The 4,000-metre peaks on the Alpine Passes Trail
High mountains are fascinating. Climbing them, however, isn’t for everyone. But even from a distance, they are a beautiful sight to behold. Majestic and covered in year-round ice, they rise above the other mountains.
Switzerland has 48 mountains above 4,000 metres – 41 of them are located in the Valais Alps. And it is precisely this mountain group that the Alpine Passes Trail crosses, making it the best route for seeing these mountains up close.
You get you first glimpse of them as climb from the Binn Valley to the Saflisch Pass. The Fletschhorn is the first peak you see, standing just short of 4,000 metres – behind it is the Lagginhorn at 4,010 metres as well as the Weissmies at 4,017 metres. These peaks are covered in white powder, often veiled by clouds in the hot haze of the midday sun or clear as day after a downpour.
The Saas Valley offers an even better view: first, you see the broad Balfrin, which reaches nearly 4,000 metres. Later on the path, you come upon the charming view of the Mischabel over the Fee Glacier. The Mischabel has a whole series of 4,000m peaks. At 4,545 metres, the Dom is the highest peak whose base is located entirely on Swiss territory.
There is something big in store when you enter the Mattertal Valley. From here, you can immediately see – the tip of Switzerland’s most famous summit, the Matterhorn. Less well-known but much easier to see is the Weisshorn, a proud 4,506-metre peak that towers into the sky. Sloping slightly in front of it, the Bishorn shows off its white and grey sides. The Bishorn is a 4,000-metre mountain that is rather easy to climb with the assistance of a mountain guide, even by climbers who have no mountaineering experience.
You still have to continue on to one more valley to see the other peaks, but it’s worth the effort. The Turtmann Valley is hemmed in by a semicircle of high mountains: the Bishorn (4,151), Weisshorn (4,506), Zinalrothorn (4,221), Ober Gabelhorn (4,063) and the Dent Blanche (4,357) form a wall of rock, snow and ice. And that’s not all, as the Alpine Passes Trail also includes the three summits of the broad Combin massif.
Finally, there are still some passes from which you can see the white summit of Mont Blanc in the distance. At 4,808 metres, Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe. Once you complete the Alpine Passes Trail, one thing is certainly clear: you don’t necessarily have to climb these 4000-metre peaks to enjoy them!