Riederalp to Moosfluh

Rideralp  West gondola station - Riederfurka - Hohfluh - Moosfluh gondola station

Time approx; 3 hours including coffee break at Riederfurka:

ascent 454 metres : descent 25 metres

The map is taken from Open Street map and slightly modified.

After taking the train to Mörel and the cable car (or the gondola) - there is a choice! - we started the walk at Riederalp.

The walk climbs through the village...

...and across a ski piste before turning to head for the low point on the ridge at Riederfurka.

This photo shows the view looking down to Riderealp with the valley of the river Rotten (Rhône) and the mountains towards the border between Canton Valais and Canton Ticino.

The path approaches Riderfurka with Villa Cassel visible. This is the base for the Pro Natura environemntal centre.

At Riederfurka is the splendidly situated hotel and restaurant with...

....stunning views across the Aletschwald and the end of the Aletsch glacier towards the Sparrhorn (3021 metres) and  the Geisshorn (3740 metres). Click on the photo for a larger image.

The path now starts its climb up the Hädenergrat ridge.

Looking back, this zoomed photograph shows Villa Cassell in the foreground and in the centre the unmistakable peak of the Matterhorn (4478 metres) and to its right the Weisshorn  (4506 metres). The Matterhorn is about thirty miles away.

The path climbs steadily, and in places steeply,.....

...whilst a look back reveals more of Canton Valais' mountains. In the centre is the Riederhorn. To its left are the mountains in the Mischabel range and those above the Saastal. Click on the photo for a larger image.

In places the path climbs quite steeply so the views looking back become more dramatic. The Dom (4545 metres) can be seen on the left of the photo.

This panorma shows Sparrhorn (3021 metres) and  the Geisshorn (3740 metres) which lie across the end of the Aletsch glacier to the north. Click for a larger image.

At this point the Aletsch glacier comes fully into view- it is the largest glacier in the Alps being about fifteen miles long. Up to the right of the photo can be seen the Hohfluh ski lift station

Beyond Hohfluh the path heads along the ridge gradually climbing with the Bettmerhorn (2857m ) ahead......

The path occasionally falls slightly giving views across to the mountains south of the Rotten valley.

This incredible gully at the foot of the Sparrhorn is where water from the smaller Oberaletsch glacier flows into the valley....

....and a zoomed in image shows the end of the glacier

At the top of the gondola at Moosfluh the full extent of the main Aletsch glacier comes into view. Directly ahead is the Bettmerhorn and just beyond the Eggishorn. The return to Riederalp is from here.