Switzerland Summer 22

7th July: Arrived Saas Grund after post RGS curry on a dressing table in a Folkestone b&b (the rebirth of Van is another story). Chunnel.

CHF47/night camping seemed expensive but includes all uplift and buses (in 3 weeks, only drove across the campsite).

8th July: Brittania Klettersteig grade 4 to 3,300m then 1,500m descent back to valley.

9th July: Brittaniahütte from Feltskin uplift again.

10th July: breakfast 03:30 climbed Allalinhorn 4,027m by ENE Hohlaubgrat Ridge (gets AD but generally regarded PD+)

Hohlaubgrat ridge to the rock band was icy

Summit in guidebook time then down Voie Normale

. . . descent through crevasses (worth a zoom)

11th July: Jegihorn Klettersteig grade 5

Steep slab after the 100m cable bridge (below Jenny)

12th July: Lagginhorn 4,010m SSW Ridge AD – my ukc entry: Took E (marked) path from Hohsaas, crampons for glacier approach to Lagginjoch worthwhile but thought axe unnecessary. The first 2 bolt stations are not the abseil in Martin Moran, there is still a way to go. At the ab proper, rap the fall-line from the pinnacle then move right on a ledge to bolt belay (don’t descend to gully). 30m rope adequate and couple of slings/krabs and belay plate/prussik, mostly moved together using hasty rock friction if short-pitching. Don’t forget to eat and drink, the route is sustained and we felt drained which affected morale but a proper stop worked wonders. The Normal Route as a descent is obvious. We continued all the way to the moraine trail which was gentle/easy. Booked in to hut on the way down as missed last ride down.

Approaching the summit, ridge snaking behind to Lagginjoch, the Weissmies beyond

Passes expired next morning so took CHF19 scooter descent in preference to CHF30 gondola (rucksacks ride free)

14th July: hot & humid walk in to Almagellerhütte 2,892m from Saas Almagell, with Julia & Felix.

15th July: Weissmies 4,017m by SSE Ridge – breakfast 04:30, away by 05:00. Easy scrambling with two permasnow crossings and a section of choss. Glacier condition effectively closed the Voie Normale so reversed ascent.

3rd out of hut but 1st to summit (08:00) and return

16th July: Jegihorn Sudgrat 5b

18th July: MaRoCa 5b – took us bloody ages to get off the mountain, bad route choice (after finding the proper descent).

22 July Nadelhorn – met Stu Mc taking couple of clients on same route

Moved up to Grindelwald & hooked up with Adele & Jim

Descent took nearly as long as the route

2 Aug

Approaching Mönchhutte on my phone nearly wandered into this

Got some backdating to do but felt i should blog this:

3 Aug 22 Jenny said she wanted to climb the Eiger by the Mittellegi Ridge for her 50th Birthday – ‘that’s what i want – make it happen’. Covid got in the way and some time later we were stopping with Adele when she said she wanted to do the Mittellegi – hence: