More 4000m peaks can be seen from the summit of the Weissmies than from any other summit in the Alps, making it a justifiably popular day out.

The standard northwest flank route starts from the upper cable car station above Saas Grund – you can stay overnight here at the Hohsaas hut to get an early start, or take the first cable car in the morning in cooler weather. Either way, the route swings round across the glacier to a steeper zone of crevasses and seracs which must be negotiated. The risk and difficulty on this section varies from year to year, so it’s best to find out locally about current conditions before planning an ascent. Above here, a series of snow slopes leads up a broad ridge to the final summit boss, which can sometimes be icy and always requires care. If traversing the Weissmies from the Almageller hut, the main part of the ascent is mostly scrambling on rock, finishing up a fine snow arete to the summit.