Lenzspitze

4,293 m

Switzerland

Also known as Лензспитзе, ლენცშპიცე, +1

Лензспитзе · ლენცშპიცე · Ленцшпитце

Elevation: 4,293 m
Prominence: 86 m
Difficulty: 6/10; Alpine climb
Best Season: Jul–Aug
Routes: 2

Routes

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AlpineAD-MixedNormal route

Sources differ: ZS- (SAC scale) (Saas-Fee tourism)

The technically easiest way up: the Dom normal route from Randa and the Domhütte over the Festijoch to the Hohberg glacier, then a 45° slope or a detour to the Lenzjoch (4,121 m) and about 180 m of short but loose, poorly protected rock ridge to the summit. Quiet, but mentally tiring on bad rock.

Elevation Profile

approximate line

Distance: 9.6 km; one way
Ascent: +3,018 m; −131 m lost on the way up
High Point: 4,293 m
Time Up: 11h 31m; DIN 33466
Time Down: 7h 41m; DIN 33466 · same way back

Day one: from Randa station (1,409 m) in the Mattertal, a long path climbs through larch forest past the Charles Kuonen suspension bridge turn-off, then an exposed rock band secured with cables, pegs and steps, and a scree field to the Domhütte (2,940 m), about 4½ hours. Day two: follow the Dom normal route. Climb the moraine and the Festi glacier on its right bank, past a crevassed zone near the rocks, to the foot of the Festijoch (3,723 m). A short rocky gully with a fixed rope and bolts and a scree-and-step slope lead to the ridge; turn a small gendarme on the hut side (bolts) to reach the col. Drop about 60 m onto the Hohberg glacier, cross briefly below seracs and climb the basin towards the Lenzjoch. Early in the season you can cross the bergschrund and climb the 45° slope directly to the Lenzjoch (4,121 m); when that is icy, go further right on easier snow and traverse a short easy section of ridge back to the col. From the Lenzjoch the line up the south ridge is obvious but the rock is poor, schist-like and hard to protect, with a few short steps on stacked, slightly overhanging flakes; about 180 m of difficulties. Descend the same way, lowering the second where useful, or continue over the Nadeljoch to the Nadelhorn and down to the Mischabelhütte. The seracs after the Festijoch are an objective hazard on both ascent and descent.

Start

Randa1,407 m

Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn from Visp towards Zermatt to Randa station; the path starts in the village.
Parking at the trailhead

Stages

Day	Stage	km	m ascent	m descent	Time
1	Randa → Domhütte	5.0	1,532	0	5h 44m
2	Domhütte → Lenzspitze	4.6	1,487	131	5h 47m

Waypoints

Station:
Randa1,407 m
Hut:
Domhütte2,939 m
Col:
Festijoch3,723 m
Short rock gully with fixed rope and bolts
Col:
Lenzjoch4,121 m
not on route line
Summit:
Lenzspitze4,293 m

Key Passages

Cable-protected rock band on the Domhütte path
Fixed-rope gully and gendarme at the Festijoch
Traverse below seracs on the Hohberg glacier
Bergschrund and 45° slope to the Lenzjoch
Loose, poorly protected south ridge (about 180 m)

Equipment

0/11 packed

Downloads

Route confidence 65%

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Overview

A sharp 4,293 m rock and ice peak at the south end of the Nadelgrat, between the Nadelhorn and the Dom above Saas-Fee. There is no walk-up: the easiest route is a loose AD- rock ridge from the Domhütte, and most climbers take the ENE ridge (AD, IV-) from the Mischabelhütte and traverse on to the Nadelhorn.

The Lenzspitze (formerly and locally the Südlenz) is the southernmost summit of the Nadelgrat in the Mischabel chain, separated from the Dom by the Lenzjoch (4,121 m) and from the Nadelhorn by the Nadeljoch (4,208 m). It is a narrow pyramid: its north-north-east face above Saas-Fee is a classic 500 m ice wall of 50–56° (the 'Dreieselwand'), while the ridges are mostly rock.

