Zube Pass (2871m), trail 4

From Ondre Eselbode to Zube Pass
(you can continue to the Red Horn/Rothòre).

Lyskamm and Vincent Pyramid from the Rothòre

Trail 4 starts from Ondre Eselbode (1627m) and reaches Zube Pass (2871m). It is 9029m long and the total positive elevation gain is 1315m.
The approximate time for the climb is 4h28. The trail is rated of difficulty E.

The trail starts from Gressoney-La-Trinité and runs through the Nétschò valley, climbing up to the Gabiet lake dam, skirting the lake and from here, for a stretch, it shares the route with trail 6, which leads to Col d’Olen.

Zube Pass is located at the end of the first little valley that opens up on the right (east-southeast), coming up from Gabiet, before reaching Col d’Olen. After passing the short access step, the short gully is rather narrow and often, even in summer, a small snowfield covers parts of it.

Zube Pass and Col d’Olen are separated by the Corno Rosso/Rothòre, 3023m, a fun summit that can be reached directly from Zube Pass by following vague trail markers and cairns. The view from the Corno Rosso is spectacular, in addition to being in the front row on the Vincent Pyramid and the surrounding 4000-meter peaks, many notable points in this area of the upper valley are clearly visible: Blue Lake, Punta Telcio, Alta Luce, Colle Salza, Testa Grigia, Rothorn, the Quintino Sella huts, Città di Mantova, Capanna Gnifetti, and so on.

Technically, the trail to Zube Pass presents no difficulty.
On the other hand, from the Zube Pass to the Red Horn, since there is no continuously marked trail, it is necessary to be able to “read the terrain” and scout out the route indicated by cairns and bolts scattered on the rocks. The only technical difficulty is at the very end, as the summit is on a group of flat rocks over which you have to climb.

This page describes the route in detail only from Gabiet, including the continuation to the Red Horn.

A curiosity: in the Walser language, “zubio” means “pee,” and it appears that the place name refers to the presence of numerous waterfalls in the area (from Wikipedia).

More information on level of difficulty, ascent times, maps and GPX tracks

Photo Gallery

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The entrance to the small valley leading to Zube Pass, note the red arrows on the ground

Climbing the step to the Zube Pass, Lyskamm and Vincent Pyramid.

From the step leading to the Zube Pass, looking down into the valley.

Climbing along the little valley of Zube

The stream that runs through the little valley of Zube

The elaborate little man at the Zube Pass

Overview from the Zube Pass towards Valsesia

The Rothòre (in the middle of the photo): the route always keeps to the right of the slope

Looking southeast and Valsesia, Pianalunga

From the Rothòre looking towards the Zube pass (top right): you can clearly see the path to take

The rocks above which the summit of Rothòre is located.

Lyskamm and Vincent Pyramid from the Rothòre

The Corno del Camoscio, in the background the arrival of the Cimalegna chairlift

From the Rothore looking toward the Zube Pass and Straling Point

From left: the Rothorn, the Bloabhòre, the Rothorn Pass. In the foreground, the plateau of St. Anna

On the left is the Salza Pass, immediately to the right is the Alta Luce, below is the Orestes Hut

On the left is the green lake, on the right is the blue lake, in the middle at the top is Punta Telcio

From the Rothòre looking toward Lake Gabiet. The highest peak in the background is the Corno Vitello

From left: Testa Grigia, Bec Forcü, Rothorn

The starting station of the cable car to Punta Indren

The track is littered with wild thistles

1. Start and finish

Trail 4 starts from Ondre Eselbode, the elevation is 1627m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.8277277979, 7.82598178087

The arrival location is Zube Pass. The altitude is 2871m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.8606368884, 7.87457646591

As soon as you enter Gressoney-La-Trinité, cross the bridge over the Lys river and after a hundred meters you will see a sign with a wooden canopy on the right indicating the Walserschild restaurant-pizzeria.

In that narrow street, you can see the signpost with the trail markers for the various trails that start from here (the first section is shared by trail 3 to the Gastaldi bivouac, trail 4 to Passo Zube, and trail 5 to the Gabiet Refuge). You can park on the left, along the Lys.

2. The route

Take the small road next to the Walserschild restaurant as indicated in the “Start and Finish” section, where you will find a signpost. Trail 4 for the first few meters is in common with trail 3 to Gastaldi bivouac and trail 5 to Gabiet hut.

If you want to avoid the first 600 meters of elevation gain, you can take the Stafal-Gabiet cable car: arrive at Stafal and take the cable car that goes up to the right towards Lake Gabiet (timetables and prices).

At Lake Gabiet, go up the dirt road for a very short distance until you reach the Adler’s Nest hut (formerly Rifugio del Lys): follow the signs for Trail 6, since among the many trail markers at the hut, Trail 4 is not indicated since it does not “officially” pass through here.

The marker at Adler’s Nest

Continue climbing towards the Albergo del Ponte hotel: once you reach the hotel, go around the large rock on the right-hand side and take the path that initially climbs to the right.

