Äbeniflue 3962m

After a short descent to the lowest point of the Konkordiaplatz, skins are put back on. The plateau is crossed flatly westwards. This is followed by a long flat section in the middle of the Aletschfirn past the confluence of the Kranzbergfirn towards the Lötschenlücke. At the height of the southern slopes of the Gletscherhorn, the usually well-tracked route to the Hollandiahütte can be left to the right (north). Over gentle wide glacier slopes, one climbs gently towards a broad hollow west of the Gletscherhorn. Accompanied by several crevasse and serac zones, the southern hollow is climbed to its steep end. Here you turn left (west) and climb a steep slope in a few switchbacks between seracs up to the flat glacier body of the Äbenifluefirn (watch out for transition crevasses!). Now you walk flat in a wide right curve towards the base of the Äbeniflue. Here a decision must be made: http://www.alpintouren.com/de/touren/ski/tourbeschreibung/tourdaten_24059.html describes the left variation of the ascent, we choose the right. In a wide right curve, you reach the base of the very broad and steep firn slope on the right of the summit. In a few long serpentine turns, you quickly climb past small crevasse zones up to the edge crevasse below the southeast ridge. It is crossed at a suitable spot. West slightly below the ridge or directly on the firn ridge, you traverse to the summit base. A short, narrow, moderately steep ridge leads in a few minutes up to the snow corniced wide firn summit of the Äbeni Flue.

Descent: The steep northwest ridge can be skied well (watch out for edge crevasse!) and soon one reaches the moderately steep summit slopes of the Äbenifluefirn. These flow into the very flat glacier body, which we glide down left of the Anun ridge. Before the Hollandiahütte the slopes become a bit steeper, and a crevasse zone must be avoided. From the hut, a broad slope leads to the Lötschenlücke, then eastwards over the ever-flattening Aletschfirn back to the Konkordiaplatz.