High Altitude Cappuccino

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Grimentz (1,570m) Gondola dropoff:  Bendolla (2120m) Arrival:  Becs de Bosson (3,143m) Altitude gain:  ~1,000m Duration:  5h (loop) Difficulty:  Moderate Technical difficulty:  Easy to moderate (some scrambling near the summit) Download GPS file A Perfect October Ascent It was early October, and with a  sunny weekend forecast , I saw the perfect opportunity to  climb my last 3000m peak of the year . I chose  Becs de Bosson (3,143m) , standing right across from  Bella Tola , where I had  kicked off the summer . I drove to  Grimentz in Val d'Anniviers , arriving around  9:30 AM , and took the  gondola up to Bendolla (2,120m) . From there, the trail  ascends gently through alpine pastures , well-marked and without difficulties. The Ascent to Col des Becs de Bosson (2,974m) The first   part of the hike was straightforward. First on the pastures and then, as I climbed highe...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Turtmann Valley, Senntum parking (1,900m) Arrival:  Barrhorn summit (3,610m) Altitude gain:  1,700m Duration:  2 days (if not an ultra-runner) Difficulty:  Moderate Technical difficulty:  Low (some ropes, loose gravel, altitude effects) Download GPS file The  Barrhorn  is known as the  highest officially marked hiking trail in the Alps  that doesn’t require mountaineering equipment. At  3,610m , you reach the summit with nothing more than a good pair of boots (plus the usual mountain essentials, of course). The route passes by the  Turtmannhütte , offering breathtaking views of glaciers and high peaks along the way. Day 1: The Ascent to Turtmannhütte I started the hike at the  parking lot in the valley , sitting at  1,900m .  💡 Important tip:  bring cash! The parking is paid, and my phone had no signal, so I couldn’t use the app. Since I had neither  cash nor network , I h...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Brienz (600m) Arrival:  Brienzer Rothhorn (2,348m) Altitude gain:  1,748m Duration:  ~5 hours ascent, 40 min descent (by train) Difficulty:  Hard Technical difficulty:  Moderate (due to snowfields) Download GPS file The Brienzer Rothhorn had been on my hiking list for a while. As the  highest point in Canton Luzern,  it’s a long and demanding route, and I never found the right moment to tackle it. But in 2024, while training for Capanna Margherita, I needed longer hikes to prepare. When the weekend forecast showed perfect weather, I knew it was time. Like always, I decided the night before—one of the perks of living close to the Alps! I left home at 6:30 AM and, by 8:00 AM, I was parked in  Brienz (600m) , a charming village on the shores of Lake Brienz, opposite Interlaken , in canton Bern . The hike starts  near the steam train station —yes, there’s an actual steam train that goes to the summit, but more o...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Col du Pillon (1,546m) Lift dropoff : Scex Rouge, (2950m) Arrival:  Le Sommet des Diablerets (3,210m) Altitude gain:  300m Duration:  3h (loop) Difficulty:  Medium Technical difficulty:  Moderate Download GPS file Le  Sommet des Diablerets  is the  highest peak in Vaud , the canton where I live. I had wanted to climb it for some time, but it’s one of those places that’s too easy to take a guide for yet too challenging to tackle alone. Fortunately, a colleague with much more mountain experience than me agreed to guide me! This trip was particularly exciting because, for the first time, I would be doing it  on skis . Last year, my dad gave me his old ski touring skis, but I hadn’t yet had the chance to use them. Earlier this season, I tested them on a short tour at Le Chasseron. They were old but functional—good enough for Les Diablerets. The Ascent The tour began at the  cable car in Col du Pillon , whic...