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GEOGRAPHY AND TOURISM, Vol. 6, No. 2 (2018), 119-128, Semi-Annual Journal eISSN 2449-9706, ISSN 2353-4524, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2144166 © Copyright by Kazimierz Wielki University Press, 2018. All Rights Reserved. http://geography.and.tourism.ukw.edu.pl

Marcin Gorączko UTP University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, Bydgoszcz, Poland, email: [email protected]

Easy four-thousanders in the : between alpinism and mass tourism

Abstract: The article discusses natural and anthropogenic conditions of the present-day exploration of five Alpine moun- tain peaks – selected for the purpose of the present paper – standing at 4000 meters above sea level or higher, includ- ing , , Gran Paradiso, Punta Gnifetti () and , which are referred to as easy Alpine four-thousanders. A common belief that the summits are easily accessible contributes to a higher volume of tourists in their region, which, besides favorable and relatively safe natural conditions, is further facilitated by intensive development of tourism infrastructure including huts and most of all mountain railways. The analysis of the contemporary phenomenon of climbing easy four-thousanders almost on a massive scale provides basis for a discussion on the ongoing human impact on the environment in the highest Alps and the blurring of boundaries between a sport and elite mountain feat that requires both special qualifications and considerable experience and an objectively average achievement accessible to almost every physically fit tourist. Key words: alpine four-thousanders, Alpine tourism, mass tourism

1. Introduction

Mountain areas are home to diverse tourist century (Kurek, 2004), its development on activities which irrespective of their nature a mass scale is a relatively new phenomenon. It is (sporting, cognitive or aesthetic) are typically assumed that the development of mass summer a source of very powerful experiences and sen- tourism in the Alps began only a few years after sations (Czyż, 2010). Most popular forms of the end of World War II, while winter tourism mountain tourism include hiking, skiing and as a mass phenomenon emerged even later, in mountain biking. The attractiveness of moun- the mid-1960s (Bätzing, 1991). Now as in the tain tourism, especially in high-mountain past, the main motive for the majority of tourist regions, manifests itself primarily in the unique stays is to climb the Alpine peaks, including the landscape value. Climbing mountain ridges highest ones, which are a unique attraction at and summits tourists can observe as plant life least on a continental scale. changes with altitude and admire vast panora- The present article aims to analyze the nat- mas opening in front of their eyes. A wide vari- ural and infrastructure conditions underlying ation in the landscape, topography and climate the increased volume of mountain tourism are a strong impulse for physical and mental in the areas of Alpine peaks, which in travel states of tourists (Kurek, 2004). The Alps in guide books and on specialist portals as well as Europe are the biggest and most economi- the Internet fora are quite often referred to as cally developed of the mountain regions in the “easy” four-thousanders. The author attempts world, with nearly 120 million tourists visiting to determine what makes them fall into this the Alpine region on an annual basis (Bartaletti, category and if this is in fact a reasoned catego- 2012). Although the region has a longstanding rization. The issues outlined in this article are tradition of tourism that goes back to the 19th important for natural environment conserva- 120 Marcin Gorączko tion to prevent devastation, which must natu- may result in an increased number of mountain rally occur with the growing number of tourists accidents and them being the likely casualties threatening to exceed the carrying capacity for from such accidents. tourism in the mountain peak areas and along The present paper is based mainly on the mountain trails leading to them. A fact partic- author’s own observation and reflection regard- ularly worth noticing is an increased number ing the scale and the limits of Alpine tourism of tourists in the Alps from outside the Alpine promotion. It also draws on a selection of pop- countries, especially from Central and East- ular travel guide books (Babicz and Tkaczyk, ern Europe (EUROSTAT, 2017). The experi- 1994; Babicz, 1995; Goedeke, 2011, 2012) as ence those tourists have gained in much lower well as tourist cartographic materials (, mountain ranges (e.g., in the summer, in the 2003; Saas, 2012; Valsavarenche, 2013; Alte valli Tatra ) coupled with their belief that d’Ayas e del Lys , 2016). the Alpine four-thousanders are easy to climb

