UKC

I wanted to hear from someone that has done the normal route up the Finsteraarhorn (PD)? I am wondering if this is a suitable summit goal for me.

It will be my second Alpine season this summer. Last year, I did a week in Les Ecrins with a guided group and we climbed the Dome de Neige des Ecrins (F). I've done plenty of trad climbing and one weekend of Scottish winter as well.

I am looking for a goal in The Alps that is a step up from what I've done before.

In reply to gravity:

My first 4000m peak. The ridge is a big scramble really, although very exposed as expected. Not too long and crevasse danger ok on the route - although getting to the Finsteraarhorn from the Oberaarjoch (sp) can be a bit harder

A very fine peak and highly recommended.

cheers
mark

In reply to gravity:

I did it in summer 2009. A nice romp up a glacier gets you to a shortish final ridge. Maybe 30mins of pretty exposed scrambling to the top from there. It was a bit harder than some other PDs I'd done that summer in the Valais and Oberland, in the exposure on the ridge (big drop, quite steep). Certainly not a place to fall off. But the scramble itself was easy, and so if you're foot-sure it's fine. All in all, probably a slight step up from what you've done, but not a huge leap.

It was a cool mountain with good views - I'd recommend it.

Hope that helps

In reply to gravity:

It's a really good summit. Highest peak in the Oberland. Minimum really three days whether you come from Jungfraujoch or from the Grimsel. I prefer from J'joch. You can also add in the Grosser Fiescherhorn this way and make it four days.

Jungfraujoch > Konkordia > F'horn hut
Summit, then back to the hut
F'horn hut > Gemslucke > Oberaarjoch > Oberaarsee > Grimsel

If you are quick you can get to the Oberaarjoch hut on day two, but this doesn't really gain you much and it'll likely be very hot. Best done cold in the morning. As the others have said, relatively straightforward approach to the Huggisattel via the Fruhstuckplatz, then the final 250m or so up the ridge. I find this bit slightly easier/quicker in snowy conditions as you can stay down right of the ridge to begin with, then take to the ridge. Not much in it though.

In reply to JTM:

Gemschlicke (spelling varies according to which map/guidebook you use) is probably the worst 150m of steep gravel you can find. Only advisable as long as there is snow in the colouir. If dry, it is much easier and safer to walk down the Fiescher glacier a bit further and then turn left towards Oberarrhütte via the glacier. I would recommend taking a taxi up Grimsel pass and walk in via the Oberaarhütte anyway, much cheaper than Jungfraujoch.

Another recoomendation for the OP: If you can spend another night at the Finsteraarhornhütte, you might want to try Gross Wannenhorn first. Fantastic mountain to acclimatize on, and the views back to the sun rising behind Finsteraarhorn and later down to Konkordiaplatz and across to Aletschhorn are just spectacular.

Best of all, GWH is not quite 4k by a couple of meters, so you will probably have the mountain all for yourself. The crowds will all go for Finsteraarhorn and the Fiescherhörner.

CB

In reply to cb294:

A matter of opinion, I suppose... the Gemslucke passes whether snowy or dry. In snow it's obviously nicer. However, it's so well used that there is a path up it when dry and is no worse than any of the other Oberland passes. Stay on the right side (going up). (If my memory serves me correctly, there is a steeper couloir to the left - this is not the way.) It is especially useful if going directly to the Oberaarjoch hut from the mountain, without descending to the Finsteraarhorn hut as you can cut directly to it from just below the fruhstuckeplatz. This is commonly done.

I have driven to Oberaarsee - has the road now been banned to private vehicles? I too would certainly recommend a taxi if coming from the J'joch direction. Taxi Marti in Meiringen, if I remember correctly. I agree, the Gross Wannenhorn is a great mountain. I've only ever done it on skis, however.

In reply to gravity:

I walked in from Fiesch. Took the cable car up and then walked via Konkordia Platz. A long walk on a glacier, but amazing scenery and gives you a feeling of being 'out there'... at least until you arrive at the hut and see the crowds! We spent a night at Konkordia hut and climbed the GrossGrunHorn the day before the Finsteraarhorn.
Haven't done the other ways so can't really comment on the relevant merits, but just pointing out a different way of going and a less expensive way than via the Jungfraujoch railway!

In reply to JTM:

Hi jon,

probably more a matter of conditions than of opinion. When we were there last August, we had a look from above, but decided to turn around and take the long detour via the glacier. No point downclimbing or abseiling into constant rockfall.

Good point cutting across towards the summit before going to the hut, probably the only way of doing the normal route from the Oberaarjoch side in a day.

Cheers,

CB

In reply to JTM:

Forgot to mention it in the other post: As of last year you could still drive to Oberaarsee. We had left the car in the Rhone valley, though, took the taxi up, and walked out to the car via the Aletsch glacier for a nice round trip.

CB

In reply to cb294:

You must have been looking in the wrong place, especially if there was rockfall - it's not steep enough. It's a walk, no abseiling. Coming from the Oberaar side, you'd arrive at the col, then head vaguely leftwards in descent. The path zig zags through the rocky/gravelly terrain, but nowhere does it become too steep. The path probably peters out a bit lower where snow remains longer. I think it's probably convex at the top and might give a false impression of steepness?

The cutting across bit I meant in the other direction, after doing the mountain so you don't have to go back down to the hut. I wouldn't want to do it from the Oberaar direction in the dark...!

Yes, going out via the Aletsch would make a fine trip. So many possibilities in the Oberland and yet British climbers have this Chamonix-centric attitude when it comes to the Alps!

In reply to JTM:

Thanks,

could be we were wrong, although we did follow the obvious motorway of tracks down from the hut and up towards the col.

I agree that the Berner Oberland is great, especially if you stay below 4k. Most of those summits are absolutely empty (except of course the Eiger). Just think of Trugberg, Gross Wannenhorn, Nesthorn, with bit of luck you can have even the Bietschhorn just for yourself

Christian