Santeri
Steep Skiing Techniques with Dave Searle
★★★★★
Really great course. I got a lot out of the course that helped me progress my skiing the rest of the season. 5/5 would recommend.
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Saas-Fee · Ski touring
Alphubeljoch Ski Tour with a Guide, Saas-Fee
The Alphubeljoch is a glacier col at roughly 3,750 m between the Alphubel and the Allalinhorn above Saas-Fee. The tour uses the lifts for height, adds about 750 m of skinning to the col, and returns with a descent into a wild, beautiful valley of around 2,000 vertical metres, sometimes in amazing powder!
What the course usually involves▼
This tour is built around one number: around 750 m of skinning gets you to the col, and around 2,000 vertical metres of glacier skiing await you from the top!
The lifts carry you high before the ski tour starts, which is what makes a descent that long achievable in a day. From the top the route works up the Feegletscher toward the col between the Alphubel and the Allalinhorn — not steep, but sustained, and on a glacier (a guide is therefore essential).
The descent is great. Depending on the line and the season, it runs toward Saas-Fee or over into the Täschalp on the Zermatt side, on glacier snow which is normally in great condition due to the altitude.
Everything is on glacier, so it is skied with rope team discipline and spacing rather than as an open slope. Ski crampons are essential and the item people most often arrive without.
The Saas valley holds plenty of other tours — the Britannia hut circuits, the Allalinhorn on ski, and longer traverses toward Zermatt. Request a guide and they can help you design your dream ski touring week.
What you'll learn▼
- Rope team travel on skis across a glacier
- Ski crampon use on firm morning skin tracks
- Skinning efficiently at altitude over 750 m of ascent
- Route-finding on the Feegletscher
- Timing a long descent for snow quality
- Skiing 2,000 vertical metres with spacing and route discipline
- Recognising crevasse hazard while descending on ski
Location context▼
The Alphubeljoch is a glacier col at roughly 3,750 m between the Alphubel at 4,206 m and the Allalinhorn at 4,027 m, in the Mischabel group above Saas-Fee. It is reached from the Saas-Fee lift system followed by around 750 m of skinning up the Feegletscher.
The col is a crossing point rather than a summit. From it, descents run back toward Saas-Fee or over into the Täschalp on the Zermatt side, giving around 2,000 vertical metres of glacier skiing.
The wider Saas valley holds the Britannia hut circuits, ski ascents of the Allalinhorn and Strahlhorn, and longer traverses linking toward Zermatt.
The season runs February to May.
What people say afterwards
Enea
Basic Mountaineering Course – Punta Helbronner 2 days
★★★★★
Really good, Francesco was great, I learned a lot and had a great time
yanxiang
3 days Alpine Training & Summit Pigne d’Arolla (3,796 m)
★★★★★
It was great! I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about alpinism techniques.
Alexandra
Crevasse Rescue course
★★★★★
The guide was super competent and the course was very useful for me. Thank you!
Satyen
Basic Mountaineering Course – Punta Helbronner 2 days
★★★★★
Really great 2-day BMC course in Italy! Learned a lot about mountaineering, safety, and glacier travel. The instructors were knowledgeable, patient, and made the whole experience super fun. Highly recommended!
Finlay
Monte Rosa tour: Climb, learn and discovery the High Mountains
★★★★★
Absolutely incredible tbh. The guides were always willing to give more info than the course outlined if you had a question.
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FAQ
Is the Alphubeljoch the same as the Alphubel?▼
No. The Alphubeljoch is a col at roughly 3,750 metres. The Alphubel is a 4,206 metre summit around 450 metres above it, and reaching it is a separate and more serious undertaking than the standard tour.
What ski level do I need?▼
The Alphubeljoch ski tour needs confident off-piste skiing and existing ski touring experience. The descent is around 2,000 vertical metres on glacier snow that varies through the day, and it is skied with spacing rather than as an open slope.
How much does the tour cost?▼
The Alphubeljoch ski tour costs from around CHF 270 per person depending on group size. Lift passes are separate, as is equipment hire. Request a guide for a quote covering your group and dates.
Do I need ski crampons?▼
Yes. Ski crampons are essential on the Alphubeljoch because the morning skin track on the Feegletscher is usually firm, and ski crampons are essential rather than optional. They are the piece of equipment people most often arrive without.
What other ski tours are there in Saas-Fee?▼
Ski touring in Saas-Fee also includes the Britannia hut circuits, ski ascents of the Allalinhorn and Strahlhorn, and longer traverses toward Zermatt. Tell a guide how many days you have and they will propose something that fits.
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