Staffal - Rifugio del Lys
Map & route
GPX track — verify on the ground before hiking
Fitness level
From Staffal you climb the head of the Lys valley towards the Città di Mantova hut at the Lys (also known as Rifugio del Lys), a classic base for the Monte Rosa four-thousanders. The trail crosses pastures, scree and moraines, with the icefalls of the Lys glacier ever closer and the Lyskamm wall dominating the basin. A high-mountain approach on a good path but in a severe setting: a must for those aiming at the Gnifetti and the Margherita hut.
Earth sciences
Geology & landscape
The bedrock is that of the Monte Rosa nappe — continental-crust gneisses and granites, greenstones of the Alpine ocean — carved and polished by the Lys glaciers, among recent moraines and roches moutonnées.
History & culture
This is Walser country: the Alemannic settlers who crossed the Monte Rosa glaciers from Valais in the 13th century left Gressoney the Töitschu language, timber-and-stone stadel and the German names of the peaks.
Getting there
Parking
Photo gallery
Photos are published immediately. JPG/PNG/WebP, max 6 MB.
Flora along the trail
ACurated and verified by Andrea Rama
Data source: Catasto Sentieri Regione Autonoma VdA · Open data — DGR 899/2014
Last verified:
Valle del Lys
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