2. A list of the Alpine four-thousanders and a historical overview of their accessibility

Most probably establishing the number of and Oeggl, 2000) was made near the summit mountain peaks in the Alps exceeding 4000 of Fineilspitze (3.514 m) in the Ötztal Alps meters in absolute altitude unambiguously and on the Austrian-Italian border. “Ötzi”, which indisputably will never be possible . This is due is the a nickname the mummy received, was to the many different criteria taken into consid- a hunter gatherer dressed in leathers and shoes eration (altitude, morphology, landscape and made from intertwined strands of soft grass even history) when drawing up such a list. For and bast. Based on a comprehensive research, it some, Alpine four-thousanders are only those was established that Ötzi the iceman, was well mountain peaks that are clearly separated from nourished and equipped with weapon and tools their adjacent ridges and shoulders, excluding of everyday use, and that the immediate cause foresummits and other bulges in the ridges, of his death was not hypothermia or suffoca- while others include them provided their rela- tion from being under snow but the wounds he tive altitude is higher than the preset limit value sustained fighting against other men. of, for instance, 100 m or 30 m. This significant The 20th century brought about break- discrepancy shows already that this criterion throughs in establishing new increasingly diffi- is quite conventional and is not necessarily cult climbing routs in the entire Alpine region. reflected in the terrain from the climber’s per- The progress achieved in climbing techniques spective. The most well-known and most often over the past century is best demonstrated in used list of Alpine four-thousanders was devel- the time needed to ascent the famous Eiger oped by the International Climbing and Moun- vertical north face (3.970 m) in the Brenese taineering Federation (L’Union Internationale Alps. Now it takes no longer than two and des Associations d’Alpinisme) in 1994 (UIAA, a half hours, while the first climbers needed 1994). The list includes 82 mountain peaks. approximately four days to reach the summit. was first reached as late as the Apart from free climbing other most diverse second half of the 18th century while the next new disciplines classified as extreme sports pioneering ascents of the Alpine four-thou- are being developed, including but not limited sanders took place mainly in the following cen- to ice climbing, mountain biking, free skiing, tury. In the main, this concerns the so-called paragliding, speed flying, BASE jumping. At documented ascents. A belief in the pristine the same time these mountains are becom- nature of the highest Alpine areas undisturbed ing increasingly available for mass tourism, by man was questioned in 1991, when a discov- which is fueled by a massive development of ery of a well-preserved corpses of a man who infrastructure, including accommodation and lived about 3000 years BC (Bortenschlager dining facilities, mountain railways and ski Easy four-thousanders in the Alps: between alpinism and mass tourism 121 lifts. For instance, it is estimated that there are area of the highest Alpine peaks. Also huge approximately 2500 mountain huts while the technological advances in mountaineering number of ski lifts amounts to several thousand apparel and equipment as well as their wide- (Kurek, 2004). They can also be found in the spread availability shall not be underestimated.

3. Environmental and infrastructure aspects of ascend- ing the easy four-thousanders in the Alps

Allalinhorn (4.027 m n.p.m.) located in the commonly considered the easiest 4000-metre in (Fig. 1) is now peak in the Alps to climb.

Figure 1. The position of the Alpine four-thousanders discussed herein Source: the author’s own work

There are at least two reasons justifying this a tourist reaches a point from which the dis- common belief. Firstly, in its immediate vicin- tance to be covered on foot is less than 600 ity, there is an underground funicular called meters in elevation difference. And this can „Metro-Alpin”, operating there since 1984. It be done in about two hours (Fig. 2). Although helps tourists reach the altitude of nearly 3500 the trail leads through a , it is mostly meters above sea level (to the peak of Mittel snow-covered with a gentle ascent. Moreover, Allalin), with the capacity of 1500 persons per initially it passes through year-round ski area. hour. In turn the lower station (at approx.3000 The mountain summit is best known for its m) is connected with Saas-Fee village (one of vast panorama even among those complain- the highest tourist resorts in Switzerland, at ing about the man-made desecration of the an altitude of approximately 1800 m above sea surrounding area. Besides being easily accessi- level) via two cable car services ‘Alpin Express’ ble, this is certainly the main reason why the and ‘Felskinn’. In fact it means that within sev- summit enjoys such a great popularity among eral hours starting from the bottom of a valley tourists. 122 Marcin Gorączko

Figure 2. A view over Allalinhorn (4.027 m) as seen Figure 3. The view from Zermatt side over the western from the upper station of „Metro-Alpin” (3.456 m) summit of Breithorn (4.164 m) and the Klein Matter- horn (3.883 m) Source: M. Jarosz, www.commons.wikimedia.org Publication based on the GNU Free Documentation Source: the author’s personal archive License

Figure 4. The route to the Breithorn within the plateau Figure 5. The view of the western summit of Breithorn area at the foot of the mountain towards the East Source: the author’s personal archive Source: the author’s personal archive

Figure 6. The Vittorio Emanuele II Refuge at the alti- Figure 7. The final section of the route to Gran Par- tude of 2.735 meters adiso. Source: the author’s personal archive Sources: the author’s personal archive Easy four-thousanders in the Alps: between alpinism and mass tourism 123

