Bishorn

Last updated
Bishorn
Bishorn01.jpg
Northern wall
Highest point
Elevation 4,153 m (13,625 ft)
Prominence 120 m (390 ft)
Parent peak Weisshorn
Isolation 0.8 km (0.50 mi)  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Coordinates 46°7′4″N7°42′53″E / 46.11778°N 7.71472°E / 46.11778; 7.71472 Coordinates: 46°7′4″N7°42′53″E / 46.11778°N 7.71472°E / 46.11778; 7.71472
Geography
Switzerland relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Bishorn
Location in Switzerland
Location Switzerland
Parent range Pennine Alps
Climbing
First ascent G. S. Barnes and R. Chessyre-Walker with guides Joseph Imboden and J. M. Chanton on 18 August 1884
Easiest route North-west flank, (F)

The Bishorn (4,153 m) is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland, just north of the Weisshorn.

Contents

The mountain has two distinct summits, separated by a 600-metre easy-angled snow ridge.

  • The west and higher summit (4,153 m), first ascent by G. S. Barnes and R. Chessyre-Walker with guides Joseph Imboden and J. M. Chanton on 18 August 1884.
  • The east summit ( Pointe Burnaby , 4,134 m), first ascent by Elizabeth Burnaby with guides Joseph Imboden and Peter Sarbach on 6 May 1884.

Huts

Huts serving the peak are the Cabane de Tracuit (3,256 m) and the Turtmann hut (2,519 m).

Access to both huts is snow-free in summertime. The Tracuit hut is normally accessed from the Zinal valley, a long and demanding walk of around five hours from the village to the hut.

The Turtmann hut is primarily used for climbing the Barrhorn and the Brunegghorn. Note that climbing the Bishorn from the Turtmann hut requires a far longer glacier walk through sections with numerous crevasses.

Access roads

The access roads to the huts are from the Rhone valley in the north. The road to Zinal starts at Sierre, and the other road starts from Turtmann village. In both cases these are good and attractive mountain roads typical of the area.

The Bishorn (left, background) and the Turtmann Glacier (right) Turtmanngletscher.jpg
The Bishorn (left, background) and the Turtmann Glacier (right)
Bishorn and Weisshorn (right) BishornWeisshorn.jpg
Bishorn and Weisshorn (right)

See also

Related Research Articles

Matterhorn Mountain in the Swiss and Italian Alps

The Matterhorn is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, whose summit is 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) high, making it one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points and are split by the Hörnli, Furggen, Leone/Lion, and Zmutt ridges. The mountain overlooks the Swiss town of Zermatt, in the canton of Valais, to the north-east and the Italian town of Breuil-Cervinia in the Aosta Valley to the south. Just east of the Matterhorn is Theodul Pass, the main passage between the two valleys on its north and south sides, which has been a trade route since the Roman Era.

Zugspitze Highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains (Eastern Alps)

The Zugspitze, at 2,962 m (9,718 ft) above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains as well as the highest mountain in Germany. It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the Austria–Germany border runs over its western summit. South of the mountain is the Zugspitzplatt, a high karst plateau with numerous caves. On the flanks of the Zugspitze are three glaciers, including the two largest in Germany: the Northern Schneeferner with an area of 30.7 hectares and the Höllentalferner with an area of 24.7 hectares. The third is the Southern Schneeferner which covers 8.4 hectares.

Wildspitze Mountain in Austria

Wildspitze is the highest mountain in the Ötztal Alps and in North Tyrol, as well as the second highest mountain in Austria after the Großglockner and in terms of prominence is the fourth summit of the Alps and the fifteenth of Europe.

Dent Blanche Mountain in the Pennine Alps in Valais Canton, Switzerland

The Dent Blanche is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, lying in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. At 4,358 metres (14,298 ft)-high, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps.

Grossglockner Highest mountain in Austria

The Grossglockner is, at 3,798 metres above the Adriatic (12,461 ft), the highest mountain in Austria and the highest mountain in the Alps east of the Brenner Pass. It is part of the larger Glockner Group of the Hohe Tauern range, situated along the main ridge of the Central Eastern Alps and the Alpine divide. The Pasterze, Austria's most extended glacier, lies on the Grossglockner's eastern slope.

Dufourspitze Highest mountain in Switzerland

The Dufourspitze is the highest peak of Monte Rosa, an ice-covered mountain massif in the Alps. Dufourspitze is the highest mountain peak of both Switzerland and the Pennine Alps and is also the second-highest mountain of the Alps and Western Europe, after Mont Blanc. It is located between Switzerland and Italy.

