Fletschhorn
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  - July 2001
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Fletschhorn

13100 feet/3993 meters
Wallis (Weissmies), Switzerland, Europe

Last update: April 15th, 2002
   © Copyright by Rahel Maria Liu


Fletschhorn

Fletschhorn with its impressive Northface, viewed from Egga (July 2001)

 © Copyright by Rahel Maria Liu

Overview

Every year, many people pass the Simplonpass by car. Often they stop here. If they have luck, they can view among the grey mountains of this region a snow- and ice-face, a huge wall which comes up from the alms: the Fletschhorn-Northface.

The Fletschhorn is a very interesting mountain, mainly because of this big northface - and its loneliness. The reason for this is probably, that it does not reach the 4000m limit, but nearby there is the Lagginhorn with its 4010m which is one of the main goals of the alpinists over there. And the northface is objectively dangerous as well. The Fletschhorn is the most northern summit of the 3 big summits of the Weissmiesgroup. One can reach the Fletschhorn from the south on the normal route from the Weissmieshütte or from the north by different ridges or the imposant and difficult northface. The Fletschhorn is very beautiful from the north because of the big northface. Sometimes it is called to be the most beautiful swiss 3000m-peak ( Waeber ).

This northface was climbed for the first time by E. R. Blanchet with the guides Oskar Supersaxo and Kaspar Mooser on the 25th of July 1927. They needed 6 hours for the approach from Simplon village and 5,5 h for the face. A second ascent took place not until 1948. On the 17. July 1960, seven members of the austrian alpine club opened a new route under guidance of Erich Vanis: the Wienerroute. So within 33 years, the face was climbed only 3 times. According to Vanis, there has not even been a fourth climb until 1978. Vanis had problems when he climbed the face. They had to made steps. When we climbed it in 2001, we had also problems but not because of to hard ice, but just to the contrary: because of too soft snow which was a problem for belay. Because of its steepness till 70°, you should use the rope at the end. But if the snow is too soft, you cannot use ice screws but only firnanchors which you normally do not take with you for a northface-climb in the Alps.


Routes Overview

1. W-flank and topmost NW-ridge (normal route)
2. Descent to Fletschjoch
  • 20 min., G 2, 300 hm (45 min. as ascent) ( Waeber )

3. NE-ridge (Breitlauigrat)
  • 8 h from Egga, G 4, 2400 hm ( Waeber ) (or 4 h from the bivouac hut)
  • as descent: 2,5 h from the summit to the bivuoac place ( Biner )

4. N-face (Wienerroute)
  • pure ice tour to the topmost NW-ridge, 50° and more at the end, G 10, 600 hm ( Waeber )
  • S+, 4 h (only the face), 4 - 5 h from the bivouac place, 750 hm ( Biner )
  • 750 hm, till 70°, 7 h ( Vanis )
  • SS, 60°, 7-8 h from the bivuoacplace (Vaucher)

5. NW-ridge from Senggchuppa

Getting There

1. FROM THE SOUTH:
  • Cable car from Saas Grund to the Weissmieshütte or on foot.
  • You reach the Weissmieshütte on foot from Saas Grund in 3 h (1170hm) or in 1 h from the station Kreuzboden of the cable car Hohsaas. From the part of the village called "Unter dem Berg" you go on a beautiful little wy through the steep way through larchs to the Triftalp, 2072 m. A little bit above, the way crosses the road at the bridge over a side stream of the Triftbach and continues to the station Kreuzboden, 2397m. The way goes further in NE-direction over a moraine to the hut which you reach at the end via zigzag.
  • From the summit station Hohsaas, you reach the hut in 30 min. on a good way going down (380 hm)
  • You reach Saas Grund (1559 m) by car or bus from Visp/Brig. Saas Grund is the main village of the Saastal. Before Saas Fee has become touristically interesting, Saas Grund was also the econimic center of this valley.
  • Brig is the main city of the upper Wallis and the junction of the trains:
      a. Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon-Domodossola
      b. Furka-Oberalppass (Andermatt/Disentis, Glacierexpress)
      c. Brig-Visp-Zermatt
      d. Lake of Geneva-Milano
  • In Brig, many busses arrive as well:
      a. Simplon-Gondo
      b. Saastal
      c. Blatten
      d. Mund
      e. Rosswald
  • You reach Visp/Brig by car:
      a. from the West: From Geneva (airport) on the A1 to Lausanne, on the A9 via Montreux, Martigny and Sion to Sierre. From Sierre the road no. 9 with direction to Brig. But at Visp, you turn already right to the S with directin to the Saaser valley. In Stalden, you turn left and leave the Zermatter valley to the right. Here, the Saaser valley beginns. Via Saas Baalen, you reach Saas Grund.

