4000m peaks

Scarcely more than 4,000 metres above sea level, the Lagginhorn overlooks the Valais Alps. Although the ascent also packs a punch, attention should be paid to the challenging descent in particular.

Among the snow-capped twin peaks Pollux and Castor, Pollux is not as high, and also the less challenging of the two. But the summit route really packs a punch.

A mountain that looks like it could have been lifted straight out of a picture book: pyramid-shaped and almost completely set apart. The climb up the Weisshorn is one of the Alpine region’s most beautiful, and at the same time one of the most challenging.

This striking four-thousander with an easily recognisable peak is part of the Mischabel group. The Nadelhorn is a comparably simpler four-thousander summit.

As the name of this four-thousander suggests, the Schreckhorn is the Bernese Alps’ most challenging four-thousander (“Schrecken” is the German word for “terror”). Not many are actually scared off by it though – the mountain is climbed pretty regularly.

A popular route up the Castor starts at the Klein Matterhorn. The climbs is not as challenging compared with other mountain giants, but is by no means any less beautiful.

The Signalkuppe lies on the Swiss–Italian border. This mountain giant is home to Europe’s highest building: the Margherita Hut.

The Gross Grünhorn sits in the Bernese Alps – but belongs to the canton of Valais. This is a multifaceted four-thousander peak with several appealing routes.

A popular destination close to Zermatt, suitable for mountaineers and non-mountaineers alike. The cable car makes the way up easier, making the Breithorn one of the easiest four-thousanders to climb.

The cable car up to Klein Matterhorn will make the ascent to Roccia Nera significantly easier. This peak is seldom climbed for itself, but rather as a way of accessing other climbs.

The Liskamm traverse is particularly infamous. As is its western peak, also known as “the man-eater”.

The second-highest peak in the Bernese Alps is also considered to be the coldest across the entire Alpine region. The highly glaciated Aletschhorn towers over the UNESCO-listed Jungfrau-Aletsch area.