Switzerland / Valais - Edelweissweg

Schweiz / Wallis - Edelweissweg

 

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Every mountain hiker dreams of spotting edelweiss in the alpine pastures. Here that dream comes true. Along this trail, walkers even spot these beautiful flowers at eye level. The walk leads to one of the finest vantage points in the Zermatt region.

 

Type Mountain trail

Difficulty hard

Duration 7,30 h

Distance 20,7 km

Ascent 1195 m

Descent 1195 m

Lowest point 1605 m

Highest point 2745 m

 

Description

 

The edelweiss can be admired at a variety of habitats in the Zermatt mountains. It won’t grow on ground formed of crystalline rock, but it flourishes on calcareous sediments – despite the often harsh conditions. The fleecy hairs help protect the flowers from solar radiation, frost and aridity. The seeds require exposure to frost before they can germinate the following year.

 

Hikers on this trail experience a magical moment on the climb up to Trift as the pinnacle of the Matterhorn emerges unexpectedly from behind a hilltop. Who’ll spot it first? The path then continues to one of Zermatt’s finest viewpoints, at Höhbalmen. The panorama is breathtaking: the north face of the Matterhorn with the Zmuttgrat ridge, the Breithorn, Liskamm and the Monte Rosa massif.

 

Edelweiss: a protected plant

Information panels about the plants along the way

Between the Gasthaus Edelweiss and the Berggasthaus Trift hotels: edelweiss at eye level (right-hand side)

Unusual view of the Monte Rosa massif

Possible encounters with Valais Blacknose sheep and Valais Blackneck goats

 

(zermatt.ch)

 

The Dom is a mountain of the Pennine Alps, located between Randa and Saas-Fee in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. With a height of 4,546 m (14,915 ft), it is the seventh highest summit in the Alps, overall. Based on prominence, it can be regarded as the third highest mountain in the Alps, and the second highest in Switzerland, after Monte Rosa. The Dom is the main summit of the Mischabel group (German: Mischabelhörner), which is the highest massif lying entirely in Switzerland.

 

The Dom is noteworthy for its 'normal route' of ascent having the greatest vertical height gain of all the alpine 4000 metre peaks, and none of that route's 3,100 metres of height can be achieved using mechanical means.

 

Although Dom is a German cognate for 'dome', it can also mean 'cathedral' and the mountain is named after Canon Berchtold of Sitten cathedral, the first person to survey the vicinity.

 

The former name Mischabel comes from an ancient German dialect term for pitchfork, as the highest peaks of the massif stand close to each other.

 

Geographical setting

 

The Dom is the culminating point of a chain running from the Schwarzberghorn on the south, at the intersection with the main chain of the Alps (Alpine watershed), to the Distelhorn on the north and ending above the town of Stalden. The chain lies entirely in the district of Visp.

 

The two valleys separated by the range are the Mattertal on the west and the Saastal on the east. The towns of Randa and Saas-Fee lie both six kilometres from the summit (to the west and the east, respectively). The elevation difference between the summit and the valley floor is 3,150 metres on the west side (Randa) and 3,000 metres on the east side (Saas-Grund). On the Mattertal side, the Dom faces the almost equally high Weisshorn and, on the Saastal side, it faces the Weissmies. The Dom is the highest point of the Saastal and the second highest mountain of the Mattertal after Monte Rosa.

 

Since the Dom is not on the main Alpine chain, the rivers flowing on both the west and east side of the massif end up in the same major river, the Rhone, through the Mattervispa and the Saaservispa. The Dom is the highest mountain in the Alps with this peculiarity.

 

The Mischabel group includes many subsidiary summits above 4,000 metres. To the north lies the Nadelgrat, composed of the Lenzspitze, the Nadelhorn, the Stecknadelhorn, the Hohberghorn and the Dürrenhorn. The Nadelgrat is easily visible from the north and gives the massif its characteristic pitchfork appearance. The second highest peak of the massif, the Täschhorn to the south, culminates at 4,491 metres, and south of it, is the characteristically flat summit of the Alphubel. In total, eight summits above 4,000 metres make up the Mischabel massif. Other important peaks of the massif are the Ulrichshorn and the Balfrin. The Dom has a western shoulder (4,479 m) and an eastern shoulder (4,468 m).