From Adler’s nest, looking toward the Del Ponte Hotel.

You might get confused in this area because there are a few short trails that intersect each other, but it is very easy not to get lost: if you find a sign painted on rocks or a traditional marker at the fork, always follow the direction to trails 6 or 4. Otherwise, choose the direction leading north, that is, in the direction of the winter ski slope/gondola pylons.

Shortly after leaving Albergo Del Ponte, the trail climbs for a fair distance “to the right”: no need to worry because you will prerso meet a fork signposted 4/6, which makes you finally turn “to the left.”

The crossroads just after the Albergo Del Ponte

After passing through the middle of a group of giant boulders, a small pond will be found: at this point there is a trail marker that, for the first time since Gabiet, points to Trail 4. Trail 4 crosses the pond and goes up along the right bank: however, it is not a problem if you stay on the left bank of the pond, because higher up trails 4 and 6 join along the ski slope anyway.

The signs for Trail 4 near the pond.

In any case, don’t get too much trouble: just keep climbing northeast, parallel to the ski slope/gondola pylons, always staying at the right edge of the slope. It can be clearly seen from this image produced thanks to Google Earth.

The path after Albergo Del Ponte

We continue to climb on the poorly marked trail (since, given the wide dirt road available, everyone walks where they think is most comfortable). After passing a stone hovel, arriving at about 2750m, you will come to a small valley that rises to the right behind a huge boulder. There are inconspicuous red arrows on the ground, but since summer 2022 on the huge boulder (pictured below) there has been a very obvious yellow “4” stamp.

The entrance to the small valley leading to Zube Pass, note the red arrows on the ground

It is at this point that we leave the wide road and cut right, toward the small valley that will take us to Zube Pass. After passing the boulder, the trail climbs the short but steep valley step with slippery terrain, which is overcome with marked turns.

From the step leading to the Zube Pass, looking down into the valley.

Above the step the slope softens, and we continue up the narrow gully within which, suddenly, we seem to plunge into another planet, so jarring is the sudden loneliness in comparison with the busy piston defaced by the pylons of the gondola we have just left.

Climbing along the little valley of Zube

It contours a small stream in the first section: passing a series of small plateaus and, often in summer, a small snowfield, one arrives without much difficulty at Zube Pass (2871m).

The elaborate little man at the Zube Pass

Continuation to the Red Horn/Rothòre

From Zube Pass, the Red Horn is one of the rocky cliffs seen to the left. The trail is quite evanescent at first, you have to look for marked tracks on the ground, cairns and colored markers: it is, however, “all to the right,” sticking fairly close to the mountain ridge. The following picture of the trail, taken from Google Earth, helps you realize the direction you need to keep:

The route is not technically challenging: when moving over purely rocky terrain, cairns are very frequent and it becomes easier to follow the trail. Still keeping to the right, you will soon reach the vicinity of the summit, where you will encounter the only technical difficulty of the route, since the summit cairns (there are more than one) are at the top of rocky clusters to climb over.

The rocks above which the summit of Rothòre is located.

The funny thing is that none of the cairns are obviously higher than the others, so you will end up scouring them all trying to figure out which is the real peak (in my opinion, however, the highest is the one on the left).

Lyskamm and Vincent Pyramid from the Rothòre

From the Rothòre, 3023m, there is a truly 360-degree panorama, as wherever you turn your gaze you will encounter a remarkable vantage point. Clockwise, starting from the southwest, we see the plateau surrounded by Testa Grigia, Bec Forcü and Rothorn, immediately after the Rothorn valley with the Salero lakes, then gaze along the ridge after the Bettaforca pass and catch a glimpse of the Quintino Sella refuge, just below the Blue Lake, Punta Telcio, the plateau with the refuge Orestes Hütte, above which the Colle Salza, the Alta Luce, the Città di Mantova hut, the Capanna Gnifetti can be distinguished in sequence… it is really worth taking binoculars with you, or the most powerful telephoto lens: they certainly won’t stay in your backpack at this point.

In this other image from Google Earth you can see the complete route starting from Albergo Del Ponte, with highlights.

3. Map and GPX track

This is the official map of the trail as recorded in the SCT Trail Registry of the Aosta Valley.
You can download the GPX track of the trail if you want to use it later in your favorite app.

Download the trail in GPX format

4. A recent hike

23/8/2021

Wonderful day, with hardly a cloud in the sky. I started from the Gabiet.

Shortly after passing the Albergo del Ponte, going over a small bump, I caught a marmot very close by. She froze seeing me suddenly swoop in there, then darted to hide between two rocks. I lurked nearby, standing absolutely still, with my camera unsheathed: she put her head out after a while to see if I was still there, and that’s where I caught her in the picture you see in the opening gallery.

No snowfields in the Zube valley, only a few scattered traces of snow. Few people, crossed only on the way back. I walked back up to Stafal, without taking the gondola downhill, following Trail 7A.

Download the trail in GPX format