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Hi all!

I've set out the time period for my holiday this summer, and I want to go back hiking in the Alps in the end of June/begin July.

Last year and the year before I went to the Ecrins, with moderate succes. The first time I was so grossly overpacked and unexperienced I did only a fraction of what I had in mind.

The second time I sprained my ankle early on, no dice again, did some bouldering, climbing and day trips instead around Ailefroide & La Grave.

Anyway, I'm in doubt atm.

Do I go back? Finish what I started? Or do I go somewhere else.

In that case, where to?

My father wants to go to the Berner Oberland, go see the Eiger, etc, and has suggested that I should come with him. I could go see the Eiger for a few days and then start a hike in the Berner Oberland. What concerns me is how touristic this area is. I don't know, but I can imagine it's one of the most visited areas of the Alps.

Then there's the problem wit bivouacing. From what I understand the swiss laws on this depend on local restrictions, plus I can imagine the Swiss really being strict on this.

So, do I go back? The Ecrins are pretty quiet in june/july.

Or do I go to the Berner Oberland? And what do I do there? Any hiking ideas for this area?

Other ideas in the Alps?

I'm looking for roughness, not too many other people and the possibility to bivouac.

Thanks in advance.

Look into walking (part of) the GR10. It has a bit of everything - albeit in the Pyrenees. I loved it.

The alps have so much to offer. I love the Glockner area, but I wouldn't go near it in summer. This will be the case for a lot of places in the alps.

The Bernese Oberland isn't that busy, nowhere near so as much as Zermatt/Chamonix/Saas anyway. If you're not interested in getting above the snowline and just want to do hikes, look at the GR routes or Long Distance Footpaths.

stefschuermans wrote:1) Lagginhorn + Weissmies + Allalinhorn?
2) Solden area?
3) Zermatt + Monte Rosa?
4) Grossglockner + Venediger?
5) the best solution: join me!

Hi Bruno,

Choose 1). You could attempt Strahlhorn or Alphubel as well. 3) is also interesting though Monte Rosa is a more demanding mountain (massif) than the other. You could reach Cervino's Hörnli Hut from Zermatt. You could also give Ecrins another try, attempt Dome de Neige des Ecrins. There're also some mountains between 3500 and 4000 m wich are graded below AD- there. Oberland Bernese is not an area where you can climb easy 4000ers, there are some of them but usually they are quite remote. Anyway, I wouldn't miss to see those beautiful mountains, Wetterhorn, Mönch, Eiger (with its N face), Jungfrau, Aletschhorn... Hinter-Fiescherhorn and Finsteraarhon (long) are graded PD

The GR's are a great option if you just like to go on a decent trekking. They usually offer bivouacs and since you're doing long distances you'll experience different types of landscapes too. I've added some options I did below, including the abruzzi region and the wicklow way.

When walking the GR10 I started at the medditerranean sea and walked in the direction of the Atlantic oceon. Plenty of variety and good fun alover.

I also loved the GR that runs through the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne. Stunning scenery and nothing too hard. Though at times a bit crowded.

The best GR in my opinion (this far) was the GR20 across Corsica. Remote, very few people and beautiful. Cons there are the price and the very hot weather in the summer months.

Wicklow way might also be an alternative. Ireland is quite nice in the summer months. At times a bit wet, but nice. It starts in Dublin, so it's logistically very easy.

The abruzzi region in Italy is very nice too. Rugged and very little people.

Diego Sahagún wrote:

stefschuermans wrote:1) Lagginhorn + Weissmies + Allalinhorn?
2) Solden area?
3) Zermatt + Monte Rosa?
4) Grossglockner + Venediger?
5) the best solution: join me!

Hi Bruno,

Choose 1). You could attempt Strahlhorn or Alphubel as well. 3) is also interesting though Monte Rosa is a more demanding mountain (massif) than the other. You could reach Cervino's Hörnli Hut from Zermatt. You could also give Ecrins another try, attempt Dome de Neige des Ecrins. There're also some mountains between 3500 and 4000 m wich are graded below AD- there. Oberland Bernese is not an area where you can climb easy 4000ers, there are some of them but usually they are quite remote. Anyway, I wouldn't miss to see those beautiful mountains, Wetterhorn, Mönch, Eiger (with its N face), Jungfrau, Aletschhorn... Hinter-Fiescherhorn and Finsteraarhon (long) are graded PD

Thanks for the elaborate reply, but I'm looking for hikes, not for alpine climbs

stefschuermans wrote:Chamonix - Zermatt?
Don't know the name of that hike at the moment ... GREAT views!

Walker's Haute Route.