The Swiss Alps. Kev Reynolds

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      The Grosser Aletschgletscher in the Bernese Alps is the longest glacier in the Alps (Chapter 5:10)

      5: Bernese Alps

      North of the Rhône valley the Bernese Alps may be slightly lower than the neighbouring Pennines, but they can certainly equal them with opportunities for climber, walker and skier. The western half of the range (St Maurice to the Gemmipass) offers plenty of scope for walkers, and mostly low-altitude climbing up to and slightly above 3000m. The main peaks are Les Diablerets (3210m), Wildhorn (3257m) and Wildstrubel (3243m), the latter renowned for its Plaine Morte glacier. East of the Gemmipass will be found a cluster of 4000m summits, with the imposing 4273m Finsteraarhorn being the highest of them all. Others include the Schreckhorn, Fiescherhorn, Mönch and Jungfrau, while the Eiger falls short by just 30m. Quality rock climbs can be found in most districts, but glaciers are also a major feature. The Grosser Aletschgletscher is the largest in the Alps, but it’s just one of several ice sheets that fill the heart of the range. Not surprisingly ski touring is popular, while Wengen, Mürren and Grindelwald, among others, gather winter crowds for downhill skiing. In summer several excellent hut-to-hut walking tours can be made.

      6: Central Swiss Alps

      Divided by major road passes, the Alps of Central and Eastern Switzerland are extremely diverse. Immediately to the east of the Bernese Alps, the Dammastock group dominates the neatly contained Urner Oberland, shared between Cantons Bern and Uri. High-standard, but low-altitude rock climbs abound on walls flanking the Göschenertal, the 2981m Salbitschijen being prominent among them. Snow and ice climbs are found at the head of the valley, also above the Furkapass and west of the Susten. North of the Sustenpass the Titlis (3238m) is the main focus of attention for visitors to Engelberg. But elsewhere in this group the Gross and Klein Spannort and Uri-Rotstock each have their own unique appeal. Comparatively easy climbs are the order of the day, although hard routes exist on the massive East Face of the Titlis. Walking is the main activity. On the east side of the Reuss valley the Glarner Alps are subdivided by charming valleys little known to outsiders. A few glaciers and snowfields remain among the highest peaks, but this is a range of mostly easy summits. Best known is the 3614m Tödi, first climbed in 1824, but others with considerable appeal include the Grosse Windgällen, Oberalpstock and Clariden. Ski ascents are not uncommon, and mountain walkers are rewarded with countless opportunities.

      7: Silvretta and Rätikon Alps

      In the far east of Switzerland these connecting groups share borders with Austria and Liechtenstein, but while the Silvretta is mostly a range of crystalline rock, with small glaciers and snowfields, the Rätikon is limestone and almost completely ice-free. To the northwest the Alpstein massif has the famous 2502m Säntis as its symbolic crown. Low-altitude but high-quality rock climbs can be enjoyed on the nearby Altmann and multi-turreted Kreuzberge. But the best climbing is to be had among the Rätikon’s big walls – Sulzfluh and Kirchlispitzen especially. Reminiscent of the Dolomites, this narrow range bursts from a chaos of boulder and scree, with magnificent rock gardens at their feet. Highest of the Rätikon peaks, the 2964m Schesaplana marks the Swiss-Austrian border. By the normal route it is an easy ascent, while a small glacier is draped on its northwest (Austrian) flank. Larger glaciers remain on the north side of the Silvretta group, where traditional-style ascents and spring ski tours are common. But the range comes into its own for the mountain walker in summer, when tempting hut-to-hut circuits are easy to plan and challenging to put into practice.

      The Rätikon is a natural rock garden. Here alpenroses flower below the Kirchlispitzen crags (Chapter 7:3)

PRACTICALITIES

      En route to the Carschina Hut in the Rätikon Alps (Chapter 7:3)

When to Go

      No season is out of bounds to the lover of mountains, but success in any outdoor activity will largely depend on conditions under foot. So far as general tourist interest is concerned, the months of May and November are off-season in almost every alpine district, when accommodation and facilities are severely limited. Many high road passes are closed by snow from November until June, although tunnels have been created beneath some of the highest to allow year-round travel.

      Ski touring/Ski mountaineering takes place between March and the end of May. In popular districts mountain huts will often be manned for a few weeks in order to serve the touring parties who enjoy what is undoubtedly one of the most demanding but rewarding of all mountain pursuits. Naturally an awareness of potential avalanche danger is a prerequisite of all participants.

      The precise period for hut-to-hut trekking will depend on the specific route and the height of passes that need to be crossed, but from early July until the end of September these should be snow-free and safe to attempt. As a general rule, the most popular huts are manned from July until late September – but check first as there are numerous variations.

      Walking and climbing/mountaineering take place at varying altitudes between June and the end of September or early October, although given the right conditions, the keenest of participants will make the most of every opportunity no matter what the calendar says. However, July is the optimum month for mountaineering, when the glaciers should still retain some snow cover but the highest ridges are usually bare and dry. The weather is often fairly settled, although a heatwave can bring major rockfalls as the glue of permafrost melts. Global warming has resulted in several recent heatwave summers, ruling out any predictability for good conditions on snow and ice faces outside the late winter months.

      Winter mountaineering must be the most masochistic of pursuits, sometimes played out in appalling conditions, and those who wish to have any new route recognised will follow the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) ruling that gives the period for alpine winter ascents to be from 21 December until 20 March inclusive.

      Downhill skiing usually begins a week or two before Christmas and continues until Easter, although the altitude of the chosen resort, and snow conditions at the time, will have a major impact on facilities available. The best time for snowshoeing usually runs from January until April, but whenever there’s sufficient snowfall it could be worth getting the snowshoes out. The Alps in winter are at their busiest during the Christmas/New Year period, and in February.

      National public holidays are listed below, during which virtually all public offices and shops in Switzerland are closed.

       1 January – New Year’s Day

       March/April – Good Friday and Easter Monday

       May – Ascension Day (40 days after Easter)

       May/June – Whit Monday (7 weeks after Easter)

       1 August – Swiss National Day

       25 December – Christmas Day

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