From Hospental - Winterhorn (Pizzo d’Orsino)

Winterhorn / Pizzo d'Orsino, 2662 m - Normal route from Hospental

WS / 1210 m ↗ / 3:30–4 h / from Hospental (1452 m)

A classic little Gotthard ski tour: from the train station at Hospental (1452 m) up the line of the old Winterhorn ski area to the summit of the Winterhorn — Pizzo d’Orsino, 2662 m. The lifts here shut down in 2008, and the mountain has since turned into a straightforward, popular touring objective with a good choice of descent variants. We caught it on a bluebird February day with a deep, wind-worked snowpack.

Summit cross of the Winterhorn, and the view down the NE flank into the Urseren valley.

Route

From Hospental the route follows the old Gotthard road toward the tunnel, then breaks off to the right (southwest) through the terrain of the former ski slopes, past the abandoned restaurant and up along the line of the old lifts to roughly their top. Higher up it swings onto the NE ridge and crosses the NE flank toward the SE ridge. The last few metres to the cross are done on foot over easy rocks. It grades WS, about 1210 m of ascent in 3:30–4 h.

Skinning and skiing the open slopes of the old ski area, the Gotthard peaks all around.

Summit and descent

The summit gives a wide view over the Urseren valley toward Andermatt and out across the snowed-up Gotthard peaks. The descent drops straight back down the old pistes — the lift pylons are still standing — with plenty of room to spread turns across the open slopes, and low afternoon light throwing long shadows over the wind-sculpted snow on the way out.

A break on the skis, and late light on the run-out past the old lift pylons.

Logistics

• Start / finish: Hospental train station (1452 m)
• A descent variant runs south over Passo d’Orsino down to Realp, with the train back to Hospental

Links

• SAC route portal — Winterhorn / Pizzo d’Orsino, from Hospental
• gipfelbuch.ch — Von Hospental über Winterhorn
• hikr.org — Winterhorn / Pizzo d’Orsino