Hi, my wife and I are avid hikers and I've done a couple of guided winter tours on glaciers with a group (Spearhead Traverse and Wapta Traverse in Canada). But I really love dry glaciers in the summer, my favorite hikes have all been hikes that get me close to big dry glaciers. This year my wife and I are planning a trip to the alps (french/swiss) and I'd really like to go beyond regular hiking trails. I'm not so much interested in climbing peaks just yet, I'd just like to do some glacier travel. Are there any hikes or routes that given dry conditions in early September would be acceptable for us to cross with crampons or microspikes? We were thinking of hiking to the Refuge du Couvercle near Chamonix, you have to cross the mer de glace but it seems really straight foward, and then it's a Via Ferrata to the refuge. It looks like the refuge is well situated kind of at the intersection of three glaciers and would be a nice place to spend a night? Is there anywhere else we could venture unguided?

And regarding guiding, if we were to hire a guide, what would be a good route? I was looking at 2 day trip from the Jungfraujoch to the Konkordiahütte overnight, down to Märjelensee on day 2. It seems like it would be a nice trip down the Aletsch glacier? But again I have no idea if this is a good trip or if perhaps there are more interesting places to go with a guide for an overnight?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

In summer conditions you can walk to Konkordia hut from the southern side (taking the cable car Fiesch-Kühboden plus 5-6h impressive walk). Very long for a daytrip, so overnight at the hut is recommendend; but still possible without guide / unroped; crampons adviseable. Be carful with weather as in foggy conditions orientation on the glacier may rapidly become very difficult.

Alternatively, what about roping up (or going guided if necessary)?
Then my suggestion is the complete crossing of the Bernese Oberland glaciers from Lötschental via Langgletscher (Lötschenlücke/Hollandia hut) to Konkordia (K. hut); via Grünlücke to Finsteraarhorn hut and further on via Oberaarjoch (O. hut) down to Grimsel region. Should take 3-5 days, and the largest glaciers of the alps are on offer.

Some impressions (in german, but the pictures ... )

Flachlandtiroler wrote:In summer conditions you can walk to Konkordia hut from the southern side (taking the cable car Fiesch-Kühboden plus 5-6h impressive walk). Very long for a daytrip, so overnight at the hut is recommendend; but still possible without guide / unroped; crampons adviseable. Be carful with weather as in foggy conditions orientation on the glacier may rapidly become very difficult.

Oh wow thanks, so we could walk to Märjelensee, walk onto the glacier and walk up to Konkorkia hut, overnight, and return the next morning? That would be great. Is there any major benefit to hiring a guide and going down one way from the Jungfraujoch vs a return trip from the bottom? Or are the views/experience not substantially different enough to justify the costs of hiring a guide for two people for two days (1,000+ chf).

Flachlandtiroler wrote:Alternatively, what about roping up (or going guided if necessary)?
Then my suggestion is the complete crossing of the Bernese Oberland glaciers from Lötschental via Langgletscher (Lötschenlücke/Hollandia hut) to Konkordia (K. hut); via Grünlücke to Finsteraarhorn hut and further on via Oberaarjoch (O. hut) down to Grimsel region. Should take 3-5 days, and the largest glaciers of the alps are on offer.

Some impressions (in german, but the pictures ... )

That sounds fantastic, unfortunately because we have a 16month child with us, we don't want to be away for more than 2 days/1 night at a time, my parents will be babysitting. Is there a shorter trip you would recommend that would not be possible unguided/unroped but that would be worth the expense compared to walking up to Konkordia hut on our own?

Thanks so much!

qwimjim wrote:Is there any major benefit to hiring a guide and going down one way from the Jungfraujoch vs a return trip from the bottom? Or are the views/experience not substantially different enough to justify the costs of hiring a guide for two people for two days (1,000+ chf).

