The peak · CH/IT · Monte Rosa Alps
Liskamm — Western summit
4,479 m
'Crest of the Lys' — same etymology as the east summit; the two are the higher and lower points of the same long corniced ridge.
Coordinates45.9133° N · 7.8200° E
UIAA rank№ 11 / 82
CountriesSwitzerland · Italy
Normal gradeAD · assez difficile
First ascent1864 · Leslie Stephen & E.N. Buxton with Jakob Anderegg & Franz Biner
Typical seasonJuly to August
Western summit of the Liskamm, separated from the east summit by a long corniced ridge traverse — a classic of the Pennine Alps.
The lower, western summit of the Liskamm was climbed in 1861 by a large English party three years after the east summit. The west-to-east traverse is one of the great snow ridges of the Alps; the cornices on the Italian side have collapsed under climbers many times, contributing to the mountain's nickname 'der Menschenfresser'.
Summit · huts that serve as bases for routes on this peak
AD · assez difficileTopo ↗
Vertical / summit day900 m gain · 4h
Ascent of the west summit alone from the Rifugio Quintino Sella via the Felik glacier and the Felikjoch (4061 m). Climb the steep snow ridge (45–50°) east of the glacier over the Naso del Lyskamm to the west summit. Often a half-traverse, descending the same way.
Huts on this route