Altels

Altels is a 3,630-metre pyramidal summit in the Bernese Alps, rising at the southern end of the Kander valley above the Gasterntal. A narrow snow-and-ice ridge connects it to the slightly higher Balmhorn, forming a demanding high-alpine traverse that requires solid mountaineering skills. The mountain's most distinctive feature is its northwest face — an unusually smooth, near-vertical rock slab that gives Altels its sharp geometric silhouette. The summit offers wide views across the Bernese Oberland and its surrounding four-thousanders. With no hut infrastructure at the summit itself, Altels remains the preserve of experienced alpinists rather than a casual hiking destination.