However, with the large number of parties setting off, all with guides and modern guidance equipment, we felt secure enough to set off.
We saw nothing of the glacier, as we dropped down and climbed up to the first col. the top was covered in cloud , however the other side cleared slightly and for the first time we could see where we were going.
The descent was reasonable.. not as good as the day before, but there was still powder around to enjoy.
Down at the glacier we kept as high as possible and turned right under the buttress and kept going for as long as we could, before stopping to put the skins on.
Now for the second col... it did not look too far away.. it is on the ridge across the glacier...However getting across there was a bit of a shock to the system, it took more effort than I wanted to give, and then there was a very steep gully to get up ... the guides were "encouraging" their clients chasing them up, keeping them moving on the single lane track. The gulley is on the left of the obvious line in the picture.
The other side of the col .. I was now wondering if I was going to make it all the way .. however the lack of options kept me going. the other side was a gentle drop down to the next glacier.
From here it was a long walk up this glacier to the col at the end. This was a long, long, long plod and I was on automatic for most of it
Eventually we reached the col - all covered in mist and cloud. We could not see anything, and there was a number of parties milling around trying to guess where to go, staring at GPS handhelds.
We took an old fashioned compass bearing and set off, down the slope. Avoiding the crevasses on a very icy slope, and very low visibility, we were very alone for a while.
Then as we dropped down to the glacier, we were passed by a group at more speed than we could dare.
There was several steps to the slope and we turned right before dropping down to the glacier. There the other party were resting up.
Now we started to believe that the difficulties were over, we just had the Schoenbiel glacier to descend, then a run down to Zermatt.
We went down the side of the Matterhorn, and kept going until the snow ran out and we were in the tundra.
Looking back, we could see the whole of the descent from the 3rd col.Now it was shanks again. we had to walk down the valley from the water works. There was a hope that the pistes would have some snow on them, but when we got there they were dry.. more walking until we go to the cable car station.
Here we could buy a once down ticket and save a few Kms of the descent.At the bottom station there was more walking, to get into the town, and then we had a decision to make .. catch the train/ bus back to Arolla, or stay here.
I was really tired, so the stay option looked best... We had read some options and looked for the Bahnhof hotel ... a bunk house. And by the time we found it (opposite the station), it was ready fro registration (most of these places only open at set times)... checking in we were allocated a bunk in the dortoir ...
A shower and change out of the hill clothes, and we set off in search of a Pizza (or two). Afterwards we forwent the nightlife and before 9pm I was pushing out the Zzzz .. I did not resurface until the next morning.
We caught the train down to Brig then along to Sierre, and changed to the bus (a walk to the bus station, and then a wait for the bus to Arolla, via a change in Les Hauderes. ... I was glad we had not done this the day before, I would never had made it.
Back at Arolla we dumped everything into the van and set off back to the channel.