Bivacco Ulrich Lateltin

The place

Planned sleeping places: 16. Places on mattresses: 20. This is still in the Italian tradition of metal-clad barrel-vaulted shelters, only with double or triple the usual capacity. The Tête Grise (3314 m; the rock is stacked like plates or eroded slopes, rather crumbly overall, but without difficulty: best done early) is one of the most visited viewpoints in the area, for the view and the sunrises... so it was built fairly large. An illustration can be seen on this page and others on this site. No water nearby (snowfields or runoff water on the slopes). Mattresses and blankets on a stacked sleeping platform. Very good insulation. Tables, benches. The approach route coincides with that of the Col Pinter, a required stage on the normal route of the Tête Grise (not to be confused with its namesake at the Breithorn!!), between the Val d'Ayas and the Gressoney valley. I only know the Ayas side, starting from the village of Champoluc. Near the church, a small road (signposted) is quickly followed by a path heading ENE along the right bank of the Cunéaz stream toward the Chalet de France, then the Cunéaz alpine pasture (2032 m). Around 2300 m, you cross the stream and tackle a narrow, steeper valley of scree (late-lying snowfields) that guards the Col Pinter. From there, you head NNE, on a trace slightly on the left flank of the ridge up to the flattened summit of Mt Pinter, north of which a shelf leads to the shelter. Reckon on a good 5 hours. CAI, Gressoney section. Official website: http://www.montagneinvalledaosta.com/SITO/pagina_510a_rif_biv_bivacco_lateltin/pagina_510a.html