The mountain region of the Weissmies group is the easternmost part of the Valais Alps and is predominantly in the Switzerland, small proportions in the south belong to the Piedmont (Italy). The three highest peaks are Weissmies (4,017 m), Lagginhorn (4,010 m) and Fletschhorn (3,993 m).
Regions
places
Other goals
background
Circumscribed is the Weissmies group in the west of Saas Valley, in the north of the Rhone Valley and in the east of the Simplon Pass. In the south, the Valle Anzasca (Vischpertal), a side valley of the Val d’Ossola, is the border.
language
getting there
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You can arrive by road from the north via the Rhone Valley:
- Branch at Brig-Glis and access via the Simplon route to the east of the region.
- Branch at Visp into the valley system Mattertal and further into that Saas Valley.
The journey is by road from the south Domodossola and the Simplon Pass.
The railway crosses under the Simplon route in a 20 km long tunnel, with train stations in the north Visp and Brig-Glis (northern tunnel portal), and in the south / Italy the border station Iselle di Trasquera.
mobility
Simplon Pass
The Simplon Pass (also just "Simplon", 2,006 m, 46 ° 15 ′ 3 ″ N.8 ° 2 ′ 0 ″ E) is an alpine crossing already used in the Stone Age, it connects the canton of Valais from Brig-Glis out with the Val Divedro and Domodossola in northern Italy.
The first route across the Simplon was already built by the Romans, but because of the narrow Gondo Gorge, which could not be crossed with buildings for a long time, the pass was only used by individuals such as smugglers and mercenaries until the 17th century. Only with the technical possibilities of modern times did the expansion as a traffic route begin: Kaspar Jodok von Stockalper had the first initiative: he managed to upgrade the route for salt transports on pack animals from the Mediterranean, which made him a rich man at the time.
Between 1801 and 1805 Napoleon I arranged for strategic reasons to expand it as a fortified pass road and to drive on with artillery. In 1906 the railway tunnel through the Simplon was opened as a base tunnel, at that time it was the longest tunnel in the world with a length of 19 km.
Today, the Simplon Pass is one of the best-developed pass roads in the Alps in terms of traffic. Because of its height, the road leads into high alpine regions and is mostly passable in winter, the Simplon is also counted among the most scenic alpine crossings.
The old mule track of the "Stockalperweg"from the 17th century is still well-preserved over a length of over 35 km and has been developed as a cultural and historical hiking route from Brig-Glis over the Simplon Pass to Gondo.
To the Simplon Hospice see the section accommodation.
See also for information Tourism and Ecomuseum Simplon (Village).
Tourist Attractions
Mountains and peaks
The peaks of the Weissmies group are, compared to other high Valais mountains, not quite as high and also from the Saas Valley easy to reach with the mountain railway. No major technical difficulties are required for the ascent, so the four-thousand-meter peaks of the Weismmies group are very popular and have frequent visits from mountaineers.
Weissmies
The ice pyramid of the, which is striking towards the Saas Valley Weissmies (4,023 m 46 ° 7 ′ 40 ″ N.8 ° 0 ′ 43 "E) is the highest mountain in the group named after him. The name is interpreted as "Weisses Moos" in the Valais dialect form and as a derivation from the snow-capped summit or the matured moss in the lower layers, locally as "the" Weissmies, but also "die" and "der" Weissmies are common. To the east the mountain shows its rocky side. The glaciers on its flanks are the Weissmies glacier in the northeast, the Trift glacier in the west and the Mellig glacier with the Rottal glacier in the southeast.
The First ascent took place in August 1855 by Jakob Christian Häusser and the notary Peter Josef Zurbriggen von der Almagelleralp out. According to an anecdote, the locals were initially extremely suspicious of the reported first ascent success of the two strangers and followed the trail of descent until it clearly led to the highest point.
The most common today Normal rise leads from Hohsaashütte (3,098 m), alternatively also from the slightly lower one Weissmieshütte (2,627 m) with a time expenditure of four to five hours over the Trift glacier and the west ridge up to the summit. The technical difficulties are classified as WS, II, the path leads over rock heaps, there are also some crevasses, firn flanks up to 35 ° and the often quite pronounced crack a little below the summit.
