A lift-assisted walk, finishing up a balcony path high above the Oberaletsch glacier

Statistics

3 - 4

hrs

899

m

360

m

16

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

The Oberaletsch Hut is finely placed on a spur high above the confluence of two major glaciers, from where there are many fine alpine objectives, in both summer and spring.

It may become more popular since the bivouac hut, which people often used to access the Aletschhorn in the spring, was avalanched and destroyed in January 2019.

A trip into the Oberland from the S always requires some effort, but assistance in the form of uplift is possible.

Only the purists will avoid taking the cable car to Belalp at 2094m.

Some people also approach the hut from Riederalp, taking a different cable car, but this is no easier and involves more descending.

This is perhaps more popular as a spring approach on skis.

From the cable car terminus head NE on the good track to the Belalp Hotel.

From here the path goes down steeply, traversing the hillside, then rising to a path split at about 2050m.

Ignore the path going straight up the moraine spur and continue to traverse over another spur, then dropping to the glacial outflow torrent and a bridge at 2132m.

Follow the path up the moraine spur the far side then some zig zags up to about 2600m.

From here the path broadly traverses horizontally to the NW, across steep sunny slopes far above the glacier, to arrive at the hut on an obvious spur.

It is an excellent spot to relax in the afternoon and see the sun set from in the evening.