Ascent of the Torrenthorn

Starting point for the hike is Rinderhütte, the summit station of the cable car from Leukerbad. The climb leads across the alpine pastures of Torrent, where many cows, sheep and goats spend the summer.

The path leads steadily towards the western ridge of the Torrenthorn via the Rinderhalte pastures, where hikers will frequently hear the whistling of marmots.

At an altitude of around 2,700 m, the grassy alpine meadows give way to rocky terrain. Up on the ridge you enjoy a magnificent view of the Majingalp pastures and the dramatic Montanji cliffs: best known for the precipitous Gemmiwand rock face above Leukerbad, they extend eastwards all the way to the summit of the Balmhorn on the border between Valais and the Bernese Oberland.

After about another kilometre you reach the summit of the Torrenthorn, also known as the “Rigi of Valais”. From the summit you have a complete 360° panoramic view, and on a clear day you can see peaks including the Jungfrau, Bietschhorn, Monte Leone, Weissmies, the Mischabel massif, Monte Rosa, Matterhorn, Grand Combin and even Mont Blanc.

For the return leg, the most direct route is along the ridge and via the historical Hotel Torrenthorn back to Rinderhütte. However, it is also possible to extend the hike via alternative descents. For example, you can follow the ridge south towards the Schafberg and climb another peak before following the alpine route (marked white-blue-white) down to Rinderhütte. Another alternative is to turn north at Rinderhalte to descend to the Majingalp pastures, and then walk along the Dala river back down to Leukerbad.

Highlights:

• Summit of the Torrenthorn, with superb panoramic views of the Valais and Bernese Alps – and on a clear day, the French Alps.
• Many options for extending the hike via a variety of alternative descent routes.