Hiking to the Weisshornhütte via the Alaska Trail
Snow-capped peaks of four-thousanders, green pastures, cute towns and... chocolate. Switzerland is hard to beat in terms of hiking destinations in Europe. This year, with a group of friends, we decided to go for an overnight hike to one of the mountain huts to enjoy nature and the company.
Day 1: Up to the Weisshornhütte
↔ 10 km | △ 1650 m
Day one was all about uphill. The trail starts next to the train station in Täsch and immediately goes up. The first half is pretty steep, but without any difficulties, so we gained elevation fast.
The trail flattened as we got to the main branch of the Schalibach stream. The route crosses the stream here, but we found it a bit too tricky. We decided to use the alternative route that goes around the stream. It required some scrambling, but we finally made it back to the main route. Then, another branch of Schalibach needs to be crossed. This one was way easier to cross; taking off our boots and dipping feet in cold glacier waters was actually very pleasant.
The last bit of the route is again a steep uphill. We found ourselves accompanied by a herd of curious goats. Higher up the goats left us, but we were lucky to bump into a flock of friendly sheep. Then we finally reached the hut, right in time for the dinner.
Day 2: Back to Täsch
↔ 9 km | ▽ 1650 m
We woke up for the sunrise. After breakfast at the hut, part of the group decided to hike up to Wisse Schijen. Once they came back we started a descent back to Täsch.
Just as day 1 was about hiking uphill, day 2 meant only downhill. The route has multiple variants; the one we took was really beautiful: seeing snow-capped peaks of four-thousanders in the distance (including Dufourspitze, the highest peak of Switzerland), crossing green pastures and just enjoying the views and the company. We were back in Täsch in no time; ready for a shower, chocolate and some rest.
Miscellaneous
When preparing for the trip I was surprised by the scarcity of information about the Alaska Trail. There is a good route description on the SAC website, but not much more. Here are some notes that may be useful for people planning to hike it:
- The trail includes two river crossings. In case the first one is too deep, it is possible to go around it right next to the glacier, but it requires some scrambling on the rocks. We opted for that option and it took a toll on our energy levels.
- The route is marked with yellow paint and is quite easy to follow. The walk around the first river is not marked, but is not very difficult to navigate. At the later stage the route follows a regular white-red-white trail.
- The hut is open and wardened from June to September. There are 31 places, you can make a reservation online. The half board price includes dinner (there were vegetarian options available) and breakfast. More info can be found on the SAC website.
- The shelter doesn’t have running potable water. You can buy bottled water for 12 CHF for 1.5 liters.
- Surprisingly, there is a good internet connection (not wifi, but network) around the shelter. Be careful about the roaming cost; the data is quite expensive in Switzerland (for EU numbers).