Gross Wannenhorn
3,906 m
Switzerland
Also known as Grosses Wannenhorn, Wannenhorn, +2Also known as
Grosses Wannenhorn · Wannenhorn · გროს-ვანენჰორნი · Gross Wannehorn
- Elevation
- 3,906 m
- Prominence
- 626 m
- Difficulty
- 5/10
- Easy alpine
- Best Season
- Apr–May
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Approximate line — not for navigation
An automated check found that parts of this line could not be matched to mapped trails, so it may stray far from the real route. Use it for planning only, with a map and a guidebook.
Why? 8 check notes
- danger scan: Jungfraujoch → Grünhornlücke: straight line 8591 m (limit 200 m)
- danger scan: Jungfraujoch → Grünhornlücke: sustained 53° > 40° on a straight line
- Jungfraujoch → Grünhornlücke: closed above ~3458 m (OSM access/foot=no on way 304228912)
- 52% straight-line fallback
- ascent 2003 m is 5.0× the net gain 403 m: the line probably detours down and back up (not a traverse)
- 100% approximate geometry
- low confidence 0.37
- Jungfraujoch → Grünhornlücke: straight (snap_failed; DEM rejected: no path below 40° between the endpoints, 8.6 km)
Sources differ: F (Alpes bernoises, Sélection d'itinéraires (2002), via SAC portal) · WS (SAC club guide Berner Alpen 4 (2010)) · L (SAC Berner Alpen Auswahlführer (2013)) · II+ (Camptocamp (final 30 m to the rocky main summit))
The normal route of the highest of the Walliser Fiescherhörner: from the remote Finsteraarhornhütte (3,048 m) down onto the Fieschergletscher, up the crevassed NE glacier flank, steepening to 30–35° near 3,600 m, to the flat fore-summit, then a short exposed rock passage (II+) to the main summit. Graded anywhere from F to WS by the guidebooks; about 1,050 m from the hut.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- ≈ 16.4 km
- one way
- Ascent
- ≈ +2,003 m
- −1,596 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,910 m
- Time Up
- ≈ 11h 55m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- ≈ 11h 23m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
The Finsteraarhornhütte is reached from the Jungfraujoch in 6–7 hours in summer: down the Jungfraufirn towards the Konkordiaplatz, up the Grüneggfirn to the Grünhornlücke (about 3,280 m) and down the Fieschergletscher to the hut. All approaches cross glaciers. From the hut descend onto the Fieschergletscher towards the foot of the spur at P. 2901 below the Wannenhorn, then climb the glacier valley to the north-east, first in the middle and from about 3,300 m on its left (true left) side to avoid obvious séracs. The slope steepens to 30–35° between about 3,600 and 3,700 m; then traverse north-west and south over the summit dome, keeping clear of cornices and séracs on one side and a short exposed passage above the Triftgletscher on the other, to the flat fore-summit and the east ridge. The main summit is a rocky top a short ridge away. Camptocamp describes about 30 m of very exposed ground on the east side with flaky rock, then a solid slab with good holds (II+); it can be protected in one pitch with a 30–40 m rope from spikes. The SAC calls the climb very rewarding and not difficult. Descend the same way, counting on about 200 m of re-ascent to the hut. The route is most often done on ski in spring (WS+, 3½–4 hours from the hut).
Start
Jungfraujoch3,503 m
- Jungfrau Railway to the Jungfraujoch
- Train to the Jungfraujoch via Interlaken and Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen; return via the Fiescheralp or Eggishorn cable cars to Fiesch is possible but long.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jungfraujoch → Finsteraarhornhütte SAC | 11.3 | 916 | 1,380 | 7h 14m |
| 2 | Finsteraarhornhütte SAC → Gross Wannenhorn | 5.1 | 1,087 | 218 | 4h 42m |
Waypoints
- Station: Jungfraujoch3,503 m
- Col: Grünhornlücke3,271 m
- Hut: Finsteraarhornhütte SAC3,046 m
- Summit: Gross Wannenhorn3,906 m
Key Passages
- Grünhornlücke crossing on the hut approach
- Séracs on the NE flank at about 3,300 m (pass on the left)
- 30–35° slope between 3,600 and 3,700 m
- Exposed passage above the Triftgletscher
- Final 30 m to the rocky main summit (II+)
Equipment
0/8 packedDownloads
Route confidence 37%Overview
At 3,906 m the highest of the Walliser Fiescherhörner, rising between the Fieschergletscher and the Aletsch glacier. A remote, glaciated but technically easy summit from the Finsteraarhornhütte, far more often climbed on ski in spring than on foot.