 

Generally, areas above 3,000 metres are covered by glaciers, the two largest being the Ried Glacier situated at the foot of the Nadelgrat and the Fee Glacier, at the foot of the Dom itself, below the east face.

 

Geology

 

The massif is almost entirely composed of gneiss from the Siviez-Mischabel nappe. The latter is part of the Briançonnais microcontinent and is located in the Penninic nappes.

 

Climbing history

 

The first ascent of the Dom was made on 11 September 1858. It was reached via the Festigrat (north-west ridge) by John Llewelyn Davies with guides Johann Zumtaugwald, Johann Krönig and Hieronymous Brantschen. Davies published an account of his ascent in Peaks, Passes and Glaciers.

 

The first ascent of the western ridge (above the Festikinlücke) was made in 1879 by two parties. One comprised Mrs E. P. Jackson with her guides Aloys Pollinger, Peter Josef Truffer and Josef Biner. The second consisted of Percy Thomas with Josef Imboden and Josef Lengen. They bypassed the upper section and traversed the west face to join the upper part of the Festigrat before arriving to the summit. The first complete ascent on the entire western ridge was made later in 1882 by Paul Güssfeldt and guides Alexander Burgener and Benedict Venetz.

 

The direct route on the west face (50° ice slope, TD-) was first ascended in 1962.

 

The 1000-metre-high east face above Saas-Fee was climbed in 1875 by Johann Petrus, along with his clients Alfred and Walter Puckle, and a local hunter, Lorenz Noti.

 

A route on the south face was first made in August 1906 by Geoffrey Winthrop Young and R. G. Major, with the guides Josef Knubel and Gabriel Lochmatter of St. Niklaus in the canton Valais. According to Young it was more dangerous than the south-west face of the nearby Täschhorn, which they had climbed two weeks earlier.

 

On 18 June 1917, Arnold Lunn, a pioneer ski mountaineer, and Josef Knubel of St. Niklaus in the canton Valais made the first ski ascent of the Dom, by the Hohberg Glacier (north flank).

 

Climbing routes and huts

 

Climbing the Dom by its normal route is a relatively straightforward, but nevertheless long and somewhat arduous 3,100-metre ascent on foot from the valley, and taking 6 hours to the summit from the Dom Hut. The route is graded as PD- on the French adjectival climbing scale. This route has been described in the mountaineering literature as "something of a snow trudge". The only mechanical means of access is located in the Saas-Fee area, on the east side of the mountain, from which all the routes to the Dom are much harder.

 

The easiest way to the summit starts from Randa, where there is a railway station (1,407 m) served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. From Randa a trail leads to the Dom Hut (2,940 m), which also crosses the Europaweg near the Europa Hut. Climbing the mountain requires an overnight stay at the Dom Hut. The normal route starts from the hut and goes on the Festigletscher glacier towards the Festijoch (3,720 m). It then follows the Hohberggletscher glacier to the summit above the north face.

 

An alternative route is provided by the Festigrat, which is the Dom's north-western ridge. It goes directly from the Festijoch to the summit, and is preferred by climbers who wish to avoid the long slopes of the north flank. In good conditions it is graded at PD/PD+. However, its upper section can be treacherous in icy conditions, in which case the north flank approach is better.

 

Domgrat

 

The summit of the Dom can also be reached from the south by the classic and exposed 'Täsch-Dom traverse'. This is a very long, committing and challenging mountaineering route which has been described as "one of the most demanding ridge grandes courses in the Alps". This route (via the south ridge or Domgrat), first requires an ascent of the adjacent Täschhorn - most easily attained from the Mischabel Bivouac Hut perched on Mishabeljoch. From there, an ascent of the Täschhorn's south-southeast ridge (Mischabelgrat, grade AD, III) is made in 4 to 5 hours. The descent from the Täschhorn to the Domjoch (4,282m) is on steep, slabby and sometimes icy rock, taking 2–3 hours, followed by a further 2–3 hours ascent of the rocky crest of the Domgrat (Grade D, III+) before the Dom's summit cross is finally reached after some 8 to 11 hours of sustained climbing in total, followed by a long but simple descent of the 'normal route' to reach the Dom Hut.

