Summer Alpine Programme 2024 Round Up, Part 2: Saas Fee Alpine Mountains 4000m
This year’s Summer Alpine programme was a great success, and we’re taking the chance to look back, reflect, and celebrate everyone’s alpine mountaineering achievements.
We’ll start with a big thank you to all of our clients who joined us this summer, both those we had met previously and those who were new to us. Everyone worked hard with many big days in the mountains and early starts. We were lucky with such strong teams and great conditions, allowing us complete most of our planned itineraries. It’s a real team effort when working together in the mountains and everyone was very receptive to the new skills, and performed well when putting the new skills to use on alpine climbs and summits. It is a real pleasure being part of your learning journey and your alpine mountaineering achievements. Our programme round up began with Discover Winter Mountaineering, so for part two we’re recapping the Saas Fee Alpine Mountains 4000m course.
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Following a very snowy spring and cool temperatures, the mountains were in good condition with snow where it was needed most. It also makes the mountains easier and safer to operate in, with most crevasses well covered with snow and freezing conditions minimising loose rock, which can both be problems. Also the mountains look better with lots of snow on them, so they all looked amazing and with the our valley base surrounded by many 4000m peaks, there’s lots of great views and impressive peaks to look at.
Day 1
The next course on the programme was the 6-day Sass Fee Alpine Mountains 4000m. All the clients had been out a few days prior for some pre-acclimatization at around the 2700m/3000m mark. This doesn’t mean they are acclimatized fully but will help adaptation to the prolonged altitude of around 4000m for most of the week. The course starts on the first day with a walk to the Almageller hut (2892m), where we relaxed and later did some rock-climbing skills in mountaineering boots. This was good practice for the terrain we would be moving on, as most of the mountain routes during this week were alpine grade PD.
The Almageller Hut
Alpine start from the Almageller Hut
Day 2
After an early start at around 4am the next day, we all set off for the first 4000m peak of the week. The Weissmies (4017m) is many people’s first 4000m and is justifiably popular but never too busy. A great day not without some hard work, everyone performed well and both teams arrived on the summit around the same time.
Starting the ascent of the Weissmies
Scramble terrain on the south ridge of the Weissmies
This summer it was possible to descend the North side of the mountain, which is quicker and less technical than the ascent up the South ridge. So after a couple of hours descending the ‘normal route’ on the glacial north side of the mountain, we were all down safely ordering drinks and Rosti at the Hohsaas lift station. We reflected on the day’s success, and thoughts were already on the valley base and a well-deserved rest.



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Day 3
The next day we had the morning to relax and recover, in the afternoon took the short walk up to the Weissmies hut, which is the base for the Lagginhorn, our next 4000m mountain on the itinerary. The Weissmies hut (2700m) is a great place to stay, easy access and lots of climbing and mountaineering options available. Great coffee too! The hut is located beneath the Lagginhorn, so in the evening we sat outside and made our plan while we could see the route clearly for the next day. The weather forecast had a slight storm risk early afternoon, so we chose to leave a little early then normal making breakfast at 03:30am.
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Day 4
The ascent was smooth and efficient, still some hard work though, with this now being our 2nd 4000m peak of the week. It was a similar ascent to the Weissmies at around 1300m vertical gain from the hut. The team enjoyed summit success with great conditions, especially the top half of the mountain with good snow throughout. The descent was the same ascent route, and this saw us back in good time with a few breaks to enjoy the view and take on some light food and water along the way. We had pleasant early summer temps which were not too hot, yet lots of sun to enjoy too; soon we were back at the hut and sitting outside enjoying some lunch and drinks.
Ascending the lower section of the Lagginhorn
Summit of the Lagginhorn
That evening we were back in the valley at our guesthouse base, enjoying another restful evening and looking at the plans for the next two days. We all had been monitoring some bad weather forecast for Friday, and hoping it would improve closer to the time. This wasn’t the case as the forecast became more certain. An alternative plan was required in order to maximise Thursday’s good weather, as our intended plan was the Nadelhorn (4327m) on Friday. So after some discussion with the Guardian at the Mischabel hut we cancelled our booking there for the Thursday evening. We only had the Thursday of good weather, so decided to use the uplift and plan for an ascent of the Allalinhorn (4027m), which can be done in a day from the valley.

Day 5
We were on the first lift out of Saas Fee, and with a coffee in hand we were all on the cable car to 3457m. Out of the lift station and straight onto snow we made our way towards the start of the route, where we geared up for glacial travel. The normal route on the Allalinhorn is technically easier than the other two 4000m peaks earlier in the week, and we achieved our 3rd 4000m peak climbed that week. The ascent takes about 2 to 3 hours with a vertical height gain of around 600m. A very impressive effort given the hard work put in over previous days! Lunch was enjoyed at the lift station with an amazing view of the week’s other peaks. Reflecting on the experience while looking at all the mountains around us, we compared the ascents and chatted over what we had all learnt and experienced through the week. Everyone was buzzing and inspired from the week, and soon making plans for which adventures and 4000m mountains were next.


Day 6
The next day the weather did what it said it was going to do, and was less stable. So a relaxed day was had around Saas Fee with some local rock climbing. It felt like a great warm down from the week and an opportunity to further rock-climbing technique too. Overall it was a great 6 days and superb team; an impressive week of mountains and left everyone wanting more and making plans for further 4000m peaks next summer.
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About Stuart McAleese
“Originally from Northern Cumbria I started out hill walking in the Lake District when I was at school. I soon become interested in rock climbing and mountaineering, and was lucky enough to work and climb with Mountain Guides during my first job leaving school. Since then I’ve been working full time in the mountains for around 25 years.
At the same time as working, I enjoy climbing in my free time and have been lucky enough to go on many expeditions around the world, climbing new mountains, first ascents and tough remote summits. Places such as Patagonia, Alaska, Himalaya, Peru, Baffin Island, Yosemite and China. In 2004 I was nominated for the prestigious Piolet d’Or in Grenoble, France, for a 1st ascent of the ‘Supa Dupa Couloir’ in Alaska.
I love my job as a Mountain Guide, teaching and exploring big mountains in all weather all year round. I joined the Glenmore Lodge team in 2019 and head up the Summer Alpine programme as well as delivering on the Rock & Mountain programme of training courses”.