With the support of the railway from Saas Grund, the Weissmies can be done as a day tour on this route without having to stay overnight in a hut, but due to the absolute altitude only recommended to previously acclimatized summit aspirants, backpacks left behind on the route are an indication of a wrong assessment of your own altitude adjustment.
Another increase begins at the Almagellerhütte (2,896 m), and on the way the first ascent leads to the route from above over the intermediate mountain pass and the south ridge with a climb to the summit ridge, which is narrow on this side. The two routes are often combined as a crossing.
Lagginhorn
With a height of 4,010 m that is Lagginhorn (46 ° 9 '26 "N.8 ° 0 ′ 11 "E) among the "4000" peaks in the Valais Alps the lowest and also the northernmost. The Lagginhorn is the middle part of the mountain ridge Weissmies - Lagginhorn - Fletschhorn, the mountain appears on the side of the Saas Valley as a wide and steep rock pyramid.
The First ascent of the Lagginhorn took place comparatively late on August 27, 1856 Johann Joseph Mayeng, legendary pastor Saas-Grund, Mountain pioneer, first-time climber also des Allalinhorns and also a first pioneer in the development of tourism in the Saas Valley. Pastor Imseng, who was classified by contemporaries as rather "odd" and not a rare surname in the Saas Valley, was accompanied by his servant Franz Josef Andermatten, the lawyer Edward Lewi, three Englishmen and three other locals. The route of the first climber led over the west ridge as today's normal route. A statue on the village square of Saas-Fee reminds of the enlightened pastor, the Valais poet Adolf Fux chose Imseng as the subject in one of his novels.
The Normal rise The rail support to the huts is simpler. The route to the summit of the Lagginhorn leads over the rocky west ridge, the approach to the ridge is from the Weissmieshütte (2,627 m) and on to the summit in a total of around five hours, or from the Hohsaashütte (3,098 m) and also over the west ridge in around four hours to the rather narrow summit with a summit cross, rather rare for a four-thousand-meter peak. The ridge entry is a bit difficult to find, the further ascent to the summit is then considered technically not difficult (a climbing section II, some sections I and walking area), but the rocks below the summit are a bit brittle and tricky when iced. The firn fields of the Lagginhorn glacier at the foot of the West Ridge are mostly completely empty in late summer and not too partial: the Lagginhorn is an exception, a four-thousand-meter peak that can be climbed without crampons and ropes under appropriate conditions and with appropriate mountain experience.
Unfortunately, the Lagginhorn is also an example of the fact that an easy four-thousand-meter peak is by no means a harmless four-thousand-meter peak: on July 3rd, 2012 five climbers fell fatally during a mountain drama on the descent and just below the summit. Among the victims were two children of a surviving father as the sixth member of the group who remained below the summit.
Fletschhorn
activities
Hiking and mountaineering
Summit climbs / normal routes of the mountains are with the respective Culminate described.
High trails
- Stockalperweg Cultural and historical hiking route along the mule track from the 17th century and from Brig-Glis over the Simplon Pass to Gondo.
- Almagelleralp mountain trail (Höhenweg Kreuzboden - Almagelleralp): The hiking trail leads from the valley floor (Saas-Grund / Saas-Almagell, approx. 1,700 m) in different variants as an easy high-altitude hike in high alpine mountains Almagelleralp and then almost at the same height to the Kreuzboden and then back down into the valley, several refreshment stops, duration approx. seven hours;
kitchen
accommodation
Accommodation in the surrounding localities see in Places section in front.
Alpine accommodations for hikers and mountaineers:
In the West above that Saas Valley:
- 1 Weissmieshütte (2,627 m, SAC Olten), House Weissmies, CH-3910 Saas Grund. Tel.: 41 (0)27 957 25 54.
- The hut consists of several buildings: the building built in 1894 as the “Weissmies” hotel is the “Alte Weismieshütte” and is now the winter room. It was acquired in 1924 by SAC Olten. The "Neue Weissmieshütte" was built in 1960, and both buildings were extensively renovated in the 1990s.
- Furnishing: 165 storage spaces, 16 spaces in the unattended period, washrooms / running water.
- Hosted: from the end of June to the end of September.
- Easiest approaches: Talort is Saas-Grund, the driveway is with the Hohsaas mountain railways (approx. 1,560 m) possible: from the Kreuzboden station (Chrizbode, 2,397 m) and another approx. one hour ascent, or from the Hohsaas station (3,101 m) and approx. 30 minutes descent to the hut, approx. 300 mH) . The hut ascent from the valley is of course also possible: approx. Four hours.