 

Highest flowering plant in Europe

 

In the late 1970s, mountain guide brothers Pierre and Grégoire Nicollier discovered a Two-flowered Stonecrop (Saxifraga biflora) about a hundred meters below the summit, on the southern ridge of the Dom. This caused a sensation as scientists believed it to be the highest flowering plant ever found in Europe. However, in subsequent climbs of the southerly Taeschhorn-Dom-Ridge, the plant could no longer be located, but a new record holder was found: an opposite-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), which thrived and bloomed on the same ridge, about 40 meters below the summit. Mountain guide Jürg Anderegg documented this with pictures in 2011, and botanist Christian Körner from the University of Basel published it in the specialist journal Alpine Botany.

 

Since the location is difficult to access, documentation remained scarce, and the condition of the plant was uncertain. As part of an art project, Swiss artist Sandro Steudler, together with mountain guide Alexander Kleinheinz and alpine photographer Caroline Fink, set out in July 2023 to search for the plant. Despite challenging conditions and snow on the ridge, Alexander Kleinheinz succeeded in finding the plant and placing a temperature sensor beneath it, which had been given to them beforehand by Christian Körner; Caroline Fink documented the location photographically. The sensor will record the temperature under the stonecrop until 2026. It is believed that this saxifrage grows in the coldest location in the world where a flowering plant has been found so far.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The Täschhorn (4,491 metres (14,734 ft)) is a mountain in the Pennine range of the Alps in Switzerland. There are no easy mountaineering routes to its summit, and it is regarded as being among the top ten 4,000-metre mountains in the Alps for difficulty, and "one of the highest, finest and least accessible 4000m mountains". It lies immediately north of the Alphubel, and south of the Dom within the Mischabel range, and is very similar in shape to the Dom when seen from the upper Zermatt valley.

 

History

 

The first ascent of the mountain was by John Llewelyn Davies and J. W. Hayward with guides Stefan and Johann Zumtaugwald and Peter-Josef Summermatter on 30 July 1862. They climbed via the north-west (Kin Face) route, with a midnight start from the valley settlement of Randa.

 

Climbing routes

 

Mischabelgrat (south-south-east-ridge)

 

The Täschhorn is normally climbed via its south-south-east ridge, known as the Mischabelgrat. The ascent route starts from the relatively innaccessible bivouac hut situated at its base on the Mischabeljoch. The route follows the exposed and often corniced crest of the ridge from the hut. It is graded AD and can take 4 to 5 hours to the summit. If not continuing to the Dom, descent from the Täschhorn's summit to the Mischabeljoch can take a further 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

 

The continuation route to the Dom (known as the Täschhorn–Dom traverse) has been described by alpine guide, Martin Moran, as a "magnificent traverse" and "one of the most demanding of the grandes courses in the Alps". With no easy way off, and because of its high altitude, the route can easily be affected by ice and snow in bad weather. In normal conditions, and in good weather, a climber can take between 4 and 6 hours to descend from the Täschhorn's summit to the Domjoch, and then to ascend the Dom's south ridge (Domgrat) to the latter's summit.

 

Kin Face (north-west face)

 

The Täschhorn can also be climbed via the obvious glacier tongue that descends from the summit on its north-west face (Kin Face). The route, graded AD+, is a classic expedition on snow and ice. Nevertheless, access to the route is not easy because of awkward terrain on the lower Kin Glacier. However, the installation of a via ferrata on the Kinfelsen ridge offers and alternative route and some security to climbers from the Kin Hut, and has nowadays replaced the long, traditional approach from the Dom Hut, which has become complicated and risky. The route should still only be attempted when there is good quality snow cover on the upper face.

