Trip report · Valais
Lagginhorn, South Ridge
On 10 August 2026 I climbed the Lagginhorn (4,010 m) by the South Ridge with Thierry — my very first client, with whom I’ve shared the mountains for more than 26 years. A fine Valais ridge, my 78th 4,000 m summit in the Alps, and a climb that doesn’t let itself be tamed easily.
The Lagginhorn, a quiet 4000er of the Valais
At 4,010 metres, the Lagginhorn rises in the Pennine Alps, above Saas-Grund, in the Weissmies group. It is one of the lowest 4,000 m summits in Switzerland — and one of the few you can reach without crossing a glacier.
Hence its particularity: the normal route, the West Ridge, can currently be done in trainers. Perhaps the only 4000er in the Alps where that’s possible. But make no mistake — the altitude, the ridge and the weather all deserve respect.
The South Ridge, a fine Valais line
We chose the South Ridge: about 500 metres of rock, graded AD-, with no extreme difficulty (III, one III+ move) but sustained from start to finish. The gneiss is decent when dry. Nothing overly exposed, but a climb that asks for attention and a sure foot — a fine ridge, honestly. The topo is on Camptocamp.
A word of history: the Lagginhorn was first climbed on 26 August 1856 by the Englishman Edward Levi Ames, the Saas-Grund clergyman Johann Josef Imseng and a team of guides led by Franz Andenmatten.
Our climb, 10 August 2026
Thierry is my very first client. We’ve been climbing together for more than 26 years. The Lagginhorn? Simply a 4000er we hadn’t done yet. Not the most sought-after on paper — and in the end a really fine ridge climb, one that doesn’t tame easily.
From the Hohsaas hut
A night at the Hohsaas hut, around 3,100 m above Saas-Grund. A pre-dawn start, head-torches on, to reach the ridge at first light.
On the ridge
You climb the ridge along the rock. Never very hard, but always sustained: you never really let go. The sun rises over the Valais peaks and the atmosphere turns magnificent. The mountain decides, as always — and that day, it let us through.
At the summit, 4,010 m
Summit at 4,010 m. For me, a 78th 4,000 m peak in the Alps; for the two of us, one more summit on a long shared list. You never tire of it.
The descent by the normal route
Descent by the normal route, the West Ridge — more good-natured, glacier-free, doable in trainers in current conditions. Not to be underestimated, though: it’s still the high mountains.
Route facts
| Summit | Lagginhorn, 4,010 m — Pennine Alps (Valais, Switzerland) |
| Ascent route | South Ridge |
| Grade | AD-, III (one III+ move), ~500 m of ridge |
| Descent | Normal route (West Ridge) |
| Start | Hohsaas hut (~3,100 m), above Saas-Grund |
| Notable | One of the few 4000ers with no glacier; normal route currently doable in trainers |
| First ascent | 26 August 1856 |
| Rock | Gneiss, decent when dry |
| Gear | Helmet, rope, a few nuts and slings; footwear to suit the route. |
This kind of climb — a sustained ridge, an approachable but serious 4000er — is the heart of the mountaineering we share at Nuyama. Twenty-six years of climbs with Thierry is also that: how we guide and who we are, trust built over time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the grade of the Lagginhorn South Ridge?
The Lagginhorn South Ridge is graded AD-, with climbing up to grade III (one III+ move). Around 500 metres of rock, never extreme but sustained from bottom to top.
Can you climb the Lagginhorn in trainers?
Via the normal route (West Ridge), it is currently possible: the Lagginhorn is one of the few 4000ers in the Alps you can reach without crossing a glacier. That doesn’t mean you should underestimate it — the altitude, the ridge and the weather remain serious, and a helmet and rope are essential.
Where do you start the Lagginhorn climb?
Usually from the Hohsaas hut, at around 3,100 m above Saas-Grund and reachable by cable car. You leave at night to reach the ridge at first light.
Is the Lagginhorn an easy 4000er?
It is one of the lowest 4,000 m summits in the Alps (4,010 m) and one of the most approachable technically, but the ridge is sustained and the climb remains a genuine high-mountain objective.
Read also: Pic de Bure, Desmaison Route — 600 metres of history up the South Pillar
Nuyama is a mountain-adventure agency, born in Chamonix in 2019. You don’t consume a destination here: you live a crossing. From Valais ridges to the 4000ers of the Alps, we go with those who want to experience something real, guided by people rooted in this terrain for years. Discover who we are and mountaineering with Nuyama.