Bivacco Felice Giordano
0.8
4,166m
Valais, Switzerland
About
Bivacco Felice Giordano sits at 4166m on the Monte Rosa massif in Valais, making it one of the highest shelters in the Alps. Reach it from Alagna Valsesia (Italy side) via the Punta Indren cable car and the normal Monte Rosa route, a 4–5 hour approach across mixed terrain and glacier. Alternatively, approach from the Swiss side via Saas-Fee and the Hörnli Hut route, though this adds time and complexity. The bivacco is positioned for climbers ascending Monte Rosa or traversing the massif.
The shelter is a basic mountain bivouac managed by CAI Varallo Sesia. It has 6 beds across shared sleeping quarters. There is no water on-site—melt snow or bring what you need. The bivacco offers minimal facilities: a roof, walls, and emergency shelter only. Expect no meals, no heating, and no warden in residence. You bring your own food, stove, and fuel. It opens seasonally from June to September depending on snow and access conditions.
Book well ahead with CAI Varallo Sesia, especially for July and August. Contact them directly to confirm current conditions and availability; access and habitability depend entirely on snow cover and glacier stability. Bring a sleeping bag rated to −10°C minimum, extra clothing layers, and a headtorch. This is a working mountaineer's shelter, not a comfortable base camp. Plan your ascent carefully—weather deteriorates rapidly at this altitude, and descent takes time.
The shelter is a basic mountain bivouac managed by CAI Varallo Sesia. It has 6 beds across shared sleeping quarters. There is no water on-site—melt snow or bring what you need. The bivacco offers minimal facilities: a roof, walls, and emergency shelter only. Expect no meals, no heating, and no warden in residence. You bring your own food, stove, and fuel. It opens seasonally from June to September depending on snow and access conditions.
Book well ahead with CAI Varallo Sesia, especially for July and August. Contact them directly to confirm current conditions and availability; access and habitability depend entirely on snow cover and glacier stability. Bring a sleeping bag rated to −10°C minimum, extra clothing layers, and a headtorch. This is a working mountaineer's shelter, not a comfortable base camp. Plan your ascent carefully—weather deteriorates rapidly at this altitude, and descent takes time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book 2–3 months ahead for summer; this is a tiny bivacco with only 6 beds, so availability is tight during peak season (July–August).
Open July to September, weather permitting; it's an unstaffed bivacco, so you need to be self-sufficient.
From Italy: take the Punta Indren cable car from Alagna Valsesia, then hike the Monte Rosa normal route (4–5 hours, mixed terrain and glacier). From Switzerland: approach via Saas-Fee and the Hörnli Hut route (longer and more complex).
Expect basic shelter only—6 beds, no warden, no meals, no water or heating; bring a sleeping bag, stove, fuel, and all food.
No—this is for experienced mountaineers only; you need glacier skills, acclimatization to 4166m, and self-rescue ability in remote alpine terrain.
Quick Facts
- Managing club
- CAI
- Season
- –
- Total
- 6
- Dormitory
- Emergency
- Private rooms
Facilities
Contact & Booking
- Phone
- Website
- https://www.caivarallo.com/rifugi-cai-piemonte-valsesia/bivacco-giordano/