SummitPost.org

Hi All

I am planning a trip to climb the Matterhorn some week in late August/early Sept and was wondering if there are any good peaks (hopefully up to 4,000m) that I can do solo and are reliavely populated with climbers so I can acclimate.


Also, anyone know where I could get a guide for the Matterhorn for less than CHF 1170. Im looking for something around CHF 700-800 + Expenses.

Any advise on a Matterhorn trip would be very helpful (i.e. hotels, food, travel, climbing...anything at all)

bump

Most 4k peaks in that area are glaciated and therefore not very suitable for soloing. Exeptions are e.g. the Lagginhorn and the southern (!) normal route to Weissmies, both situated in the neighbouring saas valley.

Breithorn and Allalinhorn are quite close to cable car stations and therefore highly frequented. A good track in my eyes reduces the crevasse danger, but nevertheless the risk still is there -- just keep in mind bad weather with poor visibility and the tracks almost immediately gone.

Zinalrothorn has only a very short piece of glacier, but IMHO requires very proper climbing skills to solo it.

Other possibilities below 4k are Oberrothorn, Stockhorn and Mettelhorn.

HTH, Martin

Just north of Matterhorn you can climb Schönbielhorn 3472m and follow the ridge further to Pointe de Zinal 3789m. Its rated PD - no glaciers.
Another option is Balfrin http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... lfrin.html
Both are below 4000m but therefor not crowded!
Gert

You can solo the Breithorn...just stay on the track.

Stay at the youth hostel in Zermatt...it's awesome.

Go with one of the Zermatt guides for whatever the Alpin Center rate is. You'll be hard pressed to find something cheaper and they have the route dialed.

If you only have one week, don't count on having an opportunity to climb the Matterhorn. The guides won't go if there is too much snow.

Tom Fralich wrote:You can solo the Breithorn...just stay on the track.

IMHO an advice quite debatable... in fact there are crevasses, and I've seen large holes right next to / under the "track" more than once.

Also one can run into whiteout or bitter cold etc.; just some wind and all the tracks are gone.

Of course lots of people do so(lo) on a fine weather day, but you'll never know...

Martin

Flachlandtiroler wrote:

Tom Fralich wrote:You can solo the Breithorn...just stay on the track.

IMHO an advice quite debatable... in fact there are crevasses, and I've seen large holes right next to / under the "track" more than once.

Also one can run into whiteout or bitter cold etc.; just some wind and all the tracks are gone.

Of course lots of people do so(lo) on a fine weather day, but you'll never know...

Martin