route-highlight
route-highlight
route-highlight
route-highlight
route-highlight
route-highlight
+ 7

Urner Alps Traverse: Chelenalp Hut to Steingetscher Hotel

Backcountry Skiing Route

Details
7.63 mi
3,695 ft
A magnificent long glacial descent, with an optional high summit, the Sustenhorn (3502m).

From the hut you are going straight up on S facing slopes. It is common to do this initially with either crampons on your feet or maybe ski crampons if skinning. The initial steepening eases, and you can continue more easily to the obvious col above, the Sustenlimi at 3078m. If people are tired or the weather is suboptimal you can ski down straight from here to the Steingletscher Hotel, but the obvious prize above is the Sustenhorn. You barely drop the far side of the col, before continuing up gentle slopes to the L of the Vorder Sustlimihorn peak above you. These steepen slightly in the mid section, but you can skin all the way to the summit at 3502m, with a wonderful view in all directions, particularly to the giants of the Bernese Oberland to the SW. Ski down following your ascent route, almost to the Sustenlimi, but then angle down to the R. You need to weave a complex line, avoiding the worst of the crevassed glacier, passing close to the toe of a large rocky buttress, at about 2950m. You are heading NW, N then NE underneath some picturesque seracs. The glacier steepens up again briefly, at about 2500m, before becoming more gentle again. The final difficulty is getting off the toe of the glacier at about 2200m. It is then very gentle past the Steinsee lake then down to the Steingletscher Hotel at 1850m, on the hairpin of the road leading to the Sustenpass. Written by Jon Morgan
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation