Bernese Oberland Ski Tour

The Bernese Oberland Ski Tour traverses the premier high altitude ski touring region of the Western Alps. This is a popular classic aimed at skiers looking for big glacial scenery, great ski summits and plenty of long descents, with the added bonus of some great huts! When booking with Alpine Guides you also accept our term & conditions: https://www.alpine-guides.com/terms-and-conditions/ Before booking - make sure you have completed our skier Profile, so we can make sure your level matched the requirement of the trip. https://www.alpine-guides.com/?ff_landing=1 This trip is a Fitness level 3 and a Tech level 3. ---- SATURDAY: You should arrange outward travel on Saturday, arriving by 5-6pm latest in time for the briefing at your accommodation. Your guide will run through kit checks and safety routines, as well as hand out any rental equipment, before going on to discuss the current weather and mountain conditions and how these affect our plans. We’ll have maps and guidebooks of the area to show you, so if you’ve any further questions or last minute requests, then this is the ideal time to bring them up. Overnight in the valley. ----------- SUNDAY Trugberg (3880m) to Konkordia Hut Trugberg makes an ideal first day objective en route to the Konkordia Hut. After an early morning train ride round to Grindelwald, the Jungfraujoch Mountain Railway leads right up through The Eiger to 3500m. Along the way there are several opportunities to view the famous North Face – first at Kleine Scheidegg, then again at the Gallery Windows where it’s possible to look right out across the face. From the top station, a steady skin across to the Monschsjoch serves as a good warm up, followed by a gentle descent down the Ewigschneefeld to where the main climb up to Trugberg begins. It’s a 500m ascent up to the shoulder and depending on conditions it may be possible to do the final boot track up to the ski summit. The classic descent off Trugberg is via the South Face however, so if it’s already warm it may be best to ski this straight away in order to find good snow conditions. The Konkordia Hut lies 2km away from the bottom of the main descent and a combination of gliding, poling and maybe a short skin finally reach the infamous hut steps. Due to glacial recession, these are getting longer each year, so it’s now quite a pull up to the hut at the end of the day! 550m ascent, 950m descent ~4-5hrs ---------- MONDAY: Kranzberg (3666m) Day Tour Kranzberg is a great ski peak and a classic day tour from the Konkordia Hut. After the initial steep slope up off the glacier, the main ascent is at a very steady angle, making for comfortable skinning all the way. At 3400m a shoulder is crossed, which leads to the final bowl up to the summit ridge. At the ridge there’s a ski depot, from where it’s just a short climb on foot to the top. The views out across to the Aletschhorn are stupendous. Back at the skis, it’s time to enjoy the descent, which is just the right angle for doing lots of long wide open pitches. Lower down, a series of little valleys lead to the final steep drop down onto the main glacier. Then it’s just a case of getting back across to the hut and up the steps (again..) for a well earned lunch. 1000m ascent and descent ~5-6hrs ---------- TUESDAY: Wysnollen (3590m) to Finsteraarhorn Hut Wysnollen is often done in combination with a traverse of the Grunhornlucke en route to the Finsteraarhorn Hut. Athough on paper this looks like quite a bit of climb, it’s split into two very steady ascents – the first of which is done in the shade – so overall it’s not an especially long day. From the top of the Grunhornlucke a short descent leads down to the base of Wysnollen, where it’s time to double back and head up to the summit. This is another very even angled climb, leading right to the top on skis. The descent is particularly good after a dump of fresh snow, when there are a lot of good powder pitches to be had. 1200m ascent, 900m descent ~6hrs ------------ WEDNESDAY: Gross Wannenhorn (3905m) Day Tour The Gross Wannenhorn is one of the best ski peaks in the Bernese Oberland and a real must during any visit to the Finsteraarhorn Hut. The architecture of the mountain is simple – a long glaciated bowl leading to a broad summit ridge. It’s this that makes it such a good ski peak, as the whole of the climb can be done on skis, right up to the summit rocks. On the way down, it’s generally always possible to find good snow by carefully selecting different slope aspects depending on the current conditions. At the bottom, there’s just the final skin back to the hut where lunch and a beer or two on the terrace await.. 1100m ascent and descent ~6hrs ----------- THURSDAY: Grunhornlucke to Hollandia Hut This is primarily a mountain travel and relocation day – but we get one good descent as we retrace our steps over the Grunhornlucke and on down to the Aletschfirn, before a long easy angled skin up to the Hollandia Hut. The route is obvious – just keep on skinning to the col – but the views are a great distraction from the effort, as we pass by the mighty North Face of the Aletschhorn – a 3 mile long, 800 metre high wall of rock and ice that dominates this part of the Oberland. 800m ascent, 600m descent ~5-6hrs. ---------- FRIDAY: Abeni Flue (3963m) At nearly 4000m, Abenifluhe is the highest peak in the Bernese Oberland that can be easily skinned to the summit of. This makes it one of the finest viewpoints in the range and a perfect place to start the final long run at the end of a weeks touring. The ascent from the Hollandia Hut isn’t too long and it’s set at an easy angle for most of the way – ie two other bonuses at the end of a hard week! The initially the descent returns down past the hut, before crossing the Lotschenlucke and plunging 2000m down into the Lotschental. This is one of the most beautiful valleys in the Alps and finally leads to the road head, where a post bus takes us down to the railway station and back to Brig. 700m ascent, 2200m descent ~5~6hrs PM return to Brig via train and postbus. ------------ SATURDAY: Return travel should be arranged from Brig on Saturday morning, after your final nights accommodation.

• Waterproof Jacket

• Overtrousers/ski pants

• Fleece mid layer

• Socks

• Wicking thermal top

• Thermal leggings or ski pants

• Thin inner gloves

• Warm ski gloves or mittens

• Warm hat

• Spare fleece/lightweight duvet jacket

• Water container

• Personal medications and blister kit

• Lightweight head torch

• Ski goggles

• Sun glasses

• Sun and lip cream

• Wallet, passport, Alpine Club/BMC card, insurance docs

• Small wash kit

• Spare lightweight t-shirt/socks/pants

• Silk sheet liner

• Rucsac 35/45l

• Ski mountaineering boots

• Skis with touring bindings

• Ski strap

• Ski poles

• Climbing skins

• Harscheisen

• Metal snow shovel

• Avalanche probe

• Avalanche transceiver

• Harness, with 120cm sling and locking karabiner

• Crampons

• Ice Axe

• Ski Helmet

• Guides on Oak are verified by Oak, but users should independently confirm a guide’s qualifications.

• Participants are responsible for ensuring their skill level and fitness are suitable for the activity.

• Individuals should only attempt techniques or terrain they feel personally confident with.

• All instructions and safety guidance from the guide should be followed at all times.

• Users must ensure their own equipment is appropriate and in safe working condition.

• Mountain activities carry inherent risks, and participation is at the user’s own discretion.

• Adequate insurance covering mountain travel and rescue is essential.

• Relevant medical information should be shared with the guide.

• Plans may change due to weather or safety considerations, and users should be prepared for this.