Figure 9. Tourists on the normal route to the Punta Gnifetti (Signalkuppe) summit above the the Capanna Giovanni Gnifetti refuge

Figure 8. Gran Paradiso – the Madonna summit Source: the author’s personal archive (4,052 m). Source: the author’s personal archive

Figure 11. Snow and ice landscape of the Monte Rosa massif in the summer season Source: the author’s personal archive Figure 10. The crevasses area on the trail to Punta Gnifetti. Source: the author’s personal archive

Figure 12. The summit of Punta Gnifetti (4.554 m). Figure 13. The building of the Capanna Regina Mar- gherita hut Source: the author’s personal archive Source: the author’s personal archive 124 Marcin Gorączko

Only climbing the peak of Breithorn (4.164 described in this paper, that can be reached m) seems a little more of a challenge nowadays. from the bottom of the valley entirely on foot The mountain is also located in the Pennine along a trail starting from Pont (1920 m) with- Alps, yet on the border between (to the out any artificial conveniences on the way. south) and Switzerland (to the north). It may The Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II is an ideal come as a surprise that on the Swiss side this starting points to climb the summit. The hut multi-peak massif slopes with an exceptionally is situated at an elevation of 2.735 meters and impressive steep rock and ice wall measuring is a tourist attraction itself, especially in good 2.5 km in width, where spectacular seracs falls weather on summer weekends (Fig. 6). Besides, and avalanches are a frequent sight. However, the hike to the hut follows a well-marked from the southern side Breithorn presents itself trial. Built in 1884, the hut was substantially somewhat differently. This is particularly so for enlarged in the mid-20th century. The place its highest west peak which looks like a huge offers 120 beds in the main building and some snow-capped ice dome, towering over a vast dormitory rooms in the nearby winter shelter. snow-covered plateau. And it is this summit The latter runs a year round service, while the that essentially attracts most climbs on the Bre- main building opens in mid-June and closes ithorn (Fig. 4) Accommodation in the summit in mid-September. However reservations can area is very well developed. It mainly includes be made already as of mid-March. In fact, the two Italian huts Rifugio Teodulo (3.317 m, 86 ascent to the mountain summit is not too hard, beds) and Rifugio Guide del Cervino (3.480 m, yet quite onerous. Once you leave the hut, the 36 beds). They can be reached with no major first part of the trail is already rough and very problems from the upper funicular cable bumpy, leading through rock blocks. Then the car station operating all year round between path leads through quite steep moraines, screes Breuil-Cervinia in the valley of and rocks. Then at an elevation of about 3.300 (approx. 2.000 m.) and the peak of meters it becomes a glacier route (the Gran Par- (3.408 m). And yet the volume of tourist flows adiso glacier). This section of the climb is not within the Breithorn regionhas been affected problematic either, fairly low angled and with by the cable car service operating there since few crevasses. The final 60 meters, just before December 1979 with its lower station in Zer- the subsidiary summit of Gran Paradiso called matt. Its upper station is in the area of Klein Madonna (4.052 m), are most challenging as the (3.883 m ), from where a tunnel ridge is exposed (Fig. 7 and Fig. 8). Most climb- drilled in the mountain runs directly to the gla- ers reach as high as this point, considering it to cial plateau below Breithorn. On average over be the true summit of the Gran Paradiso, while half a million people use this means of trans- the main summit (4,061 m) is, in actual fact, at port annually. Even assuming that the majority the south-west ridge and requires a few more of them are skiers or people for whom the main minutes of a mixed and even more exposed tourist attraction is to admire the views on the climb. The exceptional setting of Gran Paradiso way up and await the ride down, the remain- as the highest isolated point of the massif offers ing group of people is big enough for Breithorn a wide panoramic view over Mont Blanc and to gain a reputation of an extremely congested Matterhorn, among others. The Vittorio Eman- summit. However with good weather condi- uele II refuge is also a starting point for climb- tions the panorama extending from the peak ing Tresenta (3.609 m), a much smaller summit of Breithorn includes both the massif of Monte which can also be reached through a relatively Rossa and Matterhorn and is one of the most easy glacier route. Therefore many tourists beautiful panoramas in the entire Alps (Fig. planning to climb Gran Pardiso decide to 5). For this reason alone, it is worth getting to spend at least two nights at the refuge. Located the top despite an excessive concentration of between Switzerland and Italy, Monte Rosa is climbers in this area. the highest mountain massif in the Alps. The Situated in the entirely within massif includes (4.634 m), the the Italian territory, Gran Paradiso (4.069 m) highest mountain peak of Switzerland and also is another very popular tourist destination. It the second highest stand-alone mountain of the is the only mountain summit, out of the four Alps. Except for Dufourspitze, there are other Easy four-thousanders in the Alps: between alpinism and mass tourism 125

