By Connor Chilcott

Have you ever dreamed of a European hut trip? Light packs long descents beautiful scenery, topped off with the luxury of a warm meal, beverages and a bed. This exists across all of Europe. From the classic Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route to the Ortler a traverse through the Italian Dolomites, to Austria's Silveretta. However one hut to hut trip across the alps sticks out to us. The Berner Oberland. This traverse stands out from its long ascents followed by long descents. Often the hut to hut trips can involve a lot of traversing and less fall line skiing. The Berner is one long up followed by one long fall line down over and over again. This makes it our favorite of the classic European hut to hut trips.

Your trip begins in Grindelwald Switzerland. A small Swiss mountain town settled below the famous north face of the Eiger. This mountain town is one of the most famous in the world for its beauty and its history with climbing and skiing the high peaks. The town is full of great restaurants, hotels, and gear shops. The Berner Oberland is a tour that can be done many different ways. From flat glaciers to big peaks you can pick your route through the mountains. Over time Valhalla Mountain Guides has developed what we believe is the best way to link these peaks together.

On Day 1 we set off from Grindelwald via the Jungfraujoch lifts trains, finally arriving at the Jungfraujoch station. The hustle and bustle of tourists shopping, walking the discovery tour and drinking while looking over the glacier at 12,000 ft is something you can only experience in Europe. After escaping the tourists we drop into the Aletsch Glacier. We then set our sights on our first summit of the trip, the Louwihorn. After topping out on the Louwihorn we enjoy a 3,000 foot descent onto the glacier below. From here we tour up the valley and settle in for our first apres dinner and a good night’s sleep at the Hollandia Hut. Remote and rugged, the Hollandia feels like a true entrance into the high mountains of the Bernese Alps.

Day 2 begins with one of the most aesthetic ski runs of the trip. We climb above the hut in the early morning light and make our way toward the summit of the Abeni Flue. From the summit we drop into a beautiful fall line descent directly back toward the hut, arriving just in time for lunch on the deck. In true European hut trip fashion, the afternoon is all about moving through massive terrain. We spend the second half of the day skiing down the seemingly endless glacier toward the Konkordia Hut. Perched high above the ice and accessed by an endless staircase of ladders, the Konkordia Hut is one of the most iconic huts in the Alps.

Ladders going to the Konkordia Hut. A UNESCO world heritage site

By Day 3 the rhythm of the traverse begins to settle in. Wake up, coffee, skins on, and into the glacier world. From Konkordia we climb toward the Grünhornlücke saddle before dropping into another long fall line glacier run beneath towering peaks. At the base of the Wyssnollen we transition once again and begin climbing toward the summit. The views from the top stretch across a sea of ice and some of the highest peaks in Switzerland. After ripping skins we enjoy another incredible descent that leads us directly to the Finsteraarhorn Hut. Modern, comfortable, and perfectly positioned deep in the range, this hut feels like the center of the Berner Oberland

Day 4 is one of the crown jewels of the trip. Today’s objective is the Grosses Wannenhorn, one of the most spectacular ski peaks in the region. We begin by descending the glacier below the hut before starting the long climb up the Trift Glacier. As the summit ridge comes into view the scale of the surrounding mountains becomes hard to comprehend. Standing on top of the Grosses Wannenhorn at nearly 13,000 feet, surrounded by endless glaciers and sharp alpine peaks, is a moment few skiers ever forget. The reward is a massive fall line descent all the way back down our ascent route. Big terrain, and glacier skiing at its finest. We return to the Finsteraarhorn Hut for another night of great food, stories, and Swiss hospitality.

Day 5 delivers another huge transition through the mountains. We begin with a long ski down the Fieschergletscher before starting the more technical ascent toward the Gemschlicke Saddle. The terrain here feels wilder and more remote than the previous days. After crossing the saddle we are rewarded with another long descent before the final climb up toward the Oberaarjoch Hut. The hut itself sits dramatically above the glacier and is accessed by a short via ferrata, adding a final alpine touch to the day. If conditions and energy allow, there are often options for additional skiing around the hut before dinner.

The final day is everything a great traverse should end with. We begin by descending the via ferrata and skiing deep into the valley before applying skins one last time for the climb to the summit of the Gamlihorn. By now the team is moving efficiently, transitioning smoothly, and fully immersed in the rhythm of hut life. From the summit we begin the final descent, first skiing to a notch in the ridge before down climbing a short section onto the Bachli Glacier. What follows is one of the great descents in the Alps: 6,000 to 7,000 vertical feet of continuous skiing all the way down valley toward Reckingen.

The experience of taking your skis off in the village after nearly a week moving hut to hut across the Bernese Alps is hard to describe. Cappuccinos and big lunches replace glacier travel and crampons. Stories from the week start flowing immediately. After lunch we board the train back to Grindelwald, returning full circle beneath the towering walls of the Eiger.

The Berner Oberland is more than just a ski traverse. It is the full European hut trip experience: massive glaciers, huge descents, towering peaks, warm huts, and unforgettable camaraderie. For skiers looking for the ultimate combination of adventure and quality skiing, we believe there is simply nothing better in the Alps. This is truly the “Skiers or Splitboarders” Haute Route.