Climb The Bishorn 4153m

Day 1 – Beautiful & Physical Swiss High Altitude Alpine Hut Walk, Zinal – Cabane de Tracuit

Our two day Bishorn programme begins in Chamonix, easily reached from Geneva airport via a simple one hour transfer. Day 1 begins with an early meet in Chamonix for a welcome to the course, introduction to the guide and other guests plus a weather brief and equipment check.  We can also hire out any alpine mountaineering equipment out at this stage. Please check our alpine mountaineering equipment list in advance and let us know what items you will require.  Once everyone is happy with the plan and has suitable alpine mountaineering gear, we make the pleasant 2 hr journey east in to the Swiss Rhone Valley and up the Val d’Anniviers to the pleasant alpine village of Zinal (1675m).

Here we can stop for a café and look at the map / stock up on sandwiches for the long but beautiful hut walk in.  This is an impressive vertical height gain of 1600m – and the hut is over 3000m, so it is where your training & acclimatisation pays off.   The ascent is taken steadily, around 300m per hour, to allow time to enjoy the superb views of both the major alpine summits and lovely alpine meadows.  Our aim is also to save energy for the big summit climb & descent for tomorrow.  The ascent takes roughly 4-5hrs depending on conditions.   The walking is mainly on rough & stony paths with a very short section of easy scrambling right at the top near the hut.

The Tracuit Hut is now a superb modern & smart Swiss Mountain Refuge.  Attractive & hospitable, with good food & great views from the dining room.   The hut’s elevation of 3256m is a high sleeping altitude which is why we recommend that you have some pre-course acclimatisation.  Dinner is served around 6.30pm and involves 4 courses including soup, salad, main course & dessert. Bon Appetit!  Drinking water will need to be bought at the hut as there is no running water on this high altitude rocky promontory.  If the price of the bottled water takes your breath away, so will the views of both the sunset and sunrise after a hearty pre-dawn Swiss Alpine Hut breakfast the next morning.

As well as a sociable evening in the hut there will be a session refreshing your glacier travel skills and simple crevasse rescue problem solving.

Day 2 – Bishorn Summit Day

On summit day, depending on the time of year, breakfast is served at around 4am and our intention will be to leave the hut 45 mins after that. A rough & rocky path leads across towards the start of the Turtmann Glacier where a great view of the mountain and the route unfolds.  Hopefully there will be a good track in place navigating its way through the lower crevasse fields.   The team move steady up the glacier, roped together at all times.

The ascent of the Turtmann Glacier is steady and technically easy but long and physical.  There are some crevasses to avoid but usually a good track and the main focus becomes maintaining a good steady pace and ascent rate.   The mountain takes its name from the ‘Bise‘, a cold wind that blows from the North East and this is indeed one of the most northerly of the big peaks South of The Rhone Valley.  Take plenty of high altitude warm weather gear and this ascent is good training for other big & cold peaks like Mont Blanc and the Monte Rosa.

Very high on the ascent, there is a tiny col where the final steep snow slope leads directly to the summit.  Here trekking poles can be left and an ice axe is used for this short pitch of steeper snow and / or ice.   Magnificent views from the summit directly across to the spectacular and huge arc of the Weisshorn 4506m North East Face as well as across the Rhone Valley to the Bernese Oberland and around much of these northern Alps!  Guide book time from the hut to the summit, 900m and around 3 hours.

The descent of the mountain is made by the same route and this gives, for strong legs, a rapid loss of height and swift return to the welcome break, drinks and snacks at the Tracuit Hut.   Around 1.5 hours from summit to hut.   There then remains the long descent to Zinal.  After the short rocky down climb, the path is easy and gives plenty of time to enjoy the superb ambiance of this beautiful high alpine valley and let the satisfaction of a high alpine ascent soak in.   After a celebratory drink in Zinal the return journey takes the team back to Chamonix for late afternoon / early evening.

