Books about Monte Rosa

Located in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, Monte Rosa is the second highest mountain in the Alps and and borders both Italy and Switzerland. Due to the large number of summits over 4000 metres its has long attracted mountaineers and tourists to its slopes. It contains a decent number of relatively straightforward 4000m peaks and as such is a perfect introduction to the world of mountain climbing, as well as providing a a wide expanse of wilderness for the hill walker and thru-hiker.

  • Are you looking for adventure? If you want to plan a trip to Monte Rosa or you are simply looking for top information on the mountain browse the guidebooks and accounts below.
  • Wherever possible the book / guidebook links below should lead to pages giving the option of Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle Edition.

Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, the eighteenth century Swiss geologist and physicist, is among the pioneers of exploration on this massif. The nneteenth century is rich with mountain pioneers who have written extensively about the area such as James D. Forbes (the Scottish glaciologist and mountaineer), Rev. S.W. King (mountaineer) and Angelo Mosso (Italian scientist and mountaineer).

Mrs Henry Warwick Cole was amongst the first women to write not only about her Tour of Monte Rosa in the mid 19th century, but also about mountain walking from the point of view of a woman.

More recent times the mountain has not been written about in such depth although many Alpine books touch upon this huge collection of high peaks and glaciers and the Tour of Monte Rosa remians a classic logn distance trail in the Alps.

Early Accounts

Forbes Tour of Monte rosa
Amazon Button

Originally published in 1855 this is a must for all students of the Alps and early alpine travel / exploration.

LAdys Tour of Monte Rosa
Amazon Button

Originally published in 1859 this is a pioneering work of early Alpine literature.

King Pennine Alps
Amazon Button

Originally published in 1858 this is a classic on Monte rosa and "A Tour Through all the Romantic and Less-frequented 'Vals' of Northern Piedmont"

Guidebooks

Tour of Monte Rosa
Amazon Button

Leading guide to this classic Alpine Tour offering spectacular views of the Monte Rosa Massif.

Alpine Peaks
Amazon Button

Comprehensive guide to the Classic and Regular routes up the Alpine 4000m peaks.