- Summit possibility and tours: this is the Hausberg Lagginhorn and the Fletschhorn, but also the Weissmies can be reached with a slightly longer approach compared to the Hohsaashütte.
- 2 Hohsaashütte (Hohsaas mountain restaurant, 3,098 m, private) (the hut is located at the Hohsaas mountain station). Tel.: 41 (0)27 957 17 13.
- Furnishing: 40 beds;
- Hosted: in summer continuously catered for, in winter only during the day;
- Easiest approach: Talort is Saas-Grund, Driveway with the Hohsaas mountain railway (approx. 1,560 m) to the Hohsaas station (3,101 m), the hut is located next to the mountain station;
- Summit possibility and tours: this is the Hausberg Weissmies, but also Lagginhorn and Fletschhorn can be reached from the hut.
- 3 Almagellerhütte (2,984 m, SAC Niesen Spiez) (the hut is located on the south side of the Weissmies). Tel.: 41 (0)27 957 11 79 (Hut), (0)27 957 3514 (Valley).
- Furnishing: 120 beds, winter room;
- Waited from June to September, open all year round;
- Easiest approach: Talort is Saas-Almagell (1,672 m), ascent as a signposted and easy high-alpine mountain hike in various variants (valley path, adventure path, mule track) in around 2.5 to three hours.
- Summit possibility and tours: this is the Hausberg Weissmies, the route from the hut is the glacier-free approach over the Zwischenbergen Pass and the Weissmies-Südgrat.
- 4 Almagelleralp (Mountain hotel, 2,200 m, private) (on the south side of the Weissmies). Tel.: 41 (0)79 613 79 85.
- Furnishing: Rooms and tourist camps;
- Open: In summer from June to September;
- Easiest approach: The mountain hotel is located below the Almagellerhütte and is off Saas-Almagell (1,672 m) via several signposted hiking routes through a highly attractive landscape and can be reached in around 1.5 to two hours.
in the east of the region:
- 5 Simplon Hospice (Hospice of the Canons of the Great St. Bernhard, Christl. Meeting house, 2,005 m) (at the Simplon Pass).
- A first hospital was built and looked after by the Johanniter as protection and accommodation on the Simplon Pass as early as 1235. On the initiative of Kaspar von Stockalper, the route over the Simplon Pass was expanded as a mule track and the first hospice was expanded into the tower-like "Alte Spittel", which has been preserved to this day, and was also used by Stockalper as a summer residence.
- Under Napoleon and with the expansion of the route over the Simplon to the military road from 1801, the construction of a new hospice building and use as a barracks began in 1813. When Napoleon fell, only one floor was finished, construction was initially stopped. It was not until 1831 that the accommodation was completed by the Canons of the Great St. Bernhard. The three-storey house is still the largest pass hospice in the Alps with space for over 300 people. The building is mainly used by the Swiss military, but is also a hostel for up to 12,000 foreigners a year.
security
climate
- Alpine weather service of the PES (for the entire Alpine region).
- The Avalanche warning services:
- For the Switzerland: Tel .: 0041-848-800-187;
- For the Trentino
- For the Aosta Valley
literature
- : Four thousand meter peaks in the Alps. Bergverlag Rother, 2007 (13th edition), ISBN 978-3763374274 ; 224 pages. Probably the most comprehensive presentation on the topic, correspondingly expensive as a collector's item.
Area Leader
In the guides of the SAC (Swiss Alpine Club) the region is treated under group 5 (Strahlhorn - Simplon):
- : Alpine tours in Valais. SAC, ISBN 978-3859022041 ; 544 pages. approx. € 42. The club guide covers the common routes for the entire region of the Valais Alps (groups 1 to 6).
- : Alpine guide Valais Alps 4/5. SAC, 2009, ISBN 978-3859022904 ; 656 pages. approx. € 46. The club leader deals in detail with the routes of regions 4/5 in the difficulties and in the variants.
cards
- Matterhorn-Mischabel 1: 50,000 sheets 5006. National map of Switzerland, ISBN 9783302050065 . approx. € 21.50. composition
Web links
- official Tourism portal for the Valais
