Capanna regina margherita

Capanna Regina Margherita is located at 4,554 m on the Gnifetti peak, the highest in Valsesia. It was built on 18 August 1893 after having been prepared in the valley, and carried first by donkey and then on shoulders to the summit where it was finally mounted. Named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, at the time sovereign of Italy and present at its inauguration, the Lodge cost a total of Italian Lire 17,094.55.

The present Lodge is not the original construction. In fact, the 1893 building was demolished in 1979, and the new lodge-laboratory was inaugurated on 20 August 1980. The latter is of great importance for Angelo Mosso’s research on high altitude medicine in the early 20th century. Given the limited space at Capanna Margherita, the Mosso Institute, located just below the Salati Pass at an altitude of 2,900 m, was built and inaugurated in 1907.

The Lodge can boast many records. Indeed, not only is it the highest in Europe, but it is also home to the highest meteorological station in Europe and, since 2004, thanks to Varallo Sesia’s alpine club CAI, it houses a small library that is the highest in Europe.

The ascent to Capanna Margherita is one of the most coveted and exciting experiences for high mountain enthusiasts. From the heights of those 4,554 m, the gaze sweeps from the majestic southern slopes of Mount Rosa to Alagna and Valsesia, losing itself in the distance across the Po Valley up to the Maritime Alps. The traditional access route starts from Alagna, along the same route that Giovanni Gnifetti, the town’s parish priest, took in 1842 during the first ascent to the summit. However, Capanna Margherita can be reached by several routes, all of which are mountaineering routes.

Caution:

The ascent to Capanna Margherita is an itinerary that mostly unfolds on a glacier characterised by large crevasses and, although the route does not present any exposed points or overhead ridges to overcome, a necessary condition for completing the ascent is to possess the technical skills and equipment required or, even better, to rely on our mountain guides.