Aiguille de Bionnassay Mountain in the Mont Blanc massif

The Aiguille de Bionnassay is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif of the Alps in France and Italy. It has been described as "one of the most attractive satellite peaks of Mont Blanc", and is located on its western side. The mountain's south and east ridges form the frontier between the two countries, and its summit is a knife-edge crest of snow and ice. Reaching it via any route provides a "splendid and serious snow and ice climb".

Toubkal

Toubkal or Tubkal is a mountain peak in southwestern Morocco, located in the Toubkal National Park. At 4,167 metres (13,671 ft), it is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco, and North Africa. Located 63 km (39 mi) south of the city of Marrakesh, and visible from it, Toubkal is an ultra prominent peak, the highest for over 2,000 km (1,200 mi). For climbers it is "the most popular mountain objective in the Atlas mountains".

Dom (mountain) Mountain in the Pennine Alps, Switzerland

The Dom is a mountain of the Pennine Alps, located between Randa and Saas-Fee in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. With a height of 4,545 m (14,911 ft), it is the seventh highest summit in the Alps, overall. Based on prominence, it can be regarded as the third highest mountain in the Alps, and the second highest in Switzerland, after Monte Rosa. The Dom is the main summit of the Mischabel group, which is the highest massif lying entirely in Switzerland.

Grand Combin Mountain massif in the western Pennine Alps, in the Swiss canton of Valais

The Grand Combin is a mountain massif in the western Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais. At a height of 4,314 metres (14,154 ft) the summit of Combin de Grafeneire is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and the second most prominent of the Pennine Alps. The Grand Combin is also a large glaciated massif consisting of several summits, among which three are above 4000 metres. The highest part of the massif is wholly in Switzerland, although the border with Italy lies a few kilometres south.

Weissmies Mountain in the Pennine Alps

The Weissmies 4,017 m (13,179 ft) is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais in Switzerland near the village of Saas-Fee. It is the easternmost four-thousander of its range.

Piz Kesch Mountain in Switzerland

Piz Kesch (German) or Piz d'Es-cha (Rumantsch) is a peak in the Albula Alps of the Rhaetian Alps in Switzerland. At 3,418 metres (11,214 ft), it is the highest peak in the Albula Alps and the municipality of Bergün, Grisons.

Schreckhorn Mountain in Switzerland

The Schreckhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps. It is the highest peak located entirely in the canton of Berne. The Schreckhorn is the northernmost Alpine four-thousander and the northernmost summit rising above 4,000 metres in Europe.

Ober Gabelhorn Mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland

The Ober Gabelhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland, located between Zermatt and Zinal.

Zinalrothorn Mountain in the Pennine Alps

The Zinalrothorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in Switzerland. Its name comes from the village of Zinal lying on the north side and from the German word Rothorn which means Red Peak. When it was first climbed in 1864 the mountain was known locally as Moming.

Weisshorn Mountain in the Pennine Alps

The Weisshorn is a major peak of Switzerland and the Alps, culminating at 4,506 metres above sea level. It is part of the Pennine Alps and is located between the valleys of Anniviers and Zermatt in the canton of Valais. In the latter valley, the Weisshorn is one of the many 4000ers surrounding Zermatt, with Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn.

Les Diablons Mountain in Switzerland

Les Diablons are a mountain of the Swiss Pennine Alps, overlooking Zinal in the canton of Valais. They lie between the valleys of Anniviers and Turtmann on the subrange of the Pennine Alps that culminates at the Weisshorn.

Tête de Milon Mountain in Switzerland

Tête de Milon is a mountain of the Swiss Pennine Alps, located east of Zinal in the canton of Valais. It belongs to the massif of the Weisshorn and lies west of the Turtmann Glacier.

Zinal Former municipality of Switzerland in Valais

Zinal is a village in Switzerland, located in the municipality of Anniviers in the canton of Valais. It lies at an elevation of 1,675 metres (5,495 ft) above sea level in the Swiss Alps in the Val de Zinal, a valley running from the Zinal Glacier, north of Dent Blanche to the village of Ayer, part of the Val d'Anniviers. With the Dent Blanche, four additional 4,000-metre (13,120 ft) peaks are located around the valley: Bishorn, Weisshorn, Zinalrothorn, and Ober Gabelhorn.

Tracuit Hut

The Tracuit Hut is a mountain hut of the Swiss Alpine Club, located above Zinal in the canton of Valais. The hut lies at an elevation of 3,256 metres (10,682 ft) above sea level, at the Tracuit Pass, between Les Diablons and the Tête de Milon in the Pennine Alps.

References