Spitzhorli, Switzerland

Waking up the prospects were not good .. low cloud and what sounded like a fierce wind.

Being first day and also knowing where we were, time for some unfinished business from the last visit ...  a howling gale and driving snow had forced a retreat that time ...  this time we just had the wind and low cloud.

We got ready and packed bags, finding things we had not placed in the right spots and in general rediscovering things forgotten. Then down to the drying room to put on boots... New problem, Bryon had only got half a top strap for his right boot. Emergency velcro strap to the rescue and we were ready to go.

Skis on the bags and walk around the roads to the summer path.

Working our way between the snow patches and the rocks, aiming for the edge of the hanging valley, above the main watershed.

The other side of this snow patch was as far as we got last time. Also the point for switching to the skis.

Closer to the end to the valley and the wind has not lessened.

At the back to the valley we get the first sight of the target ... a long flatter trudge into the wind.

Left of centre, peak .. the route goes over the col and up the other face.

Approaching the col ...  wind blowing very hard.  the snow was exceedingly sastrugified.

On the col, it was hard to stand upright, and the skis wanted to let go ...  decision point ... end of the day or the faint line to the top  ...

Bryon was not sure about going on, but we continued on the arrangement that if the wind did not lessen on the face, that we would turn back.
Fortune favouring the brave, and we went on, it was only 50m or so of vertical to the top. An exceedingly windswept and frozen

Looking over to the Bernese alps and the end of the Aletsch glacier.

This showed where we had descended all those years before when we skied the length of the glacier.
Frozen fingers and a rush to get the skins off and not hang around.

The skiing was not brilliant ... sastrugi and rock hard snow (closer to ice than packed snow).
Constantly shaking the whole body .. thighs aching from the unexpected efforts. I likened it to the early morning descents from the Grand Montets

At the end of the hanging valley the snow softened, however it also was at the same time as the patches ceased to be connected and the choice was to pack the skis out or continue with them on and off. I persevered longer than Bryon, but not for long, and we soon were back walking the same route as we ascended, only this time the soft snow made it harder, and larger effort.

After a long walk out, then a stroll around the back roads (the direct route was now wet, and the snow bridges in danger of collapse).
Back at the hospis, looking back it takes a lot of imagination to find a route across the snow patches to the valley.
Time to dry off before lodging the skis in the ample drying room(s) under the hospis.