Monday 10th August, so this is what is feels like to go into the next decade. No change really. A lovely morning, messages from friends through the whole gamut of social media, and good phone reception so a long chat to my Mum. A few cards hidden away in Heidi and multicoloured balloons littering the place announcing a happy 50th. These were to go on to cause much hilarity for us and bemusement from the Swiss as they patiently returned them every time we stop and open a door.
Given the overnight rain, my hopes of walking into Eldorado to try the famed Motörhead didn’t seem sensible. We could still see streaks of water pouring down all over the valley, so a pushy 6a+ or 6b depending on which guide you look at, with a 90 minute walk in wasn’t the best plan for the day. After some general muttering from me we headed up to the Sommerloch slabs above the Raterichdobbodensee for the very beautiful Baal Integral. All good until the way down where both my sunglasses and my belay plate took flight down the slabs. Both recovered, the belay plate in a far better state than my glasses. And I got to practice the joy of abseil on an Italian hitch :-), no trouble with the ropes after that. Sarah then very kindly let me mess about with the bottom pitch of Gela 6a+ and Gela Combination 6b. Much falling off was had, and pulling on gear. Most routes have a grade, and also an obligatory climbing grade, i.e. the hardest moves you are going to have to do between pulling on gear. We figured that I could get us up a 6a+ obligatory in the valley, which open up some possibilities.
That evening was spectacular, we drove back up to the Oberaasee dam, which is just an amazing setting. We just caught the traffic going up. It’s a single track road with about a 15 minute drive to the Dam courtesy of KWO. It’s controlled by lights; on the hour going up for 10 minutes, half past coming down for 10 minutes. So you can see why they have to do it that way, but it only gives a narrow window.
The sun was still out when we arrived, and the place was relatively quite, only about four or five other campers there. Sarah managed to rustle up the most beautiful meal. A hidden couple of bottles of beer flushed away quickly. A selection of starters, Olives, dried meats, cheeses, tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, little Italian savoury nibbles. Themost tender Cheval steak and a very fine Chianti too. My favourite desert of Madera cake, topped with Nuttella, covered on Cream (curtesy of McDonalds) topped with fresh Myrtles, Raspberries, and Peach. Fresh coffee with Brandy too, as the Sun’s rays finally dispersed from the highest peaks and we were bathed in Starlight.
Amazing, thank you.
Tuesday. MeteoBlue was predicting three days of fine weather before it turned at the weekend. Of course with more confidence in the friction, I was now all revved up to try some of the Classics; Fair Hands Line, Sagitarius, and Motörhead. I’m sorry to say that in my enthusiasm, I hadn’t really talked this through with Sarah.
Sorry my love. So, after suffering three days of friction climbing, nothing for the hands to speak of, and thinking that at any time her feet would slip; two pitches up ‘Fair hands line’ enough was enough. The whole point of the trip is that it’s meant to be fun for both of us. Sure there is compromise both ways, but overall it has to be enjoyable.
Plans swiftly changed with a quick drive over to the Furkapass and an ascent of Kleine Furkahorn. We though we were following a fantastic looking 3c. Approach shoes all the way for some flowing climbing up a perfect Alpine ridge. Views onto the Rhone glacier and the soaring granite ridges lines it has left are awe inspiring. We spied the first bolts and we’re off. A perfect afternoon. The route was somewhat intermittent with scrambling mixed with some harder vertical rock. The view of the Rhone glacier was stunning. A rather unusual patch of compacted snow at the base gave away the location of a snow cave. The Swiss had even disguised some huts under boulders to amuse us with a game of hide and seek. That night we parked up at the summit of the Furkapass as the cloud engulfed us. 
Wednesday. Both sides of the pass were bright and sunny revealing the treasure of the views. I wandered over behind a boulder for a pee to quickly avert direction when stumbling over two climbers bivying. Pretty impressive to be asleep with the sun so bright. Today’s walk two huts and a glacier crossing in trainers. Time for some exploration of some new areas for us. We walked up to the Albert Heim Hutte, to explore the ridge line of the Gletschhorn, Wintersock and Lochberg. I know I’ve used the term before, but this is stunning. The Tiefen glacier has carved our a huge cirque with a 500m granite wall stretching for miles. The whole place is teaming with tempting rock spires, all just a days climb. The more that we explore this whole massif, the more stunning alpine scenery we discover. Uncrowned, accessible, perfect granite Alpinism.
We hoped to run up the Stahlengrat in our approach shoes. Easy fast flowing climbing up to a 3,000m peak. We hadn’t anticipated the glacier crossing, and neither had the guide book enlightened us. Mostly good is how I remember it. A simple traverse, no tricky snow bridges, compact glacier with really obvious crevasses, and covered with a liberal dusting of broken rock. safe, great adhesion, no real issues. Then we get towards the other side. Things were a little different, more complex with us ending up on the lateral morraine. Fresh glacial mud covering the ice flowing into a small melt water lake proved more challenging. When we had eventually traversed the ice, no trace of a path was to be found to the base of our climb. Rather than forge a way through the loose debris of the moraine field, discretion again triumphed.
Lunch on the path to the Sidelhutte, sipping coffee, and drying shoes and socks, because one of us didn’t quite make the mud field unscathed. The path across to the hut just opens up even more awesome territory; huge rock walls just begging to be scaled. You could easily spend a week in each hut and only just scratch the surface here; definitely one to come back to.
That evening spent high up, in an Alpine meadow, accompanied by both the clanging of goat bells (like Cow Bells, but on goats) and then a visit from the whole flock. We sit in the warmth of the evening sun eating our pasta. We wandered after dinner along an old tarmac road, now degrading, rather military looking to find a beautiful chalet complete with burglar alarm breaking the silence. So unusual we think there must be birds nesting and trapped inside. The track a great mountain bike descent to Andermatt. Clear skies as darkness and silence come after the alpenglow and another starlit night. 
Thursday, and more exploration. Down to Andermatt, full of new development, a new luxury two bed flat your for only CHF 1,870,000 or about one point two million pounds to you sir. A town coming up in its ambitions, so someone must be telling the world about its amazing skiing. And onto the Gwuest valley, and the Goscheneralpsee. Another amazing, empty valley full of awesome rock spires. The weather is turning with rain in the air, so we have a fast trip up to the Dammahutte, chasing down as spots pattern the floor. It’s easier to piece together the scenery with views up to the Sustenpass,one way and the back of the ridge on our previous day’s walk. Still struck by the jagged endless ridges of granite. Sometime stacked up like dominoes.
It’s the first place we have had to pay for parking. But the first 45 minutes are free. Ticket, lunch with the stopwatch out, and out of the exit barriers with moments to spare before a U-turn and back in with a new ticket. A repeat performance when we’re down, exit and re-entry to enjoy a cup of tea, and fill up with their water before the critical 45 minute limit. Then down to the Voralphutte car park for our nights rest. The second of two alcohol free days, I’m informed is good for me…
Friday, the rain comes again. Andermatt for WiLan, weather forecasts and planning for our few remaining weeks
out for now
David & Sarah
alpinesummer 