Weissmies, Mountain summit in Valais, Switzerland.
Weissmies is a mountain summit in the Pennine Alps of Switzerland, sitting on the ridge that separates the Saas valley from the Zwischbergen valley. Three glaciers cover its northeast, southeast, and west faces, shaping the terrain that climbers cross on their way to the top.
The first recorded ascent took place in 1855, when Jakob Christian Häusser and Peter Josef Zurbriggen reached the top by way of the Triftgrat ridge. Since then, the peak has become a regular goal for those working through the four-thousanders of the Pennine Alps.
The name Weissmies comes from the local Valais dialect and points to the white, moss-like snow that covers the upper slopes year-round. Anyone who reaches the higher sections of the mountain can see why the name stuck, as the pale, snow-covered rock stands out against the surrounding peaks.
Most climbers start from the top station of the Hohsaas cableway, which sits at around 10,170 ft (3,100 m) and serves as the base for the northwest route. Glacier travel and solid mountaineering experience are needed, as the upper sections involve crevassed ice and exposed ridges.
The recorded height of Weissmies dropped from 4,023 ft to 4,017 ft (4,023 m to 4,017 m) over recent decades as the glacial ice near the summit thinned. This shift has quietly changed its position in the ranking of Switzerland's four-thousanders.
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