musim panas dari Pontresina; mulai roping up di gletser
2

Gletser Morteratsch → Labyrinth → Marco e Rosa Bivouac (3.609 m)

⏱ 3–4 jam 3.609 mdpl

Navigasi melalui celah-celah gletser 'Labyrinth'; kondisi celah berubah tiap musim — butuh informasi terkini; bivouac Marco e Rosa butuh reservasi wajib
3

Marco e Rosa Bivouac (3.609 m) → Forcola di Crast Agüzza → Puncak (4.049 m)

⏱ 2–3 jam 4.049 mdpl

Pendakian terakhir melewati punggungan glasial dan berbatu; paparan meningkat drastis menuju puncak; pemandangan 360° mencakup seluruh Alpen Timur

Source

Climbing Experiences

Piz Bernina (4,049 m) attracts climbers from around the world by combining modern accessibility — the Diavolezza gondola carries climbers to 2,978 m — with high-level alpine challenges on its glacial routes. The Biancograt, a pure snow ridge from Piz Bianco to the summit, is frequently cited as one of the most aesthetically perfect routes in the entire Alps: roughly 1 km long with an average gradient of 40–50°, combining dramatic visual beauty with uncompromising mountaineering technique. The normal route via the Labyrinth from Diavolezza is more accessible but still fully glacial. Two official languages — Romansh and German on the Swiss side, Italian to the south — create a unique atmosphere across the two basecamps: Pontresina/Diavolezza in Switzerland and Lanzada/Chiareggio in Italy.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.