      b. from the North: from Bern on the A6 to Spiez, from here the road to Kandersteg, at Kandersteg, you drive your car on a train and go by train through a tunnel; end of the tunnel: Goppenstein; you continue the road to the S and reach the main road from Sierre. On the crossroad, you turn left (E) and reach Visp. From here, continue as route a.

      c. from the East: from Bregenz on the A13 to Chur; turn off at Reichenau and continue the road no. 19 to Brig/Visp via Flims - Sedrun - Andermatt - Gletsch - Fiesch. From Visp, continue as described in a.

      d. from the South: either from Como on the A2 via Bellinzona to Airollo, then road no.2 till Hospental and here to the left on the road no. 19 to Brig/Visp or from Arona till the end von the A26 and then the E62 via Domodóssola to Brig.

2. FROM THE NORTH:
  • Either from the North from Brig on the road no. 9 via Simplonpass (2005m) till Egga or from the South from Arona till the end von the A26 and then the E62 via Domodóssola, Gondo (border) and Simplon to Egga.
  • You can come by car or bus to Egga (1588m on the route between Simplonpass and Simplonvillage). The advantage, if you arrive by car, is, that you can continue by car from Egga to the Rossbodenstaffel (1922m), which would take you 1 1/2 hours on foot. From the Rossboden you hike over grass, directon: north until P. 2020, from this point over the Griesserna moraines to the Griessernuglacier (2650m) and from the glacier with south-direction to the bivouac-place (3014m). It takes you about 4 hours.

When To Climb

  • Summer (June to August)
    •

    Camping and/or Accomodation

  • There is a camping place in Saas Grund, where you can stay after having returned from the Weissmieshütte.

  • Good and cheap tourist camp for example in Saas Grund:
    Saaser Hütte Adler:

    • Mountainhuts

  • 1. Weissmieshütte (Internet):
    http://www.adventure.ch/mhi/sahvsvd.htm
    http://www.vs-wallis.ch/wallis/huetten/weissmies.html

    • 2. Bivouac-Hut on the Northside:
  • Since a few years there has been existing a new bivouac hut with 9 beds, kitchenware and flatware. You need only gas. You can pay for the night afterwards by check at every bank.

    • Mountain Conditions and General Information
    1. GENERAL INFOS:
     2. WEATHER
     3. BUS BRIG - SAAS GRUND/SIMPLON 4. TRAIN
      - Internet: http://www.sbb.ch/
      - Phone:++41(0)900300300
      - Travel agency: ++41(0)512258444

    Maps

  • Schweizer Landeskarten:
      1:25000 no. 1309 Simplon
      1:50000 no. 5006 Matterhorn-Mischabel
      to order at
    DAV Service
    cordee.co.uk 
    http://www.swisstopo.ch/


    • Books

  • Hermann Biner , Hochtouren im Wallis. Vom Trient zum Nufenenpass. 2nd ed. 1996.
    ISBN 3-859022-160-5

  • Helmut Dumler /Willi P. Burkhardt, Viertausender der Alpen. 11th ed. Munich 1998.
    ISBN 3-7633-7427-2

  • Erich Vanis , Im steilen Eis. Munich 1980.
    ISBN 3-405-12158-2

  • Michel Vaucher, Walliser Alpen. Die 100 schönsten Touren. 2nd ed. Munich 1990.
    ISBN 3-7654-2124-3

  • Michael Waeber , Walliser Alpen. DAV-Gebietsführer. 12th ed. Munich 1999.
    ISBN 3-7633-2416-X