Summiting Breithorn (4164m/4159m), on July 31, 2025 (my quick trailer video on YouTube). Videos and editing by Aki Kärkkäinen. (Subscribe to my YouTube channel.)
Planning and Preparation
For several summers I’ve chased 4000-meter Alpine peaks, returning again and again to the Italian side. After several visits to the Gressoney Valley, I wanted to explore something new—this time with Breithorn in my sights.
First came acclimatization. Gressoney is good for that, thanks to its easy lift access to high altitude treks. My favourite is trail 9 from Colle Bettaforca to Rifugio Quintino Sella (3585m)—a route that offers just the right balance of altitude, views and exposure. After five days in Gressoney, I moved on to Valtournenche, which feels more authentic and cozy compared to touristy Breuil-Cervinia.
The full Breithorn traverse, from Roccia Nera across multiple summits and rock climbing sections, exceeds my current ability. My goal was more modest: ascend Western Breithorn (4165m) and continue to Central Breithorn (4159m). The hardest part wasn’t the mountain itself but, as often in the Alps, finding a guide and a group willing to accept a stranger.
Finding a Guide and a Group
I contacted guide offices across the region, from Champoluc to Courmayeur. Eventually, Hannah from Ayas Mountain Guides in Champoluc found me a spot (thank you 🙏). The trip was confirmed only the day before due to unstable, windy weather.
Our small group came together quickly: Elisabetta and Simonetta, two women on an alpinism course, and Manuel, our patient and capable guide. From the start, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming—exactly what I had hoped for.
The Ascent
We set out late by Alpine standards—9:40 on Thursday, July 31, 2025—stepping onto the glacier from Klein Matterhorn (3883m) on the Swiss side. The first hour was steady progress up gentle slopes, the air crisp and thin.
At 11:20 we stood on Western Breithorn (4164m), the Matterhorn/Cervino playing hide-and-seek behind shifting clouds. We then traversed the snow ridge to Central Breithorn (4159m), reaching its summit at 12:10. That ridge was the highlight of the climb—something you’d miss if you only tackle the Western peak. We soaked up views of the Monte Rosa massif and the Swiss giants.
Western Breithorn summit (4164m) on July 31, 2025, at 12:20. Photo by Elisabetta (another client).
By 13:30 we were back at Klein Matterhorn. The entire ascent covered just 300 vertical meters—explaining why these peaks rank among the easiest and most accessible 4000ers in the Alps. But popularity didn’t matter that day; only a handful of people were summiting, giving us the mountain largely to ourselves. We had time to actually absorb the spectacular views without rushing, unlike my Gran Paradiso experience in 2024.
Central Breithorn summit (4159m) on July 31, 2025, at 12:25. Photo by Manuel (our guide).
Weather and glacier conditions were excellent: blue skies, distant clouds, and light wind. We were fortunate—conditions had been poor days before and deteriorated again afterward.
A Moment of Peace
This trip offered a welcome moment of peace and tranquility—a break from our burning world. I’ve lost faith in humanity during the pandemic and the genocidal wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
Mountains can kill you too if you’re careless or unlucky, but they’re not malicious. They’re dangerous, but they’re not driven by ideology, hate, or religion—they simply exist, neutral. That’s why I cherish and respect mountains.
Casting my shadow on the glacier, I thought of how fragile these places are. The human-inflicted climate change is stealing them from us, melting away the very ice that makes climbs like this possible.
Descending from Central Breithorn towards Western Breithorn. Matterhorn/Cervino is hiding behind the clouds. Photo by Manuel (our guide).
What’s Next?
Western and Central Breithorn marked my sixth and seventh Alpine four-thousanders, following Gran Paradiso (4058m), Piramide Vincent (4215m), Castore (4223m), Punta Gnifetti/Signalkuppe (4554m), and Punta Giordani (4046m). Each has left me hungry for more.
The Alps still hold many 4000-meter peaks within my reach. Perhaps the Swiss side next? Perhaps something a little more demanding, though still within my limits? Time will tell. The mountains will wait.
Watch the full video edit below on my YouTube channel.
Watch the longer video edit of my trip to Western and Central Breithorn summits (4164m/4159m) in the Italian Alps, on July 31, 2025, on my YouTube channel (Subscribe). Videos and editing by Aki Kärkkäinen.