Benefits of Jungfraujoch:
- Spectacular view down the north side (an ocean of ice here, green pastures with dangling cow-bells there...)
- All downhill

Disadvantages
- cost (guide; the tram also is very expensive)
- Jungfraujoch is a very busy spot...
- IMHO: "Nur wo Du zu Fuß warst, warst Du wirklich" (the unforgettable, permanent impressions are earned on foot)
- very roundabout way back to the north side (Fiesch - Lauterbrunnen 2,5h plus the cable car)
---> you'll spent a larger part of the two days in cable cars, trains and trams.

The route between Konkordia and Jungfraujoch normally is under snow so standard glacier travel belay is necessary!

Is there a shorter trip you would recommend that would not be possible unguided/unroped but that would be worth the expense compared to walking up to Konkordia hut on our own?

Another usual, guided daytrip would be:
Diavolezza - Bovalhütte - Morteratsch (CH, Graubünden, in the vicinity of St. Moritz)

With good conditions also possible non-guided:
Zermatt station Rotenboden to Monte Rosa hut (3-4 hours one way)

Thanks, so one could hike to Monte Rosa hike unguided, without ropes, just crampons in early September? Is there any reason not to do it as a dayhike, hike there in the morning, have lunch, hike back? 6-8 hours seems reasonable.

Because we can only do a couple of overnight hikes, I'd like to avoid doing overnights as return trips to huts that are no so far that they couldn't be done in a big day. I like the idea of going from A to B with a hut in between. One way hikes or loops, not retracing steps. That's what was appealing about the Junfraujoch to Konkordia and down the glacier trip, but what you say makes sense.. it's a lot of cable cars and trains!

I really appreciate all your advice, thanks again

qwimjim wrote:Thanks, so one could hike to Monte Rosa hike unguided, without ropes, just crampons in early September? Is there any reason not to do it as a dayhike, hike there in the morning, have lunch, hike back? 6-8 hours seems reasonable.

Crampons and trekking poles advisable, that's all.
Keep in mind you have to use the tram to Gornergrat to make it in 3-4 hours... and the way back takes at least the same time! Rotenboden is at ~2900m, the same altitude as the hut.
1st train upwards is at 7 a.m., last train down to Zermatt ab 7 p.m. so it's possible as a daytrip but you've to pay attention for the timetable.

Because we can only do a couple of overnight hikes, I'd like to avoid doing overnights as return trips to huts that are no so far that they couldn't be done in a big day. I like the idea of going from A to B with a hut in between. One way hikes or loops, not retracing steps. That's what was appealing about the Junfraujoch to Konkordia and down the glacier trip, but what you say makes sense.. it's a lot of cable cars and trains!

From Monte Rosa hut you could follow the glacier through the Gornerschlucht down to Zermatt. I don't want to comment on the difficulties as I've done this in winter and have no idea, how the crux passage is crossed in summer. All other options from the hut require glacier travel AFAIK.

Allow one remark on "retracing steps" -- of course a round trip offers more views. On the other hand the same way back gives you quite a different impression: 1st due to the other time of day (ice in the morning is frozen, in the afternoon soft snow, the light changes etc.) and 2nd because one usually does *not* turn around to often. You see what is in front of you...

Flachlandtiroler wrote:

qwimjim wrote:Thanks, so one could hike to Monte Rosa hike unguided, without ropes, just crampons in early September? Is there any reason not to do it as a dayhike, hike there in the morning, have lunch, hike back? 6-8 hours seems reasonable.

Crampons and trekking poles advisable, that's all.
Keep in mind you have to use the tram to Gornergrat to make it in 3-4 hours... and the way back takes at least the same time! Rotenboden is at ~2900m, the same altitude as the hut.
1st train upwards is at 7 a.m., last train down to Zermatt ab 7 p.m. so it's possible as a daytrip but you've to pay attention for the timetable.

Ok great, I think we could do it as a daytrip then if we took the first train up. Someone else mentioned Hornlihutte, have you been to it? Just wondering how the hikes to each one compare, so many choices!