Wednesday morning and we woke in Susa. The town centre camperstop lived up to all expectations. Hot, noisy, the local youth on their mopeds until the early hours. Our main focus was the local Lidl for an hour of pure shopping pleasure, stocking up on beans, lentils and cured sausage at Italian prices for our trip into into Switzerland.
The renewed pleasure of iPlayer downloads from Radio 4 being the soundtrack to the Italian motorways. Up the Simplonpass down to Brig. McDonalds there not so free WiLan given the price of coffee and the exchange rate to the Swiss Franc. Up to Grimsellpass. We had intended to go down to Innertkirken and camp, but this was our first time up on the pass where we had a view, and it’s simply stunning, so a really easy decision to stay. Drinking Italian wine, fresh crunchy green beans and a delightful horse steak we savoured the view and smugly patted ourselves on the back.
Thursday, breakfast on the shores of the lake at 2164m in sunshine. Am Ueli sis Chueli (5b) on the Mittagfluh. Gently steeping face, with the climbing getting subtlety harder each pitch, the last being the hardest. Sparingly bolted with some spectacular run outs, but usually on easy climbing. The rock was weird, not the Grimsellpass Granite we had expected, but loose, flaky rock, with a ‘soapy’ feel on the feet; it certainly made you very conscious of foot placement. To the extent that I had to take off my shoes, and chalk my feet to stop any small movement in the rockshoes, so any slipping was the slow gradual sliding of your feet from the holds. Just climb smoothly and don’t hang around too long.
We pulled out our sandwich bags on the way down for the biggest crop of murtles and ripe perfumed raspberries. A lovely couple of mature swiss climbers wanted to practice their English and tales of scotland in the rain at the summit. In true Swiss fashion they passed us foraging on the descent and suggested as they were Swiss fruits so we should hand them over!
Return To Grimsellpass pass, to dip in the lake and finish Ulysses with one final effort. Hopefully more pleasurable reading to come..
Friday, we wake up to the mixed sounds of a series of small planes doing aerobatics, and a Yodeling choir, plus the usual continuous roar of motorbikes enjoying the corners of this alpine pass. It’s not even the weekend yet. Down to Raterichsbodensee, to the lakeside slabs of pure friction climbing. The slabs have been polished by glacial action to a smoothness that most kitchen work tops would aspire to, bizarrely you need to seek out the steeper sections to get more friction. Tim und Struppi (5c) was our chosen route, racing the last few pitches as we were being chased by a pair of Swiss locals. Sarah’s feet slip multiple times and she’s off the rock twice dropping a QuickDraw trying to reclip to grab a hold. On the way down (retrieved QuickDraw) we discuss if the fear of falling causes the confidence drop to mistrust our feet so we fall, or vice versa. With the last 5 pitches of Sarah near to tears we agree a walk the following day. In fairness, I was unaware of this ’til the top when suggesting the 6 pitch 6b continuation, Lady Mary, when a plaintive voice said “no more please “.
Smiles renew with the discovery of a redcurrent bush adjacent to the dam. I’m slightly concerned after the nature of the day to be eating such bright red berries, feels a bit Snow White-ish.
Saturday morning, and we awake to another stunning view up the Oberaa valley looking over the dammed Oberaasee up to the Oberaahorn and the Oberaar-Rothorn. A perfect camping stop for Heidi curtesy of KWO, the Swiss Hydroelectric company. High, 2,300m, flat, with water and loos too. Amazing access into the back to the whole Bernese Oberland. I wonder if KWO allow the public access through their tunnels and cable a cars in the winter? great for ski tour access.
Sunday dawn with the promised evening rain arriving early. Exploring the works of KWO the hydroelectric company, and iPlayer radio. You find us now camper outside the tourist information at Innertkirken, great fast free WiLan. Staring at the clouds, sheltering from the rain, and checking weather options. Grimsel Granite is definitely not an option in the wet, most of the time there simply are no holds, just subtle variations in the rock, all on pure friction. My hopes for ‘Motörhead’ on Eldorado slabs may just have to wait for a few days.
Out for now
David & Sarah
alpinesummer 