 

South-west face

 

Climbed only very rarely, the ascent of the south west face is an extremely serious undertaking on broken mixed ground, and has been compared to the north face of the Matterhorn. It is graded TD+. It was first climbed on 11 August 1906 by the 19 year old guide, Franz Lochmatter and his brother Josef, together with their regular client, Valentine John Eustace Ryan. Also involved in the ascent party were Geoffrey Winthrop Young and Josef Knubel. Together, they faced many difficulties and number of falls on very committing and fragile, unprotectable mixed ground and very steep final rock pitch, and their efforts became one of the most 'epic adventures' in the history of Alpine mountaineering. It was not repeated until 37 years later. By the end of summer 1956, the face had only been climbed six times.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The Alphubel (4,206 m) is a mountain of the Swiss Pennine Alps, located between the valleys of Zermatt and Saas in the canton of Valais. It is part of the Allalin Group, a subgroup of the Mischabel Group, which culminates at the Dom (4,545 m). The summit of the Alphubel consists of a large ice-covered plateau, part of the Fee Glacier on its east side. The west side of the mountain is more rocky and much steeper. It overlooks the Weingartensee.

 

The nearest settlements are Täsch (north of Zermatt) and Saas-Fee.

 

Geography

 

North of the Alphubel is the higher Täschhorn, the southernmost top of the Mischabel, from which it is separated by the saddle of Mischabeljoch (3,847 m), while the ridge to the south is less prominent running via the Alphubeljoch (3,771 m) to the Feechopf (3,888 m) and Allalinhorn. While the terrain drops steeply into the Mattertal valley to the west, the east side is flat and, compared to its neighbours, almost smooth. The characteristically flat summit of the Alphubel is mostly covered with firn and has, in addition to the main summit, a northern top of 4,188 m, which barely rises above the flat summit area.

 

From the Alphubel a prominent, ice-free, rocky arête, the Rotgrat, strikes westwards down to the Täsch Hut (Täschhütte, 2,701 m), while the main, north-south, ridge and an unnamed arête running northeast are largely covered by ice. Due to its considerable height and relatively low gradient of its slopes, there are several glaciers in the summit area of the Alphubel: To the northwest and west of the summit is the Weingarten Glacier, which has now disintegrated into three ice masses, reaching down to about 3,100 m in front of which is Lake Weingarten (Weingartensee). The entire eastern flank is taken up by the Fee Glacier, one of the larger glaciers of the region, which extends over several square kilometres and still almost reaches the valley basin near Saas-Fee. The Alphubel Glacier, the smallest glacier on the summit, lies in the south-west.

 

Climbing history

 

The first ascent of the mountain was by Leslie Stephen and T. W. Hinchliff with guides Melchior Anderegg and Peter Perren on 9 August 1860, starting at Täsch and via the south-east ridge and the Alphubeljoch.

 

Routes

 

The morphology of the Alphubel and its proximity to the Saas-Fee funicular make the Alphubel one of the comparatively easier four-thousanders of the Swiss Alps to climb. Nevertheless, all the ascents have the character of a high mountain tour with all the typical dangers of such a tour.

 

The normal route leads from Berghaus Längflue (2,867 m) above Saas-Fee over the flat but crevassed Fee Glacier to the summit. The ascent takes 4-5 hours and is rated PD or WS ("wenig schwierig / a little difficult") on the Swiss Alpine Club's high tour scale.

 

Another option with Saas-Fee as the base is a high-level tour from Mittelallalin (3,457 m), which can be easily reached via the Metro Alpin funicular. From there, the ascent, partly over rock, leads via the Feejoch (3826 m), Feechopf and Alphubeljoch to the summit (also WS, 4 hrs).

 

From the west, the best known route leads from Täsch via Täschalp and the Täschhütte and from there over the Alphubel Glacier via the Alphubeljoch over the main south-south-east running ridge (Eisnase) to the summit. This route takes about 5 hours and is also rated WS.

