Aletschhorn
From Mount Wiki
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Aletschhorn | |
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| General | |
| Elevation | 4,192 m13,753.281 ft 2.605 miles |
| Prominence | 1,017 m0.632 miles 3,336.614 ft |
| Location | Valais, Switzerland |
| Range | Bernese Alps |
| Massif | Aletschhorn Group |
| Sponsored Links | |
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| Coordinates | |
| DMS Coor. | 46°27´55"N, 7°59´37"E |
| Swiss Coor. | 642638 / 146128 |
| Links | Topographic Detail |
| Nearby Features | |
| Aletschhorn Group, Dreieckhorn, Grosser Aletschfirn, Hollandia Hut, Lötschenlücke, Mittelaletsch Bivouac | |
| Alpinist's Info | |
| Base(s) | Betten, Fiesch, Riederalp |
| Hut(s) | Mittelaletsch Bivouac, Oberaletsch Hut |
| Topo. Map | SLK 1269: Aletschgletscher |
| Easiest Route |  PD
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| Map | |
  Aletschhorn | |
Contents |
[edit] General information
The Aletschhorn (4,192 m13,753.281 ft
2.605 miles) is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland, it lies within the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region, which has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The mountain shares its name with the Aletsch Glacier lying at its foot.
[edit] Geography
After the Finsteraarhorn it is the second highest peak in the Bernese Alps. On its northern flank lies the Aletschfirn, which is part of the Aletsch Glacier. On the south west lies the Oberaletsch Glacier and, on the south, lies the Mittelaletsch Glacier. Both are in the catchment area of the Massa river, which originates in the Aletsch Glacier and ends up in the Rhône river. Its remote location in the middle of glaciers make the Aletschhorn, despite its height, less known than the summits of Jungfrau and Eiger which lie about 10 km on the north.
[edit] Climbing history
The Aletschhorn was climbed almost 50 years after the Jungfrau. In fact when the summit of the Jungfrau was conquered, the climbers used base camps on the Grosser Aletschfirn, at the foot of the Aletschhorn.
The mountain was climbed first in 1859 by Francis Fox Tuckett, J. J. Bennen, V. Tairraz and P. Bohren. On 18 June, they started the ascent from the Mittelaletsch Glacier (on the south side). Like many other climbers, Tuckett took with him a barometer and made scientific observations. He noted the icy temperature and the very strong wind, blowing the snow and threating to knock over the climbers.
After they reached the summit, Tuckett separated from Bennen and descended on the north face with Bohren and Tairraz. He wanted to reach directly the valley of Lötschental, but soon after they began the descent, an avalanche started right under the feet of the climbers. They cautiously went back and descended on the Mittelaletsch Glacier.
[edit] Routes
[edit] North-East Ridge (PD+)
| Aletschhorn: North-East Ridge (edit infobox) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit | Approach | ||
| Summit | Aletschhorn (4,192 m2.605 miles 13,753.281 ft) | Valley base(s) | Betten, Fiesch |
| Route Type | Snow and Rock (5 - 7 h) | Hut | Mittelaletsch Bivouac (3,013 m1.872 miles 9,885.171 ft) |
| Difficulty |  PD+
| Difficulty | |
| Height Gains | Hut - Summit: 1179 m0.733 miles 3,868.11 ft 
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| Useful Maps | SLK 1269: Aletschgletscher (Maps) | ||
From the Mittelaletsch Bivouac, head north-west up over crevassed Mittelaletsch Glacier and the neve above to the Alestchjoch (3,629 m). From here west over the corniced ridge to P. 3718(connecting the famous Hassler Rib). Over the broad snow slope to the P. 4087 (pre summit). Further over the short steep slope, crossing a bergschrund and finally an exposed rock and snow rigde(NW) to the top.
[edit] South-West Ridge (PD+)
| Aletschhorn: South-West Ridge (edit infobox) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit | Approach | ||
| Summit | Aletschhorn (4,192 m2.605 miles 13,753.281 ft) | Valley base(s) | Riederalp (1,905 m1.184 miles 6,250 ft) |
| Route Type | Snow and Rock (7 - 8 h) | Hut | Oberaletsch Hut (2,640 m1.64 miles 8,661.417 ft) |
| Difficulty | PD+
| Difficulty | |
| Height Gains | Hut - Summit: 1552 m0.964 miles 5,091.864 ft - Valley - Hut: 735 m0.457 miles 2,411.417 ft - Valley - Summit: 2287 m1.421 miles 7,503.281 ft
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| Useful Maps | SLK 1269: Aletschgletscher (Maps) | ||
[edit] Overview
| Route Name | Hei. | Dif. | Dur. (h) | Type | Rock | ° | Valley | Hut | S. Gain | Maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aletschhorn: North-East Ridge | 4,192 m2.605 miles 13,753.281 ft | PD+ | 5-7 | Snow and Rock | Betten, Fiesch | Mittelaletsch Bivouac | 1,179 m0.733 miles 3,868.11 ft | 1269 | ||
| Aletschhorn: South-West Ridge | 4,192 m2.605 miles 13,753.281 ft | PD+ | 7-8 | Snow and Rock | Riederalp | Oberaletsch Hut | 1,552 m0.964 miles 5,091.864 ft | 1269 |
Hei.:Height, Dif.: Difficulty, Dur.: Duration, S. Gain: Meters from hut to summit
Summit map is always listed first. If a map is used for 2 km and another map for 1 km, the 2 km map will be listed before the 1 km map. Overview of the Swiss maps & Italian maps.
[edit] Additional Photos
Aletschhorn from top of Mönch |
 Aletschhorn from Äbeni Flue Firn |
 Aletschhorn from top of Äbeni Flue |
[edit] Recommended Books
The Swiss Alps (Cicerone Guide) by Kev Reynolds
The Alpine 4000m Peaks by the Classic Routes by Richard Goedeke
Bernese Oberland: Selected Climbs (Alpine Club Guides) by Les Swindin
Bernese Oberland East: Interlaken - Grindelwald - Meiringen (Rother Walking Guide) by Daniel Anker
The Bernese Alps: A Walker's Guide (Cicerone Guide) by Kev Reynolds
- You can click the images to get a bigger image of the front cover!
- We offer you a direct deeplink to Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.de to buy the book. Amazon is the biggest online store in the world and offers a safe environment to buy anything you want.
