14 x 4000-metre peaks in 5 days
by Jurgen Wohlfarter
My Garmin showed 3335 m, 16:58, Thursday 10 July 2025. Joy was written all over our faces, in our hands an ice cold beer, celebrating our triple traverse of the Gross Biggerhorn, Balfrin and Ulrichshorn, all three just a couple of metres shy of the 4000-metre mark. Martin, my brother and bi-annual climbing partner, and I had just arrived at Mischable hut, perched on a narrow ridge, high above the Saas valley. It was our third acclimatisation day.
We descended the steep 1543 metres to Saas-Fee the following day, then took the classic yellow Postauto to Stalden, the train to Täsch in the Mattertal and after stocking up with food at the local Migros, we walked the last three kilometres back to Attermenzen, our campsite. After sorting our gear, we rested and finally made a one pot dinner over my petrol powered MSR Dragonfly.
The next day our long-anticipated 14 x 4000/5 project began. The idea was simple: Traverse fourteen 4000 metre summits of the Monte Rosa massive in five days. A kind of Spaghetti Tour.
It would be my third attempt. Back in 2021, it was practically a non-starter – I reserved the huts at the very last minute, and none of the Italian huts, except Capanna Margherita, the highest of the entire Alps, were available. I booked it anyway, but the project was toast, and we stomped around in stormy clouds above 4000 metres. In 2024 I tried again, booked early and managed to get reservations for all huts except one, for which I found a questionable bivouac at 4167 metres as an alternative. The attempt crumbled on the very first day when my climbing partner, despite perfect days of acclimatisation, got severe altitude sickness and had to descend and seek medical attention. I soloed three of the 4000-metre peaks to make use of the hut reservations, but it just wasn’t the same without a rope partner and a very close shave with fate on my ascent of the 4609-metre Nordend when I fell into a crevasse…
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