Aletsch Glacier - Breathtaking hike directly along the glacier

Beautiful and unique hike directly along the glacier. Did you know that the Aletsch glacier in the canton of Valais is the largest and longest glacier in the Alps? The length of the glacier is 23km, and it has a height of 900 meters of eternal ice. Unfortunately, the glacier melts every year by 50-80 meters, researchers predict that by the end of 2100 the whole glacier will have disappeared. That is, save this hike and watch it before the glacier is gone 😁

• Arrival: possible by car, but this hike is not a round trip. In Mörel (the valley station of Riederalp) you have enough parking possibilities. The end point is in Fiescheralp and the valley station is Fiesch from where you can easily take the train back to Mörel. By public transport it is also feasible, there are regular trains to Brig and from there to all of Switzerland.

• Equipment: Very good hiking shoes (ankle-high), sunscreen, refreshment items, hiking poles if available.

• Difficulty: Difficult T2, if you start from the alp Moosfluh, there is a strong climb to the Bettmerhorn. The easier variant is directly from Bettmerhorn.

• Time: Approx. 4 hours with many photography and normal breaks 5 hours should be planned.

• Ascent and Descent: Ascent is 660 meters; Descent is 780 meters

• Surface: 9km mountain trail (over stones) , 4km mountain road

• Animals and plants: The Aletsch Arena has unique fauna and flora from mountain roses to marmots that can be heard whistling. I personally observed a red deer. (Time was very early in the morning 09:00)

• Tip: When you arrive at the Lake Märjelensee (see hiking map at the bottom), a hiking trail leads down to the glacier, where you can see into the glacier. But beware the path leads very steeply down, because you have to hike back up. But such a sight you do not see every day, so you should not miss it in any case.

• Restaurants: Directly at the Lake Märjelensee it has the mountain hut Gletscherstube where you can eat lunch comfortably, or even stay overnight. A top hut for photographers because a sunset and rise is very spectacular directly at the glacier.

• Highlights: The highlight is clearly the view of the Aletsch Glacier and at the Lake Märjelensee because view into a glacier.

The start of the hike is at the cable car station Riederalp - Moosfluh. A small hiking trail of 20 minutes from Riederalp to the cable car station that goes to Moosfluh leads over beautiful landscapes and chalets or you can first take a look at the beautiful village of Riederalp. You should already put on sunscreen because the hike is mostly in the sun.

Once you have visited all the places on the list, you can easily drive from Riederalp up to Moosfluh at 2333 meters. At the top you will be surprised with the sight of the Aletsch glacier. On the Moosfluh you can also see an extraordinary number of alpine roses with the Aletsch Glacier a perfect combination.

First you hike over meadows and hiking trails with a fairy tale landscape until you come across more and more stones and then it goes stony upwards. If you start on the alp Moosfluh, the hiking trail first leads steeply up to the Bettmerhorn. If you want to take the easier route, it is best to start at Bettmerhorn. On the picture below you can see the Bettmerhorn very small on the top right of the mountain, taken on the Moosfluh.

The march to the top brings many to sweat, I was not the only one who had to stop again and again to get puff again. Because we hike at a good 2600 meters where the air is generally thinner. Once you have reached the Bettmerhorn after a good 1:30h, the path continues parallel to the glacier always follow the writing Fiescheralp.

From here it is the most beautiful part of the hike because you can walk parallel to the unique glacier and always have a view of it while walking over hill and dale. Right from here it becomes a mountain hike over rocks and boulders.

The hike parallel to the glacier takes about 1:30h and you walk past really impressive places see the videos and pictures.

Until you have to turn after a good 2 hours at a corner is the lake Märjelensee and the lake Vordersee you can see it from afar. Right there there is a way to the glacier down because below you can see into the glacier, and for brave even go inside. A must for me but the way down there gave me a real headache, because we have the same way back up.

Here you can see how fast the glacier is melting nowadays on a hot summer day.... unfortunately. On the Alp Märjelen you can treat yourself to a fine lunch in a mountain restaurant or you can even spend the night. After a refreshment it continues in a long tunnel, where you get cold hands but for me it was really refreshing at these hot temperatures a real cool down. The tunnel is 1.5km long and leads us directly to the other side of the mountain where we continue hiking towards Fiescheralp. It passed 20min until we saw again a small light in the shaft.

Arrived on the other side almost slay me the heat. 😅 But it was a beautiful sight you see the Valais mountains and wander past old houses.

After that, we headed towards Fiescheralp, where I was able to enjoy a magnificent view again and again. From the tunnel to Fiescheralp goes about 1:30h. Unfortunately, I had to hurry on the last cable car ride because I traveled by public transport, but I was in all very satisfied with the hike and the pictures and videos taken. After a good 5h I arrived in Fiescheralp and was really exhausted, because the climb at the beginning was really hard. I could already feel the sore muscles in my legs. 😅

Details and Altitude Profile