From the Täschhütte via the West Flank | Alpinism

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From the Täschhütte via the West Flank

From the Täschhütte via the West Flank Rimpfischhorn 4199 m

Difficulty

PD, I
Ascent

6–7 h, 1500 m

The rope teams that leave from Täschhütte do not have to ascend to the Allalin Pass. From the hut you climb over Alphubel- and Mellichgletscher to the Rimpfischsattel, then on to the highest point.

Approximate itinerary of the normal route Rimpfischhorn above Rimpfischsattel. © Urs Aeschbacher

Rimpfischhorn from the west, to the left just outside the Allalinpass. © Weh Ludwig

Rimpfischhorn from NW with Rimpfischsattel (right centre image), to the left just outside the Allalinpass. © Christoph Moser

Last meters to the summit. © Franziska Fritschi

Route description

Täschhütte - Alphubelgletscher

From the Täsch hut (2701 m), a mountain path leads horizontally to E. You cross two streams and come onto a slight ridge beside a third that leads up hill to the right (S) of the Chummibodmen (2876 m). Further up the trail meanders through some larger blocks beside the stream and finally reaches the arm of the southern arm of the Alphubelgletscher at about 3260 m, south of the cliffs of p. 3509, and just northeast of P. 3300. 1½ hours.

Alphubelgletscher - Rimpfischsattel

Now climb ESE over the glacier in the direction of the rocks of P. 3761, eventually contouring round into a hollow at the foot of them. Leave the glacier and descend screes left of a small lake to reach the Mellichgletscher at around 3350 m, 1 hour. After passing the crevasses of the glacier's northern edge, continue SSE into a hollow, which leads in the direction of the snow cap (4001 m) of the Rimpfischhorn until it merges with the glacier around 3550 m. Soon after, another hollow leads around the base of the rocky ridge, which comes down from the Great Gendarme (4107 m). Climb southeast through the following glacial basin, closer to the glacier's eastern edge, Around 3800 steer south, then at about 3920 m arc (right) westward above a crevasse zone into a hollow, and follow this to reach the Rimpfischsattel (3989 m), 2½ hours.

Rimpfischsattel - Rimpfischhorn

From the Rimpfischsattel (3989 m) you climb the usually icy slope, which leads into a snow couloir (becoming dry through the summer). Where this couloir makes a slight bend to the right, move left onto a prominent rock feature (the first which that's easily accessible in ascent). It is dangerous and pointless to follow the couloir, even if there are traces of other, "strayed" parties. The couloir is threatened by loose rocks, plus, it leads to an exposed shoulder below the fore summit, from where progress in the steep and fragile rock is difficult. From the prominent rock feature beside the couloir, climb leftwards, crossing another rockier couloir, to reach a shoulder. From here, the fore summit should be visible. Follow the less difficult rock ridge, starting up to the left of two short steep steps, before moving right and climbing a slab to directly below the fore summit. Then climb left to reach the saddle between the fore- and the main summit, and from here follow easy rocks to the summit (4199 m), 1 hour from the Rimpfischsattel.

Descent

Follow the route of ascent or to Britanniahütte. Or: down over the Rimpfischwänggrat zum Berghaus Flue. Or: follow the impressive Nordgrat (MUCH harder).