Schinhorn, Mountain summit in Valais, Switzerland

The Schinhorn is a 3,796 m mountain in the Bernese Alps, in the canton of Valais, between the upper Lötschental to the north and the Oberaletsch valley to the south and east. A ridge runs northeast over the Distlighorn (3,716 m) and Sattelhorn to the Aletschhorn, while to the southwest the Beichgrat (3,294 m) links it with the Breithorn. Its east flank feeds the Oberaletsch Glacier and its southwest flank the Beich Glacier.

The first recorded ascent happened in 1869 when Swiss mountaineers reached the summit. This early climb was part of the golden age of Alpine mountaineering when many high peaks in the region were first summited.

The Schinhorn is rarely climbed despite its 3,796 m summit, because it stands apart from the more frequented peaks and is lower than its neighbours. Its easiest route, from the Oberaletschhütte over the south flank, is rated WS on the SAC high-tour scale, with 42–45° firn slopes that often turn to bare ice in late summer.

Climbers can approach the summit from two directions: from the north via Lötschental or from the south through Oberaletsch valley. Good weather and solid technical skill are essential since the routes are steep and rockfall is a regular hazard.

The Schinhorn's northeast ridge runs over the Distlighorn (3,716 m) and the Sattelhorn to the Aletschhorn; the Aletsch Glacier itself lies beyond that chain, not directly below the summit. The mountain's east flank feeds the Oberaletsch Glacier, while its southwest flank feeds the Beich Glacier, whose meltwater joins the Oberaletsch.