This ski tour crosses the largest glacier in central Europe, the Aletch glacier. The tour is surrounded by remote 4000 meter peaks with great skiing and fantastic view over the giants of the Alps.
On this tour you will see one of the most stunning mountain areas in Europe. Peaks like Jungfrau, Eiger, Monch and others all over 4000 meters lie around us. The mountain huts along the tour are very nice with great Swiss cuisine. The Bernese Oberland ski tour takes you from Grindlewald in the west to Grimselpass in the east.
Skills and stamina
The Haute Route is a challenging ski tour over 6 quite intense days. It is suitable for skiers who have previous experience of multi-day ski touring and backcountry skiing.
You need to have a good level of fitness and have the skiing ability to cope with variable off-piste snow conditions.
Season
Since we travel in high altitude terrain this ski tour is suitable for the later part of the season. The huts open mid-March and the season continues until the beginning of May. This is a wonderful time in the Alps with lots of snow in the high mountains and at the same time warm and pleasant temperatures in the valleys. We often enjoy powder skiing on high north facing slopes before we descend to the valley and sit outside in the sun with a beer in our hand.
Program for the week
The following is a typical Bernese Oberland Haute Route program. There may be changes due to weather and snow conditions.
Day 1, Sunday
Traveling day, arrival in Grindlewald. You can check in at the hotel from 2 pm. If you would like to come earlier and get a few extra days in Grindlewald before the tour starts, we can help you to book extra nights.
Day 2, Monday
We do a shorter ski tour to test all our equipment. Ensure that crampons fit the boots and that all equipment works well. All to ensure that the rest of the tour will be a safe and fun experience. It also gives the mountain guide a chance to see how the group is moving so that we can adapt the rest of the week to your level. We sleep at the hotel in Grindlewald this night or up at Kleine Sheidegg.
Day 3, Tuesday
We take the train from Grindlewald through the Eiger up to Jungfraujoch. This trip is an experience on its own that cannot be described with words, it must be experienced. A short ski down from Jungfraufirn and then we put the skins on and walk over Louwitor. A nice descent down Kranzbergfirn and then up to Hollandia hut where we spend the night.
Day 4, Wednesday
We start the morning by climbing Abeni Flue, 3962 meters. From here, we get a nice ride down towards Konkordia. Here we have the opportunity to stay overnight in the fine Konkordia hut, or continue over Grunhornlucke and down to Fiescherhorn glacier. We can now go directly to the hut or take the skins and go up on Wyssnollen, 3590 meters. A fine ride leading down to the glacier and Finsteraarhorn hut.
Day 5, Thursday
Today we continue towards Oberaarjoch via Gross Wannenhorn, which is perhaps the best ski run in the Oberland. A nice walk goes up against Fiescherhorn or we make an attempt to climb Finsteraarhorn, 4274 meters, if conditions are good. We return and spend the night in the hut Finteraarhorn.
Day 6, Friday
We start the day by climbing Gross Wannenhorn, if we already did that yesterday we aim for another nice run. We then continue towards the Oberaarjoch hut, where we stay overnight.
Day 7, Saturday
From Oberaarjoch hut there are many wonderful opportunities for great skiing that takes us back to civilization. A favorite is over Vorder Galmihorn and down the Bachtal glacier to Reckingen or Galmilicke and down to Munster. The train takes us back to our starting point in Grindlewald or Interlaken.
Day 7, Sunday
Travel day, return back home.
Equipment
The following items will be provided by your mountain guide. Ensure there is room in your back pack.
• Harness
• 2 locking carabiners and a sling
• Shovel
• Probe
• Transceiver
Personal equipment
This is an equipment list for the Haute Route ski tour
• Skis with ski touring bindings
• Climbing skins
• Ski crampons
• Poles, adjustable with big baskets
• Ski touring boots
• Back pack, about 40-45 litres
• Travel sheets to sleep in at the huts
• Clothes for skiing
• Extra underwear
• Down jacket, lightweight
• Extra gloves
• Sunglasses
• Ski goggles
• Sun block (minimum factor SPF 20)
• Crampons and ice axe (available for rent)
• Lunch food for 1-2 days (we can buy extra food along the way and prefer to travel as light as possible)
Small groups
We only take 4-6 skiers per guide on this tour. Some weeks there are 2 groups and then the guides will work together. However, we travel independently so the groups can ski different lines.
Included
• Professional mountain guide authorised by UIAGM/IFMGA
• 6 days ski touring
• All safety equipment for off-piste and glacier skiing (transceiver, shovel, probe, rope and harness)
• All transport during the week including return to Grindlewald
• Ski passes
• Hotel accommodation in twin room including breakfast for 2 nights (a single room can, where possible, be arranged at additional cost)
• 4 nights at mountain huts including breakfast and dinner
• Amazing views and good skiing in a remarkable high-mountain environment
Not included
• Lunch and drinks at the mountain huts (beer, soda, wine, etc)
• Ski touring equipment, see list above
• Travel to/from Grindlewald