The Gross Wannenhorn (Grosses Wannenhorn) is the highest point of the Walliser Fiescherhörner, a crest running south-east from the Fiescher Gabelhorn between the Fieschergletscher to the east and the Aletsch glacier and its Triftgletscher to the west. Its neighbours are the Schönbühlhorn (3,853 m), the Kleines Wannenhorn (3,706 m) and the Wannenzwillinge; at its southern end the crest drops in big rock walls towards the Fieschertal. The summit has two tops: a flat south summit and a rocky north summit joined by a short ridge.
The normal route from the Finsteraarhornhütte climbs the NE glacier flank and the east ridge. Guidebooks grade it between F and WS; the SAC calls it a very rewarding, not difficult climb with a magnificent view. The difficulties are the crevassed glacier, a 30–35° slope near the top and a short, exposed rock passage (II+) to the main summit.
What makes it serious is the remoteness: every approach to the Finsteraarhornhütte crosses large glaciers and takes 6–8 hours in summer. Most ascents are made in spring as part of a ski-touring week around the Finsteraarhorn and Konkordia huts.
Climbing Notes
Requirements: glacier travel and crevasse-rescue skills, crampon technique on 30–35° slopes, a little exposed scrambling (II+), and good acclimatisation; you spend several days around 3,000–3,900 m. Navigation on big glaciers in poor visibility is a real issue. Without this experience, go with a guide.
Typical itinerary: train to the Jungfraujoch and 6–7 hours via the Grünhornlücke to the Finsteraarhornhütte; the next day the Gross Wannenhorn and back to the hut, often combined with the Finsteraarhorn on another day. Leave by the Fiescheralp or Eggishorn cable cars, or back via the Jungfraujoch.
Best in spring on ski (mid-March to May, when the hut is staffed); in summer go from late June to mid-September, when glaciers are increasingly bare and crevassed.
History
The first ascent was made on 6 August 1864 by Kaspar Blatter, Rudolf Lindt, Gottlieb Studer and Peter Sulzer, up the east ridge and down the south-west side.
Season
Best Apr–May- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Good
- April: Best (best window)
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Possible
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Possible
- October: Not advisable
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Hut unstaffed; winter room only
- Feb
- Hut unstaffed; winter room only
- Mar
- Hut staffed from mid-March; ski tours
- Apr
- Main ski-touring season
- May
- Spring ski tours; hut staffed until end of May
- Jun
- Hut closed until late June
- Jul
- Summer season; snow bridges still reasonable
- Aug
- Bare, crevassed glaciers; long approaches
- Sep
- Hut staffed until mid-September
- Oct
- Hut closed
- Nov
- Winter
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Finsteraarhornhütte SAC (SAC Oberhasli): online via hut-reservation.org (hut 213), changes by phone +41 33 855 29 55. Winter room (10 places) must be reserved by phone with the warden. No mobile signal at the hut.
- Fees
- Jungfrau Railway ticket to the Jungfraujoch, or Fiescheralp/Eggishorn cable car from Fiesch
- Rules
- All approaches to the Finsteraarhornhütte cross glaciers; the hut recommends a guide for anyone without high-alpine glacier experience
- Getting There
Fiesch
Bern (BRN); Zurich (ZRH) or Geneva (GVA) by train
- Train to Interlaken, then via Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfrau Railway to the Jungfraujoch; 6–7 hours on glaciers to the hut
- From the Valais: train to Fiesch (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn), cable car to Fiescheralp or Eggishorn, then about 8 hours via the Aletsch glacier, Konkordiaplatz and Grünhornlücke
- From the Oberaarjochhütte (Grimsel side) in 3–3½ hours
Hazards
- Glacier
- Crevasses
- Exposure
- Altitude
- Remoteness
- Cornices
- Avalanche
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 3,048 m
Finsteraarhornhütte SACHutStaffedBooking required
106 beds · Staffed mid-March to end of May and late June to mid-September; winter room with 10 places otherwise
Book Finsteraarhornhütte SACWebsite of Finsteraarhornhütte SAC