On April 21 we boarded the Jungfrajoch train in Interlaken, Switzerland (567 M / 1860') and rode 2.5 hours to the Jungfraujoch Station located at 3454 M / 11,333' and the start of our ski tour. Assistant guide, Mike Bromberg rode up with us, snapped a few photos, and then headed off on his own tour, as we no longer needed a second guide along on the trip. The photo above is taken looking out the window at the Eismeer Station (3160 M / 10,368'). In the summer it is possible to climb out the window, rappel to the glacier below, and then climb over to the Mittellegi Hut for a climb of the Eiger's East ridge. This is a trip that we offer in the summer.
Once at the top station we hiked through a rock tunnel onto the Jungfrau Glacier (Jungfraufirn) where we put on our harnesses and skis and headed across the glacier to climb the Loumitor and then descend the Kranzberg Glacier enroute to our first hut, the Hollandia (3240 M / 10,630'). The train ride up is a mind boggling train trip through a tunnel that has been bored through the Eiger (3970 M / 13,025') and Monch (4107 M / 13,475') allowing skiers to shave off a two-plus day approach to one of the best ski areas I have ever visited. As we started our tour the skies were clear and the forecast was ideal.
This is looking up from the Jungrfrau Glacier to the Loumitor, a broad saddle located below the Loumihorn (3773 M / 12,379') and the Kranzberg (3666 M / 12,028'). The rock peak on the left is the Kranzberg. This NE slope had good snow on it, but we had to cover some ground to get to the Hollandia Hut, so Kari and I climbed up and then Mike skied down on his way back over to the Jungfraujoch.
This first climb is about 400 meters and provided a nice opportunity for us to stretch our legs after two days cooped up in Interlaken waiting for the whole volcano situation to resolve itself.
This is Kari about 1/2 way up the climb to the Loumitor.
This is Mike skiing down the upper section of the climb to the Loumitor.
Once up and over the Loumitor, we skied the Karanzbergfirn down to the Grosser Aletschfirn. This slope is south facing and we hit it late enough in the day that things were soft and nice for the long trip down, what proved to be a very interesting and in places, broken glacier. The Berner feels bigger than most areas of I have skied in Europe and I could not help but think of Alaska as we cruised down these big, broad alpine glaciers. This descent was around 650 meters.
Once down on the Grosser Aletschfirn, we took a right and headed up to the Hollandia Hut (3240 M /10,630'), which sits just above the Lotschenlucke (3173 M / 10,410') and across from the massive Aletschorn (4193 M / 13,757'). Along the way we met a nice Swiss gentleman who had just climbed the Jungfrau, made the same descent we made, and was now also headed for the Hollandia Hut. We later ran into his daughter who mentioned that he was doing pretty well for a 74 year old! Hats off to the older Swiss skiers!
This is looking toward the Hollandia Hut with the Lotschenlucke below on the left. This is one of the smaller huts in the Berner, but can still squeeze 100 people in a pinch. While we used this for our first night, many groups end here and then ski out to Blatten on the last day. This necessitates an itinerary that is essentially the reverse of what we did.
Kari standing in front of the hut with the Sattelhorn (3745 M / 12,287') in the background.
Once in the hut we dropped our ski and climbing gear, and headed in to change into cotton clothes and have a beer, the usual afternoon custom on ski trips in the Alps. The hut managers were super friendly and while this had one of the simpler menus, and was one of the more primitive huts with regard to things like running water, etc. The Hollandia Hut ended up being one of our favorite huts of the tour. Per usual, we were the only group from North America in the hut, with the rest comprised primarily of Italians from Milan and of course, Swiss.
The next morning we woke with the ambitious plan to climb both the Abeni Flue (3962 M / 12,999') and the Mittaghorn (3892 M / 12,769') before skiing down valley to the Konkordia Hut (2850 M / 9,351'). Just up valley from the hut we stopped to take a look at a recent slab avalanche that had been caused by a cornice collapse, a photo that is certain to make it into our AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Courses. The crown is around 8 feet deep...yikes..
Again, we experienced perfect weather as we headed up the Abeni Flue Glacier to our first objective, the Abeni Flue.
Kari steamed right along and we made the summit in a few hours. From the top we were able to enjoy views of the the entire Haute Route Ski Tour to the South and of the nearby Jungfrau and Monch as well as amazing views down into the Konkordiaplatz, where some of the largest glaciers in Europe come together.
Shot from the summit of the Abeni Flue.
Looking NE to the Jungfrau (4158 M / 13,642') and the Monch (4107 M / 13,475').
On the summit of the Abeni Flue we were buzzed by what appeared to be a vintage Swiss military plane.
After skiing off the top of the Abeni Flue, we headed over to climb the Mittaghorn, which was a bit more technical. On the way up and down we did a bit of short roping and rock scrambling before following a long ridge to the summit. While the Abeni Flue provided the best skiing, the Mittaghorn was a worthwhile side trip that added a few hours to our day.
Kari at the short crux of the Mittaghorn, which involved a down climb or a lower off a bolt.