From Saas-Fee the usual climb is the ENE ridge from the Mischabelhütte, a sustained rock ridge with a IV- gendarme, followed by the airy traverse to the Nadelhorn and the easy descent of that peak's normal route — one of the best-known ridge days in the Saas valley. From the Mattertal side, the south ridge from the Domhütte via the Dom normal route and the Lenzjoch is technically easier but long, on poor rock, and much less travelled.

Both approaches start with demanding hut paths secured with cables and ladders, and both involve glacier travel. The rock on the Lenzspitze is generally good on the crest of the ENE ridge and poor on the south ridge.

Climbing Notes

You need to lead or move together confidently on exposed rock to UIAA III–IV- in mountaineering boots, often with snow on the holds, to abseil, and to handle glacier travel and a narrow 40° snow arête. For the full traverse to the Nadelhorn add 2–2½ hours of exposed tower-hopping. Be acclimatised: the whole route is above 3,600 m.

The usual itinerary is Hannig gondola and 3 hours to the Mischabelhütte, a pre-dawn start, about 4 hours from the hut to the summit, then the traverse to the Nadelhorn and down to the hut (1½–2 hours), and on to Saas-Fee if time allows. The Domhütte alternative is a 4½-hour walk-in from Randa. Many parties hire a Saas-Fee guide for the ENE ridge and traverse.

History

The first ascent was made in August 1870 by Clinton Thomas Dent with the guide Alexander Burgener and the porter Franz Burgener, via the north-east face to the Nadeljoch and the north-west ridge; that route is now rarely used. The ENE ridge was first climbed on 3 August 1882 by William Woodman Graham with Ambros Supersaxo and Theodor Andenmatten. The NNE face was first climbed on 7 July 1911 by Dietrich von Bethmann-Hollweg with Oskar and Othmar Supersaxo, and skied by Heini Holzer on 22 July 1972. The name Lenzspitze is attributed to William Martin Conway.

Season

Best Jul–Aug

January: Not advisable
February: Not advisable
March: Not advisable
April: Not advisable
May: Not advisable
June: Possible
July: Best (best window)
August: Best (best window)
September: Good
October: Not advisable
November: Not advisable
December: Not advisable

Jan: Winter; huts unstaffed
Feb: Winter conditions
Mar: Winter conditions
Apr: Rock ridges snow-covered; huts unstaffed
May: Rock ridges snow-covered
Jun: Huts open in June; snow on the ridges
Jul: Main season
Aug: Main season; ridges usually driest
Sep: Huts close mid-September; verglas possible
Oct: Huts closed; early snow
Nov: Winter conditions
Dec: Winter conditions

Access & Permits

Hut Booking

Mischabelhütte: online via mischabelhuette.ch until 18:00 the day before, or +41 27 957 13 17 / mischabelhuette@gmx.ch. Domhütte: domhuette.ch, +41 27 967 26 34 or info@domhuette.ch (e-mail only in winter).

Fees

Mischabelhütte (2026): CHF 86 half board for SAC members, CHF 98 for non-members, including visitor's tax
Domhütte: CHF 80 half board for SAC members, CHF 95 for non-members, plus CHF 4 visitor's tax
Saas-Fee – Hannig gondola ticket

Rules

Saas-Fee is car-free: park at the car park at the village entrance
Domhütte: reservation is compulsory for overnight stays, also in the unstaffed emergency room

Getting There

Saas-Fee; Randa for the Domhütte approach

Geneva (GVA), Zurich (ZRH) or Milan Malpensa (MXP)

Train to Visp, then PostBus 511 to Saas-Fee; Hannig gondola, then about 3 hours to the Mischabelhütte
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn from Visp to Randa, then about 4½ hours to the Domhütte
Car: Saas-Fee car park, or Randa

Hazards

Glacier
Crevasses
Rockfall
Exposure
Altitude
Weather
Cornices

Huts & Shelters

DomhütteHutStaffedBooking required
75 beds · Staffed mid-June to mid-September (17 June – 12 September in 2027); 9-place emergency room the rest of the year
Website of Domhütte
2,940 m
MischabelhütteHutStaffedBooking required
100 beds · Staffed mid-June to mid-September (5 June – 13 September in 2026); 12-place emergency shelter year-round
Website of Mischabelhütte
3,340 m