UKC

Anyone done this and if so what’s the logistics for it! 
 

thansk rob 

Depends what grades you climb and how fit you are! The swisstopo app has free maps that will help you plan. Probably the most aesthetic way would be to stay in the brittania hut and do the hohlaubgrat to allalinhorn summit then over the feechopf and then over alphubel and down on-time for the last train 

When I did Alphubel, I caught the “sunrise” lift which only runs once a week (see time table below). I then traversed over Feechopf from Feejoch to Alphubel and descended to Langflue. A detour up and down Allalinhorn from Feejoch would add maybe 1-1.5hrs. I reckon the “sunrise” lift is going to see you at the top of Allalinhorn earlier and with more energy than coming up from Britannia hut would.

I found the glacier descent to Langflue quite sketchy and in hindsight wished I’d returned back over Feechopt to the Mitelallalin lift from where I’d started. This would have required out flanking a steep ice section on Alphubel which was ok in ascent but might have been sketchy in reverse. Conditions may be completely different for you. Maybe the route down to Langflue is in good shape, you’d need to check locally.

I’d suggest, get the “sunrise” lift up to Mitel Allalin and head over to Alphubel first via Feejoch and Feechopt. Return to Feejoch and if the timing of the last lift allows, do the short leg up and down to Allalinhorn summit. I believe the route between Mitelallalin and Felskinn is not good on foot so best not miss the last train.

Edit: Gosh, it’s 20 years ago I did this. Maybe more recent experience is called for…

If you start from the Saas lift system then do Alphubel first, over the Feechopf. The South ridge is more direct than the normal route, but both are in the sun and conditions deteriorate fast. Reverse the Feechopf bit and go up Allalinhorn where there will always be a big track. 

If you use a hut you could start from Tasch hut, up Alphubel, traverse Feechopf and then Allalinhorn and down to Saas. More ascent than starting from the train, but you can start earlier. I saw a team do this last week. Bus/Taxi back to start point. 

For clarity when you say South ridge do you mean SE ridge, I.e. up the red line? In descent I was suggesting initially start down the blue normal route to avoid steep ice on the SE line but then contour at about 3800m back around to Feechopf, I.e. the green line. Do you have any idea if this green route is still considered safe in summer?

Yes, sorry I meant the SE ridge. Also called the Eisnase. Last Friday it was all snow but it turns to ice later season on the upper part. The current least steep line is out left of the red line at the top. Photos on my Instagram.

The blue/green lines are the normal route. Quite steep snow and some big crevasses on the blue line, then some serac/rockfall risk on the green line, especially the higher line. But it's still the normal route. 

Ah thanks, I hadn’t realised the green line(s) was actually considered part of the normal route. I’d always assumed red was the normal route from Tash and blue the route from Langflue also being popular with those based on the Saas side.

August 2012, I did the pair from the Mittelallalin station. I found the Feechopf reasonably comfortable, but chickened out of the Eisnase and took the long way round to the Alphubel.

As Graham says above, the snow on the descent from the Alphubel can get dangerously soft surprisingly fast on a hot sunny day, so any link up putting you here later in the day would need careful consideration.