11 four-thousanders within the massif, with rebuilt in in 1967. For the majority of climbers five of them over 4.500 meters above sea level. staying overnight at the two huts, the goal is to Moreover the east face of the massif measuring climb Punta Gnifetti (4.554 m), Signalkuppe 2.400 meters above sea level is considered to be in the , on the Italian-Swiss the highest in the Alps. Still access to this gigan- border. This summit can be reached following tic massif has been greatly facilitated by the 4-5 hours of climbing a snow and glacier route construction of a gondola lift service in 2011, (Fig. 9). The initial and final sections of the trail operating all year round from the settlement of are most difficult with the greatest challenge Staffal (about 1800 m above sea level), part of being deep crevasses (Fig. 10). In the summer Gressoney-La-Trinité village in the Gressoney the hike follows well-trodden mountain trails, valley (Val de Gressoney), which takes passen- which clearly suggest the direction when pass- gers (capacity of 2.400 persons per hour, 7-15 ing and crossing the crevasses. Undoubtedly, minute-ride) to the altitude of approximately taking the normal route to Punta Gnifetti 2.300 m above sea level near lake Gabiet (Lago provides an incredible opportunity to expe- Gabiet), a reservoir where one can change to rience the vastness of the snow and ice desert a gondola going to the Salati mountain pass (Fig. 11), against which human silhouettes are (Passo dei Salati 2.980 m) built in 2004. Passo vanishing even if the trail is busy. Even in this dei Salati can also be reached by a cable car wild Alpine landscape one will find products from Alagna, situated in the neighboring of our civilization, which in fact directly con- valley. Since 2010 the cable car route has been tributes to the popularity of the trail among extended and it takes passengers all the way to tourists. Situated on top of Punta Gnifetti, there the Indren Glacier. Thus in a short time and is the Capanna Regina (Fig. without much effort one can reach an elevation 12) marking the final destination point of the of 3.200 m, from where after a slightly over an trail since 1893. The present two-story build- hour-hike leading through rocks and a heav- ing (70 bed places) was built in 1980. It is the ily melting glacier one can reach huts opened highest-altitude lived-in building of Europe in the spring and summer season, which are (Fig. 13). For those who already reached this a starting point for climbs further up the Monte place, climbing the nearby easy (F-) summit of Rosa massif. Slightly below (3.498 m), there is Zumsteinspitze (4563 m) presents no technical Citta di Montova (80 beds), a refuge built in difficulty all the more so as the summit offers 1974. The second hut is Capanna Giovanni a magnificent view over the Monte Rosa massif Gnifetti (3.647 m, almost 180 beds), which was as well as other mountain groups.