View The Full Zinal – Tracuit – Bishorn Ascent Route On Strava Here

Required Fitness and Experience Levels

Some basic previous mountaineering experience is required for the ascent of the Bishorn. Those who have never worn crampons before should investigate our Chamonix Alpine Intro and Climb the Gran Paradiso courses or arrange some private guiding & mountaineering training prior to the course.

Pre course acclimatisation is also required with previous days spent above 3000m and ideally a night spent in a mountain hut.  our Chamonix Alpine Intro course runs the week before and this is an ideal extension to that after the rest day in-between.

A very good level of fitness & stamina is also required for the long walk to the hut (around 5 hours) and then nearly 1000m summit climb to 4153mm on the summit days (c. 3-4 hours).  Some mountain walking experience is also required in order to be able to deal effectively with the rough paths and very long descent from the summit back to Zinal on the 2nd day of the course.  This presents a whopping 2500m descent!

Suggested Course Progression

A good build up to climbing the Bishorn would be completing our Chamonix Intro Alpine Course and /or Climbing the Gran Paradiso. This would then set you up well for Climbing Mont Blanc or our Monte Rosa Mountaineer programme.  After that a good technical progression would be Climb The Weissmies, Chamonix Private Guiding and Climb The Matterhorn.

When To Climb The Bishorn

The main season for climbing the Bishorn is high summer (late June to early September) and that is when the logical base camp of the Cabane de Tracuit is open.  You can keep an eye on current conditions via their webcam here!  It is also possible to make a ski ascent of the mountain in spring and again the hut is open for that option in April and we offer private ski mountaineering guiding for bespoke programmes.

Those looking for a quieter and even tougher climbing experience may choose to climb in the Autumn when the mountain hut is not guarded.  Depending on conditions an ascent at this time may still be possible, using the hut’s ‘winter room’, and indeed this can provide a great demanding expedition with a remote feel and a magical mountain journey.

Mountaineering Equipment

Please refer to our classic alpine mountaineering equipment list for a summer ascent of the Bishorn.  Please note that it’s a high altitude, snowy and glacier ascent, so warm alpine mountaineering boots are required.   There are no long or difficult rock sections so very neat alpine boots are not required.   The hut approach is long however and, in high summer conditions, some folk prefer to take trainers for a more comfortable approach / descent and these can be left at the hut during the summit climb.

Phil Tucker, Bishorn Ascent, Early September 2017

A memorable 2 days with Rob in the beautiful Zinal Valley and the big climb up to the hut!  Brilliant hut, great views, superb food….expensive water!  Early alpine start & impressive glacier before the long & demanding snow slope…”Keep the pace going!”  At last, the col and a short ice climb to the summit!  We dashed back down for well earned break at the hut before the descent to the valley (descent not to be underestimated!)  A physically tough but hugely rewarding ascent & Great training!  

Climb The Bishorn – Course Dates & Prices

Please check our individual course dates below and visit that page to reserve your place.

There are no upcoming courses at this time.

What’s included in the Price?

• 2 days mountain guiding with an IFMGA Mountain Guide
• Transport during the course from Chamonix to the Swiss Alps & back
• Discounted equipment hire prices if required
• Trip management & booking of mountain huts

What’s not included?

• Dinner, bed and breakfast in the mountain hut, c. 95 CHF Swiss Francs per person per night. Discounted if you are a member of an alpine club.
• The guides dinner bed & breakfast at a discounted rate split between group members. E.g with 4 clients this would be c. 10-15 Swiss Francs each.
• Chamonix Valley accommodation – please see our Chamonix Accommodation notes. Prices start from camping at C.10 euros per night, Bunkhouse for C.20 euros per night and hotel accommodation from around 50 euros upwards.
• Lunches, drinks and snacks
• Flights and transfers to Chamonix
• Mountaineering equipment. Check the kit list above
• Insurance suitable for alpine mountaineering in Europe