And so we come to our final day, and the longest/highest peak to climb. After a short tour planning on Thursday evening at the Britannia Hut and an evening shorter sleep we were underway at 3am With head lamp turned on we set off to our destination, Mt. Strahlhorn 4190m.
All in all we were under way for almost 11hrs, with a 20m small ridge to the peak (in ice crampons) the adrenaline was there! Reaching the peak at 9:45, and a few breather stops we turned around to head back, the frozen snow from the morning turning ever more into soft sinkable and hard going. Luckily we carried the snow shoes exactly for this... it’s all in the planning!
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Up at 5:30 and out the door at 6 to take on the Mt. Allalinhorn 4027m. Not as high as yesterday's but a touch challenging technically and a longer hike. After we had got to Saas-Fee we found out that no lifts were open to the public! Luckily they did for mountain guides and the guests 👍🏻. The hike was a lot steeper than the Breithorn, the Glacier very intimidating and at the top a 50m 'Grat' (ridge line) to the top... 50cm wide!!
And the view... just look at the pictures! Once we were half way down then there was the added 1hr walk around to the famous SAC Britanniahütte at 3030m, our base for the night to taken on the Mt. Strahlhorn 4190m tomorrow. Up early and the first lift to Kleiner Matterhorn (cheating with the elevation a bit) but what a day! A group of 6 plus the mountain guide 'Danu', it would be the first 4000m plus peak for four of us. All went smoothly, all of us made it up and down the Breithorn (4164m) and now down the valley a bit then up to Saas-Fee. Tomorrow its up to the Allalinhorn, 4000m + number 2!
Day 2, on the Glacier roped up and learning loads. Rope work, understanding glaciers and there crevasses, a bit of ice climbing, breaking your fall down a snow field (head first too!), loads to take in but perfect weather and a great mountain guide!
It's started, after the long wait since signing up its finally underway. Day one started with us all introducing ourselves and then on to some knots. Loads of knots, loads of rope work and how we should walk together on the glacier. All extremely interesting with lots of little tips fron our mountain guide Daniel.
I think we have hit the jackpot with the weather this week, but you never know till you are up there. Another lovely hike up to the Kröntenhütte, this time with Roy and Nadja along for the ride.
Saturday was lovely and Sunday was a day walking down in drizzly clouds, and quite slippery too. An early morning start, a doggy weather forecast and a fantastic steep and lonely hike over the Juchli pass (2170m). The hike from Melchtal to Engelberg has been on my todo list for sometime now, and finally I can tick it off! Steep on both sides of the pass, one a touch more grassy the other with the remains of winter and rocks at it highest. It turned out to be a wonderful day, not to hot thank god and the weather only turned on me when i was sipping my beer in Engelberg. 6/2/2020 1 Comment Parc naziunal svizzerThe Swiss National Park... A beautifully untouched natural area in the eastern corner of Switzerland. We based ourselves for the weekend in Zernez, an area in Switzerland where they still proudly speak Romanisch, the 4th Swiss language, or maybe it was the first? Enjoy the pictures and if you ever have the chance to visit the area we can only recommend it. |
AuthorChris, Sarah, Roy and Annika blogging around to keep in touch with family and friends all around. Archives
May 2023
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