 

Huts

 

Täsch Hut

Britannia Hut, via Mittelallalin

Kin Hut (Kinhütte)

Mischabeljochbiwak, a refuge hut on the eponymous saddle between the Alphubel and Täschhorn

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Einmal im Leben ein Edelweiss in der Bergwiese sehen, davon träumt jeder Berggänger. Hier wird der Traum wahr. Die Edelweiss leuchten, auf diesem Weg manchmal gar auf Augenhöhe! Die Wanderung führt zu einem der schönsten Aussichtspunkte im Gebiet von Zermatt.

 

Typ Bergwanderweg

Schwierigkeit schwer

Dauer 7,30 h

Länge 20,7 km

Aufstieg 1195 m

Abstieg 1195 m

Niedrigster Punkt 1605 m

Höchster Punkt 2745 m

 

Beschreibung

 

Das Edelweiss ist in den Zermatter Bergen in verschiedenen Gebieten anzutreffen. Einfach nie da, wo kristallines Gestein den Untergrund bildet, wohl aber bei den Sedimenten, im Kalkgestein. Hier trotzt es den Unbilden der Natur. Die flauschigen Härchen dienen dem Schutz vor starker Sonneneinstrahlung, Frost und Austrockung. Das Edelweiss ist ein Frostkeimer: Die Samen müssen zuerst gefrieren, bevor sie im darauffolgenden Jahr wachsen.

 

Die Wanderung bietet einen speziellen Moment. Beim Aufstieg vom Trift taucht unverhofft der mächtige Spitz des Matterhorns hinter dem Hügel auf. Wer entdeckt es zuerst? Danach führt der Weg zu einem der schönsten Aussichtspunkte von Zermatt, auf Höhbalmen. Der Blick ist einmalig: Matterhorn mit Nordwand und Zmutt-Grat, Breithorn, Liskamm und Monte Rosa-Massiv.

 

Edelweiss: geschützte Pflanze

Informationstafeln über die Pflanzen am Weg

zwischen Gasthaus Edelweiss und dem Berggasthaus Trift: Edelweiss auf Augenhöhe (rechter Hand)

ungewohnte Aussicht auf das Monte Rosa-Massiv

Eventuell Schwarznasenschafe und Schwarzhalsziegen

 

(zermatt.ch)

 

Der Dom in den Walliser Alpen ist mit einer Höhe von 4546 m ü. M. der höchste Berg, der mit seiner kompletten Basis innerhalb der Schweiz liegt.

 

Lage und Umgebung

 

Der Dom gehört zur Mischabelgruppe, nach dem Monte Rosa das zweithöchste Gebirgsmassiv der Schweiz. Benannt wurde er zu Ehren des Domherrn von Sitten, Josef Anton Berchtold. Zum Teil ist auch überliefert, dass Berchtold im Zuge der Vermessungsarbeiten (1833), die er selbst vorgenommen hatte, die ganze Mischabel „Dom“ genannt habe. Ob dies allerdings zu Ehren seines eigenen Standes geschah, erscheint zweifelhaft.

 

Besteigung

 

Zum ersten Mal bestiegen wurde der Dom am 11. September 1858 von J. Llewellyn Davies, Johannes Zumtaugwald, Johann Kronig und Hieronymous Brantschen über den Nordwestgrat.

 

Die Normalroute führt von Randa (1407 m ü. M.) im Mattertal zunächst über Wanderwege und versicherte Steige zur Domhütte (2940 m ü. M.). Dort beginnt dann die eigentliche Hochtour. Über den Festigletscher erreicht man das Festijoch, von wo aus der ziemlich schwierige Festigrat zum Gipfel führt. Der Normalanstieg erfolgt jedoch über die technisch einfachere, objektiv aber gefährlichere (Gletscherspalten) Route über den Hohberggletscher. Beide Anstiege führen über einen schmalen, ausgesetzten Firngrat zum Gipfel.

 

Der Dom ist auch ein Skiberg, die erste Skibesteigung gelang bereits am 18. Juli 1917 dem Briten Sir Arnold Lunn mit dem Führer Joseph Knubel.

