Sunday 30 August 2015

Swiss 4000m peaks

First light on the Zinalrothorn
The Matterhorn

With only 7 days spare on this trip I knew I wouldn't be coming home with record amounts of routes and summits under my belt.  However it was a fantastic few days and most importantly a brilliant laugh with 'The Big Ben'.  Two days were lost to driving out from Perth to Zermatt via the ferry to Zeebrugge.  Our 3rd day was spent walking up to the Rothorn Hutte which is beautifuuly situated high above Zermatt underneath 2 majestic 4000m peaks.  Our objectives.  The Ober GAbelhorn (4063m) and the Zinalrothorn (4221m).  With early starts and speedy ascents we were able to climb to the top to have the summits to ourselves.  The Ober Gabelhorn took us 7 hours hut to hut and the Zinalrothorn took a swift 5 hours hut to hut, leaving us with plenty of time in the hut to rack up a substantial bill (bit of a mistake!)...the cake was sooo good though!

Summit of Ober Gabelhorn
Another Matterhorn shot
Teams climbing the Ober Gabelhorn as we descend
Another Matterhorn
Descending from Zinalrothorn (ben has the summit shots!)
Matterhorn left, Ober Gabelhorn on the right
The Zinalrothorn
Time to leave the hut
 With only one day left before I fly back we decided to have a day cragging in the sunshine, light bags and a route that we could move quickly on.  We found a great route called 'Remiz' in Ben's select guidebook and fitted the bill perfectly.  This 500m 6a+ on the Miroir d'Argentine kept us entertained for a good 5 hours which weaves its routes through a huge piece of rock which starts steep-ish and and turns back to a slab.  A brilliant day out.  Cracks, slabs, overlaps, padding, crimps, jams, laybacks...you name it, the route has it.  Well worth seeking out before you fly home or for a rest day from the mountains.

On the slabby section
The summit ridge
Our route climbs between the two obvious crack and then finished on the left hand peak

2 comments:

Nicholas said...

These exceptional photos and the accompanying log give me a very strong sense of the sheer joy and excitement of mountaineering. Thank you.

Nicholas said...

These exceptional photos and the accompanying log give me a very strong sense of the sheer joy and excitement of mountaineering. Thank you.