Weissmeis, Switzerland

Up early in the mornign and we were past the top station well before dawn, and using the head torches to pick up the track across the lower glacier.

This glacier was very dry and it was a delicate, gently rising traverse on the icy surface to the  base of the South East ridge - which we could see the day before from the top station.





From here the route was well tracked and snaked up rounded ridge heading for the skyline

 As we got closer to the ridge the route headed diagonally across the upper slopes towards the base of the summit.

As we got to the ridge the sun started to appear over the top of the ridge, and sunrise came at the same time as we were crossing the Bergschrund. There was a small bridge to make it easier, but was still a big step.

As we reached the base of the summit cone Nick was really feeling the altitude .. and was getting slower and slower. This was the first time I had encountered dehydration and its debilitating effects. It was also the last time Nick would be behind me ...  He and Derek would get a reputation for charging off into the distance.

Forcing him to drink a lot of water and also eat some energy food made a big difference and after a 10 minute break he was ready for the final push to the top.


We shared the summit with a number of other parties, but the cloud inversion on the East side was very spectacular







From the top the descent was back the same way, and coming down we would see all the details we missed on the way up.










The bergschrund and the dry glacier caused a few bigger issues on the way down, as the snow was softer and the ice slippier.

As we reached the rock promintary that the cable car station was situated it was a great place to look back on the route and sit in the shade while we ate lunch.

Back in the valley we waited, for Bryon and Steve, and waited. Around 5pm we eventually thought they must have stayed up for another day, and drove back to the campsite.

Around 11pm, a very annoyed and fuming Bryon came storing into the camp site, having caught a taxi around from Sass Fee at a big expense. He and Steve were tired and upset that we had not waited .. there was no means of personal communication in those days, as in the mobile phone of today. A very real lesson in maintaining a plan ...  they had been delayed by very soft snow on the face and because they were late this made the descent even slower in the even softer snow.

We would all need the rest day.