 

Höchstgelegene Blütenpflanze Europas

 

Ende der 1970er Jahre entdeckten die Bergführer-Brüder Pierre und Grégoire Nicollier rund hundert Meter unterhalb des Gipfels, am Südgrat des Dom, einen Zweiblütigen Steinbrech (Saxifraga biflora). Dies sorgte für Aufsehen, da es sich laut Wissenschaftern um die höchstgelegene je gefundene Blütenpflanze Europas handeln musste. Bei späteren Begehungen konnte die Pflanze jedoch nicht mehr aufgefunden werden, allerdings wurde ein neuer Rekordhalter gefunden: ein Gegenblättriger Steinbrech (Saxifraga oppositifolia), der am selben Grat – rund 40 Meter unter dem Gipfel – gedieh und blühte. Bergführer Jürg Anderegg dokumentierte diesen 2011 mit Bildern; der Botaniker Christian Körner der Universität Basel publizierte dazu im Fachmagazin Alpine Botany.

 

Da der Standort schwer zugänglich ist, blieb die Dokumentation jedoch dünn und der Zustand der Pflanze ungewiss. Im Rahmen eines Kunstprojekts machte sich der Schweizer Künstler Sandro Steudler im Juli 2023 gemeinsam mit Bergführer Alexander Kleinheinz und Alpin-Fotografin Caroline Fink auf die Suche nach der Pflanze. Trotz schwierigen Bedingungen und Schnee am Grat gelang es Alexander Kleinheinz, die Pflanze zu finden und eine Temperatur-Sonde unter der Pflanze zu deponieren; Caroline Fink dokumentierte den Standort fotografisch. Der Sensor wird bis 2026 die Temperatur unter dem Steinbrech aufzeichnen. Es wird angenommen, dass dieser Steinbrech am kältesten Standort der Welt wächst, an dem bislang eine Blütenpflanze gefunden wurde.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Das Täschhorn liegt in den Walliser Alpen und hat eine Höhe von 4491 m.

 

Das Täschhorn ist der zweithöchste Gipfel der Mischabelgruppe, nach dem Monte Rosa das zweithöchste Gebirgsmassiv der Schweiz. Das Täschhorn gehört zu den schwer zu ersteigenden Viertausendern des Wallis. Aufgrund des anspruchsvollen Normalwegs (Mischabelgrat) wird dieser Gipfel relativ selten begangen.

 

Die Erstbesteigung des Täschhorns erfolgte am 30. Juli 1862 durch Stefan und Johannes Zumtaugwald, J. Llewelyn Davies, J.W. Hayward und Peter-Josef Summermatter über die NW-Flanke (Kinflanke) direkt von Randa aus.

 

Routen

 

Nordwestflanke (Kinflanke)

 

Schwierigkeit: ZS, II (Frz. Skala: AD; mit II. UIAA-Grad Felskletterei)

Zeitaufwand: 6 Stunden

Ausgangspunkt: Domhütte (2940 m ü. M.) oder Kinhütte (2584 m ü. M.)

Talort: Randa (1407 m ü. M.)

 

Mischabeljoch

 

Schwierigkeit: ZS-, II (Frz. Skala: AD-; mit II. UIAA-Grad Felskletterei)

Zeitaufwand: 4 Stunden

Ausgangspunkt: Täschhütte (2701 m ü. M.)

Talort: Täsch (1450 m ü. M.)

Mischabelgrat

 

Schwierigkeit: ZS, III (Frz. Skala: AD; mit III. UIAA-Grad Felskletterei)

Zeitaufwand: 4 Stunden

Ausgangsort: Mischabeljochbiwak (3847 m ü. M.)

Talort: Täsch (1450 m ü. M.)

 

Westsüdwestgrat (Teufelsgrat)

 

Schwierigkeit: S+, IV (Frz. Skala: D+; mit IV. UIAA-Grad Felskletterei)

Zeitaufwand: 12–14 Stunden

Ausgangspunkt: Täschhütte

Talort: Täsch

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Alphubel ist ein 4206 m ü. M. hoher Berg in den Walliser Alpen in der Schweiz. Der zur Allalingruppe gehörende Berg liegt südlich der Mischabel auf dem Grat zwischen dem Mattertal und dem Saastal auf Boden der Gemeinden Täsch und Saas-Fee.

