A Ski Traverse of the Oberland.

 

Extrordinary photo skiing of the Trugberghttps://catherinelewisphotography.co.uk/home/

Despite living in Switzerland and being a keen climber and skier Catherine Lewis had not yet been to the mountains in the Oberland.  Last years trip was thwarted by the weather and we ended up going to Italy instead. Hopefully it would be second time lucky - Again she was joined by her friend Kate Ferguson.

We had a plan and followed it.  Catherine and Kate drove from Geneva and we met just outside Martigny with the aim of having a warm up ski tour at my new favourate ski resort: Liddes.  I had been there exactly  a week beforehand and had enjoyed perfect conditions.  I couldn't think of a reason not to return.  

Yet when we arrived it was shut.  Shut for the season despite the conditions still being  immaculate.

I was taken off guard and had a mild panic attack- yet fortunately   conjured up a plan B.  We drove to what use to be the Super Gd St Bernard ski area, but it sadly closed in 2010.  [There is a brilliant short video about the place which is defiantly worth wathchingGhost Resorts]

We enjoyed a good ascent to the "col sud de Menouve" on the Swiss /Italian border.

Catherine & Kate getting excited about crossing the border.

What's more the ski back down was really really good.

The old pylons & our ski tracks.

 Then we drove to Visp and abandoned the car at the railway station.  Afterwhich we took the train to Grindlewald and checked into the Hotel Wolter which is a minutes walk from the train station.

[It was part of the plan because we didn't have any foot wear other than our ski boots.]

Now, we knew the weather forecast for the next day, Wednesday, was going to be indifferent so we had already fine-tuned our plans to take this into account.  We made our way upto the Jungfraujoch via coffee in the exquisite Bellevue Hotel at Kliene Schydegg before stopping for an indifffernt lunch at "The Top of Europe" railway station.  Two Hundred Swiss Francs for a one way ticket - The most expensive railway in the world which always reminds me of the quote:

"Switzerland: A place that works the senses so thoroughly that you barely notice the efficiency with which it simultaneosly working your wallet."

Especially for the poor people who had made the trip in the zero visibility...

Into the bad weather.

Catherine leaving  through the exit door

 We made our way slowly to the Monchjoch Hutte along the semi ploughed track and as we did the weather slowly started to clear and we caught the odd glimpse of our destination.

The Monchjoch Hutte.

The next morning it was a different story:  The weather was stellar.  

view from Monchjoch Hutte.

We left the Hutte at about 8.00hrs and skied down the Ewigschneefäld glacier, where  we then made a gradual climb up to the col just below the Trugberg.  

Arriving at the col below the Trugberg

This set us up with a truely world class ski all the way down to the Jungfrau glacier then onto the Aletsch glacier.

descent from the Trugberg line of descent in red.

We stopped for a picnic inorder to fortify ourselves before the stair case climb to the Konkordia Hutte.

This year there are 400 steps to negociate.  No doubt next year there will be more added.

The 400 steps

Mind you, you can stop half way up the steps to write and send a post card.

Nevertheless once you arrive the Konkordia Hutte is in an  undeniably extrordinary position.

View from terrace at sun set looking toward the Hollandia Hutte and direction Blatten

The next morning the weather was still perfect.  We had breakfast at 6.00hrs and were away just before 7.00hrs. Our plan was to ski down the rest of the the Aletsch glacier and arrive in Fiescheralp.  But before we could do that- there was the matter of negotiating the 400 steps...

Me & Kate at the top of the metal stairs.

At the bottom of them, we collected our skis and headed off down the glacier.  Despite the hutte being very busy the previous night we soon found ourselves all alone in this mind boggling wilderness- still the longest glacier in Europe.

The Aletsch glacier.

Near the foot of the glacier we made a left turn and transitioned from skiing to skinning and headed up a beautiful valley towards the tunnel which takes you into the ski resort of Fiesch.

The skin from the glacier to the tunnel  takes about 40 minutes.

Light at the end of the tunnel -1 km away.

The tunnel is about one kilometer long, complete with a creepy shrine halfway along it.  Once at the far end you find your self in a completely different valley system - a short ski followed by a short walk puts you into the Fiesch lift system.  We followed a long traverse, [which because it faces due south we were happy to complete in the morning ] puts you onto the piste and eventually athe the foot of chair lift which we blagged a free ride back up to Feischeralp.  From here we took a gondola down to the town of Feisch.

Infact the gondala dumps you in the railway stattion!  Half an hours wait for the train, then back to Visp where we picked up the car.  A very satifactory trip.