With my partner, we wandered again through the Swiss high mountains last week. This time we climbed two peaks:
Lagginhorn, 4010 m (SW ridge/norm., PD-, I-II)
Dom, 4545 m (N slope/norm., PD+, III-/II, 40°)
The original idea was, for acclimatization before the serious Dom, which I had planned for a long time, to visit the predominantly glacial Weissmies (PD), which is considered an acclimatization classic from the Weissmieshütte hut (2726 m), which we approached on foot from Saas-Grund. However, a precipitation-poor winter and hot summer also affected Weissmies, so the glacier through which the normal route runs is this year extremely difficult and dangerous to traverse (rotten ice, numerous extensive new crevasses, steepness), so the hut keeper strongly advised against the ascent. Like most others, we chose an alternative goal that is gratefully similar in many ways (difficulty, length, starting point) except for the terrain character of the route to Weissmies and therefore suitable for our purpose: only one meter lower Lagginhorn.
We started the ascent in complete darkness, although we never have to step on snow or ice on the way to it at the moment, and due to the ridge character the route itself is not particularly exposed to falling rocks. Otherwise the thing itself is quite monotonous, comparable to blocky paths to many Turkish three-thousanders, and technically and orientation-wise relatively simple - the PD rating is in my opinion still exaggerated, the hardest spot by the white slab is somewhat exposed but short and not particularly difficult to climb (I+); everything else is mostly steep walking or scrambling not exceeding grade I. The summit itself is unexpectedly narrow and precipitous; during our visit a cold wind was blowing and mists obscured the view, so we quickly headed back down to the valley. The quite monotonous descent drags on, and apart from individual scenic ridge spots there is no special aesthetics on it - but it represents the fact that it is a relatively undemanding four-thousander that can be attempted without glacier equipment and rope (we saw quite a few solo walkers), a possible draft proposal for all who would like to climb an alpine four-thousander for the first time and avoid the crowds on the nearby Allalinhorn. In this respect, as well as for acclimatization before other ascents, Lagginhorn gains special references.
With all that, I must still say that the ascent should not be underestimated despite the above words, already because of the length (4-5 hours and approx. 1300 m ascent from the hut); on the way we for example saw people in completely unsuitable footwear and incomplete equipment still on the ascent in the early afternoon - this should certainly not be followed.
After descending to the valley we drove to the camp near Randa towards the main goal of the trip: the mighty cathedral Dom, the highest in the group of mountains above Saastal, which is the seventh highest but the third most prominent mountain in the Alps and the highest peak that lies entirely in Switzerland. The ascent to it is not known as overly technically demanding (although it is anything but trivial), but is known as very long and strenuous (and also objectively dangerous due to numerous glacial crevasses) - from the starting point to the summit there is as much as 3139 m of elevation gain, every meter must be walked, which is a specialty among alpine giants and the greatest elevation difference on the route among normal routes of four-thousanders. When we looked at it in the past and the day before from Saastal or above it, it seemed inaccessible with its vertical east wall, but unlike most neighbors such as the exclusively climbing Täschhorn and Lenzspitze it has a weak point, namely the extensive Hohberggletscher glacier on the NW side, which extends right to the last meters before the extremely precipitous summit, and offers the possibility for a strenuous but accessible normal route for skilled mountaineers. Of course there is always potential for difficulties on such a serious tour.
The weather forecast for the day we climbed the summit was not the most favorable, but it improved over time and after modest recovery the day after Lagginhorn we headed towards Domhütte, which is the starting point for the ascent of Dom.
The path itself at the hut is for the most part quite pleasant for the eyes and legs, as it winds through pleasant and comfortable walking terrain with wonderful views of the mighty Weisshorn and bold Zinalrothorn, later joined by a beautiful view towards the Matterhorn. Higher up the path becomes somewhat more demanding and gradually turns into a real easy via ferrata with very ingenious protections that safely take us through steep chimneys and a narrow ridge; without protections this would be quite serious climbing.
Breakfast before the ascent of Dom, which was that day the goal of almost all guests, is strictly at 2:30, although as usual we were a bit slow and left more towards the back. The path itself in the first part is well marked with cairns, but we followed the wrong series of cairns above the moraine and lost a few minutes on a day when afternoon thunderstorms were forecast; in this part we almost avoid the glacier up to the Festigrat ridge.
At approx. 3650 m follows the key element of the tour: the ascent over an approx. 80 m high wall of the ridge above the Festigletscher glacier, which at one place in the lower part may reach III-, otherwise it is mostly pleasant climbing of II in fairly compact rock. There are enough bolts for protection, which also indicate the optimal direction. Due to the crowd of people ahead of us we were forced to wait a long time, which meant we had to speed up in the second part of the ascent. In this part first follows a steep descent and crossing a very crevassed, dangerous part of the Hohberggletscher glacier, above 4000 m the latter becomes increasingly steeper (up to 40°), but does not cause too many difficulties.
The latter was potentially indicated by the weather, which contrary to expectations changed drastically and threatened. At the col approx. 80 m below the summit, where the conclusion of this year's almost impassable Festigrat ridge is also located, we joined forces with a group of experienced mountaineers; four of us quickly set off along the exposed and steep ridge to the summit and in a fast pace down to the glacier, the rest safely descended without the final ascent.
On the narrow and precipitous but very atmospheric summit with an elegant cross, where there is space for only a few people, we stayed only a short time.
Later we unanimously found the way across the increasingly open glacier and descended through the wall - at this point I must thank that they helped us with a longer collection of ropes and enabled a faster descent in the effort to get past the key section before potential weather inconveniences (we ourselves had only 30 m, which does not allow effective abseiling - I recommend at least 50 m). Half an hour above the hut the sky raged, but nothing worse happened.
After a long sleep the next day in light rain we descended past Europahütte and Charles Kuonen Hängebrücke, the longest suspension bridge in the world measuring almost 500 m in length, to Randa and set off on the long drive towards Ljubljana.
Final thoughts? The trip was certainly successful, we also had quite a bit of luck with the weather. Prices are Swiss expensive (especially in Domhütte, which is supplied only by helicopter), but the fact that due to logistics and bad weather we extended our stay at the hut for one night in the evening nevertheless proved wise; the tour to Dom is already very strenuous, and would have been even more so with an additional descent to the valley in a thunderstorm.
The tour to Lagginhorn is on the other hand relatively easy and in itself hardly worth the ascent except as acclimatization for more demanding and higher goals, but currently offers a favorable opportunity to climb a four-thousander without glacier equipment and rope. Some experience and respect for this kind of high mountain terrain is certainly necessary.