 

Geographie

 

Nördlich des Alphubels liegt das höhere Täschhorn, der südlichste Gipfel der Mischabel, von dem es durch das Mischabeljoch (3847 m) getrennt ist, während der Grat im Süden weniger deutlich via Alphubeljoch (3770 m) zum Feechopf (3888 m) und Allalinhorn verläuft. Während das Terrain nach Westen zum Teil recht schroff ins Mattertal abfällt, ist die Ostseite flach und verglichen mit seinen Nachbarn geradezu lieblich. Der charakteristisch flache Gipfel des Alphubels ist mehrheitlich firnbedeckt und besitzt neben dem Hauptgipfel einen nördlichen Gipfel mit einer Höhe von 4188 m, der sich aber kaum von der flachen Kuppe absetzt.

 

Der Alphubel entsendet nach Westen einen deutlichen, eisfreien Felsgrat, den Rotgrat, bis hinunter zur Täschhütte (2701 m), während der Nord-Süd-Hauptgrat und ein namenloser nordöstlich verlaufender Grat weitgehend eisbedeckt sind. Aufgrund seiner beträchtlichen Höhe und der relativ geringen Neigung seiner Hänge befinden sich im Gipfelgebiet des Alphubels mehrere Gletscher: Nordwestlich bzw. westlich des Gipfels liegt der inzwischen in drei Eismassen zerfallene Weingartengletscher, der bis ca. 3100 m hinunterreicht und in dessen Gletschervorfeld sich der gleichnamige Weingartensee befindet. Die ganze Ostflanke wird vom Feegletscher eingenommen, einem der grösseren Gletscher der Region, der sich über mehrere Quadratkilometer erstreckt und immer noch fast den Talkessel bei Saas-Fee erreicht. Im Südwesten liegt mit dem Alphubelgletscher der kleinste Gletscher des Gipfels.

 

Besteigungsgeschichte

 

Die Erstbesteigung fand am 9. August 1860 durch T.W. Hinchliff und Leslie Stephen mit den Führern Melchior Anderegg, Peter Perren und Franz Andenmatten statt.

 

Routen

Die Morphologie des Alphubels und seine Nähe zu den Bergbahnen von Saas-Fee machen den Alphubel zu einem der vergleichsweise leicht besteigbaren Viertausender der Schweizer Alpen. Dennoch haben sämtliche Anstiege den Charakter einer Hochtour mit allen objektiven Gefahren einer solchen.

 

Die Normalroute führt vom Berghaus Längflue (2867 m) oberhalb von Saas-Fee über den flachen, aber spaltenreichen Feegletscher auf den Gipfel. Der Aufstieg nimmt 4–5 Stunden in Anspruch und wird in der SAC-Hochtourenskala mit WS gewertet.

 

Eine weitere Möglichkeit mit Talort Saas-Fee besteht in einer Hochtour vom Mittelallalin (3457 m) aus, der sich bequem mit der Metro Alpin erreichen lässt. Von dort führt der Aufstieg, z. T. über Fels, via Feejoch (3826 m), Feechopf und Alphubeljoch zum Gipfel (ebenfalls WS, 4h).

 

Von Westen führt die bekannteste Route von Täsch via Täschalp und Täschhütte und von dort über den Alphubelgletscher und das Alphubeljoch über den südsüdöstlich verlaufenden Hauptgrat ("Eisnase") zum Gipfel. Diese Route dauert ca. 5 h und wird ebenfalls mit WS bewertet.

 

Hütten und Biwaks

 

Täschhütte

Berghaus Längflue

Britanniahütte, via Mittelallalin

ggf. Kinhütte

Mischabeljochbiwak auf dem namensgebenden Joch zw. Alphubel und Täschhorn

 

(Wikipedia)

Done