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+ 17

Alphubel, 4206m via East Flank (None)

Backcountry Skiing Route

Details
4.82 mi
4,339 ft
A long but relatively steady ascent up a big remote glacial peak, with great views of the giant Weisshorn nearby.

With its characteristic flat top, Alphubel, 4206m, is easily recognisable from a distance. It is slightly higher than your previous 2 summits, if you are following our Allalinhorn, Weissmies itinerary, but you should be acclimatising by now. It is a particularly fine location for a peak on the Saas/Zermatt watershed, immediately next to the bulk of the Taschhorn, with so many other enormous peaks all around too. Take the lifts to Langfluh (indeed you could even stay at the Langfluh Hotel if you were feeling the need for some expensive acclimatisation). The route up takes a reasonably obvious line, up the N facing glacier, though the exact line varies from season to season, and there are a few variations. On the upper section of the route you take a wide arc out to the L to avoid the worst of the crevasses, before heading back R to the steepening below the summit plateau. Descent is the same in reverse. It is particularly crevassed in summer, so bear this in mind when you ski down, keeping a good control of your speed and keeping your eye out for any tell tale depressions n the snowpack, which might indicate a weak snow bridge. At the end of the day, to continue to the Britannia Hut, you need to get the Felskinn lift then follow the obvious track to the hut in 45 mins, to continue the following itineraries of the Fluchthorn and the Strahlhorn. Written by Jon Morgan
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Route and Elevation