Lagginhorn

4,010 m

Named after the Laggin valley and stream on its eastern (Italian) side. Laggin is from a pre-Romance toponym, possibly Lepontic, of obscure meaning.

Card

Coordinates46.1572° N · 8.0030° E

UIAA rank№ 80 / 82

CountriesSwitzerland

Normal gradePD · peu difficile

First ascent1856 · Edward Levi Ames, Johann Josef Imseng, Franz Andenmatten & party

Typical seasonJuly to September

Photo of Lagginhorn — Photo: EpsilonEridani · CC BY-SA 3.0

Rocky, mostly unglaciated four-thousander north of the Weissmies, the last 4000er before the Simplon Pass. Climbed by the west-south-west ridge from the Weissmieshütte.

History

The Lagginhorn was climbed on 26 August 1856 by the English clergyman E. L. Ames with three Saas-Almagell guides, by what is still the standard route — the broken west-south-west ridge from the Weissmies hut. The summit is mostly broken slate and rubble, which has earned it a reputation as one of the less elegant 4000ers, but it remains a popular pairing with the neighbouring Weissmies.

Location

Summit · huts that serve as bases for routes on this peak

Major routes

WSW ridge from Weissmieshütte (Normal route)

PD · peu difficileTopo ↗

Vertical / summit day1,290 m gain · 4h

The classic ascent — a long, varied scrambling ridge on excellent rock. From the Weissmieshütte (2726 m) the route crosses the Lagginbach, climbs over scree to the foot of the WSW ridge and follows the broad ridge over endless easy gendarmes (II) and one short III step to the summit. Considered one of the most beginner-friendly 'real climbs' on the 82.

Sections

Weissmieshütte (2726 m)→Foot of WSW ridge (~3100 m)+400 m1h 30m

Foot of WSW ridge→Summit (4010 m)+910 m4h

Huts on this route

Weissmieshütte2,726 m

WSW ridge from Hohsaas (shorter variant)

PD · peu difficile

Vertical / summit day920 m gain · 3h 30m

The lift-assisted version — from the Hohsaas cable-car top station (3100 m) the route descends slightly to cross the Hohlaub glacier and then joins the upper WSW ridge for the rocky final section. The most accessible ascent.

Huts on this route

Weissmieshütte2,726 m

Nearby huts

WeissmieshütteSAC · mid-June to mid-September2,726 m Hohsaas-HüttePrivate · late June to late September3,098 m

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