Monte Rosa. After a damn early start we trudged up the back of the hut, avoiding the masses and taking a route that Stu had been suggested by the Guardian, going past the workings of a new hut that we is being built. Stu didn’t feel so good, so turned back, as the rest of us stomped on, headtorches in full fight as it was about 03:15 at that point. Navigated a crevaasse field, then about 3 hours later we’d made it to the crest of the ridge itself heading to Duforspitze.
Awesome views. Proper good. The Monte rosa set, all of the other Valais Alps, and over to Mont Blanc. Stunning. Pretty tired by this point. I think the haribo came out at this point, and I was desperatly trying to keep my bowels inside (a large tea last night!). We re-focused and headed up the ridgeline with a couple of other parties, and over the next 2 hours dealt with some steep snow plods, scrambling, fixed ropes, and massive drops. Pretty technical stuff, all over 4400m high. Very focused, no chance for mistake, with some tired people! We summited, ate more bo then retraced our steps as quickly as we could, as we were shattered. Navigating past about 30 other people on the way back was interesting … it’s not somethign that we really practise in the UK. Especially when you’ve a stack of different languages to deal with (“you come through to here”, “I need to belay on that rock you’re stood on you sod”, “Let go of my rope or I’ll axe you”).
After a long, long descent we made it down to the bottom, found Stu and then walked out back to the hut. Grabbed a rosti (big thing out here!), then stomped out back to the Gornegratt station, and back to the bottom. Probably followed by beers and a session with Marco the musical Dwarf.
I think we chilled that next day – we were shattered. Following day we got the lift up to the Klein Matterhorn again, in order to go and have a crack at Castor, Pollux and possibly Liskhamm – 3 of the Monte Rosa set, using an Italian hut for a base. We got to the top of the lift, then Stu (who hadn’t been looking too happy) announced that he wasn’t feeling right, that he was going down, and actually, he was going home. We tried to talk him round, but he headed down. Unsure of what to do, we pushed on (as encouraged by Stu), over to Pollux for 2 hours, then did a scrambly/chain climbing route to the top. Easy enough but good fun – more than a snow plod! As we were de-kitting, I suggested to the others that the correct thing to do would be to head back down that afternoon, hope that Stu was still around and simply be there for him, as something was clearly not right. The others agreed, and we headed out.
As it was now later in the day, the snow was getting a LOT warmer, and the 2 hour walk in ended up being a 3 – 3.5 hour trudge out – not particularly far, but very heavy going underfoot. Conversation stopped, heads were down, and we were slogging on. So much so that I turned round at one point near the end to see an empty rope trailing behind me that should have had a Geoff on it (he’d untied silently and was bimbling along behind) – tried to tell Julie but her head was down slogging onwards to the cable car station & refused to stop due to being on no energy reserves. Was all a bit tense. Got to the bottom to find that Stu had in fact left.
We were in a bit of limbo then. Not knowing why he’d gone, everything was a bit wierd. The laughing every 5 mins stopped, and we started thinking about what to do – this was Tuesday I think & we had til the end of the weekend. We decided to go via ferattaing that morning and then head up to Chamonix to stay with Popey & Andrea, as neither me nor Julie had been over.
Did the feratta – good fun, spotted a pair of Golden Eagles above us (really – utterly awesome), then packed kit and jumped on the Zermatt- Visp cogged railway. An hour later had got to the station, then tried to get our heads around the timetabling as nowhere mentioned Martigney, the station we needed to change at. Eventually a train came, but with no-one to ask. We jumped on, with Julie voicing second thoughts (gut feeling perhaps), that this was a bad idea.
The Guard arrived about 2 mins later and we asked whether this was the right train. We got a world of German back from him, so we smiled and said yes, looking slightly confused. At the next stop (2 mins later), we noticed that everyone had got off the train. So, we grab our stuff and follow suit. Standing around on the station looking confused. We managed to work out that there was an electrical problem on the line, so we follow the rest (around 700 people I think) outside (through a couple of rammed tunnels) where we wait for buses.
Lots of people, lots of luggage. Many languages, no staff around, at all. Lots of people very confused, as they’ve never had anything go wrong with the public transport system, EVER. We’re a bit more chilled about it 
. A bus arrives, right next to us. We lift up the sides, chuck our bags in, and then queue to get on the bus. Which is the British thing, and not something people understand on the continent. “Fight like your life depends on it” is closer to the mark.
Next bus, bollocks to the bags underneath, its elbows, knees and teeth all the way. We get on, and dump the bags in a pile, then cram to the back. The door closes, then a woman starts frantically looking around and starts getting concerned. The shout of “Le Enfant!” starts getting yelled at the driver – she’d got on and left her kids outside. Utter madness. From politeness to mindless refugees in about 20 mins, forgetting about children. Very, VERY wierd.
We ride the bus for 20 mins, then get booted out at a different station. With more buses and a member of staff, very nice and informative but informed everyoen that she didn’t know anything. After a while we’re told a train is coming, although not sure where to, or when. Another announcement comes, with a train, and we leg it to the other platform with everyone else. Ride that train through to Sion, where it stops – end of the run for that train. Everyone gets out and stands on the station, apart from us cos we’re bored, so go find a cafe for a beer & chill for 30 mins.
Wander back over to the station, get a train to Martigney, get off that, and on to the Glacier Express train to Chamonix. Sit there for 5 mins, then go and check the timetable. although we’re sat on the train, it’s not leaving til 2moro morning. We’re stuck in Martigney.
So, wander into town, do some investigating through buying beer and asking the barlady about a cheap hotel, then go and book into the Hotel Poste … cheaper than everywhere else we’ve stayed, yet with Breakfast. And, admittedly cockroaches, but that’s by the by.
Spend a night in Martigney (very nice Thai place), then back on the train to get to Chamonix the following late morning, to Chris who’s waiting for us. Spend the day in Cham, catch a band that night & get trashed as a result of drinking with Mr Pope (not that THAT’s ever happened before).
Following day we head up to the Albert Premier hut, then go do the Aguille le Tour ridge – cracking route, only 3500m but a clear day where we could see back right over to the Valais alps – a reverse view of a few days before.
After this day, back home to pack, final beers and then the following day (after a LOT of sitting about) get an Alpibus over to Geneva airport and fly back- the other two were getting the flight back after me so they were off climbing I think.
Top, top trip, lots of hills, just marred by Stuey leaving which really did throw the feeling of the whole trip. Big shame. And I think in future times I’ll be running trips with a lot more people. Just talking to 3 (and then 2) other people for 2 weeks gets a bit stale on conversation!