4. Are easy four-thousanders ease? – Introduction to a discussion

To evaluate the overall difficulty of the rock and Difficle) and extremely hard (ED - Extrement ice routs in the Alps, the Alpine scale (Fyffe Difficle). In addition, to better describe the and Peter, 1997) developed in the 1940s is often conditions present the scale allows a further used. The scale evaluates how hard the route is, gradation within individual levels of difficulty including mainly technical difficulties but also indicated by a “+” (more than average difficulty such factors as length and inconvenience of the within a given level) and “-” (less than average ascent, length and complexity of descent, expo- difficulty within a given level). In the 1970s the sure, steepness, quality of rock, ice and snow, scale was enhanced with the seventh level of dif- location of key difficulties, altitude, as well as ficulty: abominable (ABO - Abominablement). objective risks such as avalanches, seracs, rock Normal routes leading to all the above men- slides or unstable weather conditions. Origi- tioned four-thousanders have been classified as nally the scale included six grades of difficulty easy routs (F or F+), with the exception being with initials of French words designating the Punta Gnifetti, rated as not very hard (PD) for level of difficulty: easy (F - Facile), not very hard its altitude and length of ascent (www.summit- (PD - Peu Difficle), fairly hard (AD - Assez Dif- post.org). It should be clearly stated however ficle), hard (D - Difficle), very hard (TD - Tres that those routes are Alpine routes and thus 126 Marcin Gorączko require to be treated with due caution without titude areas in the Alps, especially the air which neglecting having the basic equipment, includ- is low on oxygen at this altitude. This may result ing harness, ropes, crampons, axe and the nec- in health problems such as, for instance head- essary skills to use it. aches, breathlessness, palpitation, easy fatigue, Those routes are not marked or belayed in vomiting which in turn can be an onset of even the more difficult sections of the trail particu- serious health conditions. In the past, for obvi- larly were they run on the surfaces. On ous reasons, the trail would be covered entirely a sunny day these may basically seem unneces- on foot and the hike would most often be done sary as the path to the summit is always trod- in two stages, with an overnight stay at a moun- den and its course can be clearly seen from tain hut. Nowadays, the climbers’ physical per- a distance. Therefore one can literally follow formance is often verified for the first time at in the footsteps of the climbers ahead as far as an altitude of about 3000 meters or better yet as the direction of ascent is concerned the more high as the upper station of so as the climbers very often stay close to each (almost 3.900 m). other. Although climbers climb in small teams, A growing number of people on mountain unfortunately, on sunny summer weekends, trails with widely varying skills for climbing they would rather resemble a long stretched in high altitude terrains brings about new caravan. However, the situation may change dangers, which could not have been predicted dramatically in the case of rapid weather dete- by the firs to have climbed the Alpine peaks. rioration, fog, incoming clouds or snowfall. In These include, for instance a quite possible risk such conditions, with limited visibility and no of crashes between climbers and skiers. This points of orientation in a vast snow and ice ter- regards places in which the mountain rout rain, the risk of losing one’s way increases dra- leading to the summit overlaps or crosses the matically as does the risk of falling in crevasses downhill ski runs. Concentration of climbing or falling into the abyss. In contrast on warm teams with climbers roped up with each other, sunny days, especially in the afternoon, the moving at different speeds and in different risk of snow bridges (that form over crevasses) directions on a narrow trodden path requires caving in increases as well as the danger of focusing attention on avoiding, overtaking and snow avalanches coming down, seracs breaking passing each other in a relatively safe manner. out and rocks falling down. A relatively small It is particularly important on the steeper sec- number of life threatening events within the tions and congested summits, in which case area of easy four-thousanders can be explained simul-climbing suprisingly increases the risk by the prevailing mode of a group climbing for a large group of people to be undercut with lead by an experienced and paid guide who can a rope. Unfortunately, it often happens in the properly assess the conditions en route and the case of organized guided ascents that the rope fact that those groups undertake the challenge which is meant to be used to secure the clients of reaching the summit only in good weather is in fact used by the guides to drag those clients conditions. up the hill. The hazards mentioned above may With mountain railways and other technical even to a larger extent decide about the diffi- facilities available, they deprive themselves of culty of the climbing route than its technical adequate acclimatization, which is necessary to aspects which are linked to natural conditions. adjust to the conditions typical at the higher-al-

5. Summary and conclusions

Over the past two decades a number of invest- ingly shorter especially in the lower-altitude ments in terms of tourist infrastructure have areas (Koenig and Abegg, 1997; Abegg et al., been made in the high altitude Alpine zone. 2007; EURAC, 2007; Gonset, 2013; Tranos They are intended primarily for professional and Davoudi, 2014; Gilaberte-Búrdalo et al., and recreational skiers. With the global warm- 2014). Hence the tendency to develop new ski ing, the ski seasons are becoming increas- resorts in high altitudes, reaching even as far Easy four-thousanders in the Alps: between alpinism and mass tourism 127 as the alpine zone. The same artificial facilities for the rest of the world they are difficult. It are increasingly used in the summer by tour- should be expected that given the demand, the ists whose aim is to reach the Alpine summits, tourist infrastructure will continue to develop including the highest ones, rising above 4000 in the high-altitude Alpine zone. It is, however, meters above sea level. On the one hand more important that it take on the right course and tourist than ever have the opportunity to reach scale, reconciling the interests of all the moun- so high altitudes but on the other hand this sit- tain users, and that priority be given to preserve uation may result in trivializing places available the environment in the state very close to nat- insofar only to a handful of people. Certainly, ural. This is consistent with the concept of sus- misusing the concept of “easy” four-thousand- tainable tourism in the Alps, introduced at the ers and understanding it literally may encour- end of the 20th century (Van der Straaten 2000) age reckless escapades. In fact, they are easy for which is to cover the entire region, including expert mountaineers (yet not devoid of objec- both the valleys that have long been inhabited tive dangers), relatively easy for those with some as well as the rock and glaciated deserted areas experience gained in lower Alpine summits but in the highest mountains.

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Internet sources www.summitpost.org www.commons.wikimedia.org