Kari coming off the summit of the Mittaghorn.
Following our climbs above the Hollandia Hut we skied down the glacier to the Konkordia Hut. The glacier down at the Konkordiaplatz has receded so much in the past 100+ years that the hut has been in existence that they have built longer and longer stairs allowing skiers and climbers to reach the hut. At this point the stairs are over 150 Meters high and involve over 350 steps to get up to the hut. With this in mind, most skiers leave their skis on the glacier below and take what they need for the night up the ladders and stairs.
Looking down at Kari climbing up the ladders to the Konkordia Hut. I climb of a living and I would be lying if I did not tell you these things, while secure, felt really high and exposed!
Once up at the hut we spent the remainder of the day enjoying the sunshine, drinking Panache (lager beer mixed with Sprite), and I managed to eat a lunch of pasta and then another lunch of Rosti as a prelude to our excellent dinner.
We also made it a habit to drink a few liters of tea each afternoon at the hut as this is generally the least expensive way to rehydrate at the more remote mountain huts, most of which have no running water.
The next morning we rose early, descended the ladders, and climbed up valley to the Grunhornlucke (3280 M / 10,762') before skiing down onto the Fieschergletscher and around the corner to the Wyssnollen (3590M / 12,960'). The above photo is taken looking back toward the Konkordiaplatz just below the Grunhornlucke.
The skiing on the backside of the Grunhornlucke was NE facing as still provided some very nice powder skiing under an impressive ice cliff.
On the tour up the Wyssnollen we got some amazing views of the Gross Wannenhorn (3906 M/ 12,816') and decided that this would need to be the next day's objective. The summit of the Gross Wannenhorn is just above Kari to the right in this photo.
We hit the summit as things were starting to lightly cloud up for the first time in the trip,, so we efficiently skied down and across to the Finsteraarrhorn Hut (3048 / 10,001').
The ski off the summit of the Wyssnollen was a bit more SE facing and thus not quite as fluffy as the skiing below the pass, but it was still a very worthwhile objective.
Getting to the Finsteraarrhorn hut involves climbing a ladder or two, but was much less complicated that the Konkordia Hut. I think this was our favorite of all the huts as it was new, spacious, and had really good food.
A view of one of the sleeping areas in the Finsteraarrhorn Hut.
On our second to last day we woke up early and headed back across the valley to climb the Gross Wanenhorn, which ended up being my favorite climb of the trip. This thing is MASSIVE. We climbed just over 1000 meters from the glacier to the summit and the views of the Berner Oberland were simply stunning. We shared the peak with one other group of skiers and the descent provided us with some excellent spring conditions.
Kari on the summit ridge of the Gross Wannenhorn.
Looking down and across the valley to the spot where we would make a left turn and climb up through an icefall enroute to the Oberaarjoch Hut, which is located in the notch at the far left of the photo.
Kari on the summit with the Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger in the distant background.
Kari dropping into the excellent skiing a few hundred meters below the summit of the Gross Wannenhorn.
After coming off the summit we skied down the Fieschergletscher and passed through an enormous icefall (enormous by European ski standards, small for AK or Rainier).
Eventually we made it up to the Oneraarjoch Hut (3256 M / 10,683'), where we climbed the ladders up to one last afternoon of panache, rosti, and the good life to be found in European Huts.
Inside the Oberaarjoch Hut.
A happy guide with his Rosti and sausage!
Looking back toward the Finsterraarrhorn (4274 M/ 14,0223') from the Oberaarjoch Hut.
On our last morning we ski back down the Galmigletscher and climbed the Vordere Galmihorn (3517 M / 11,539'). There were skiers coming from both the Oberaarjoch Hut and the Finsteraarrhorn Hut, so we were not alone, but we greatly enjoyed this last day of clear weather.
On the summit of the Vordere Galmihorn.
Once we left the summit we skied down to the pass between the two summits of the Galmihorn and dropped into the insanely big and fun Bachital, which dropped us over 2000 meters into the town of Reckingen, where we caught a train down valley to Brig, and then eventually around and through the mountains back to Interlaken. We hit this at about 9:00 am and it provided many thousand feet of perfect corn skiing.
Looking back up the valley we descended on the last day.
Walking through pastures into the lovely Swiss town of Reckingen (1317 M / 4,321').
Reckingen, Switzerland.
Despite the complications caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland we had an amazing trip with what was left of the group in the Berner Oberland and we are looking forward to returning in 2011 to repeat many of the ski descents described here and add a few more.
Maps used on this trip:
1:50,000 Swiss Topo - Swiss Ski Maps
- 265 S Nufennpass
- 264 S Jungfrau
- 1249 Finsteraarhorn
- 1250 Ulrichen
2 comments:
Hey John: that plain you saw was a Pilatus Porter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilatus_PC-6
Cool Adam. It looked like a cross between a super cub and a single engine Otter.....lightweight and lots of power. The pilot brought it remarkable close to the ridge, which was a bit wild to watch.
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