backcountry journal
June 2006
Above the snowline. We started way down below in the green valley.
Looking up towards our objective at the head of the valley.
Looking back down.
Reaching the top of the moraine
Taking a break.
Not far to go. We went to the rock band at the lower edge of the peak. Normally we would head to the very top, but not today.
Having left the moraine we head up the final stretch. Mio is getting tired.
The view back down from the top. We didn't climb the final peak as Mio was tired and the new snow was becoming unstable over the quickly warming day.
Back down and almost time to walk again.
We rested and had lunch on the moraine the set off for the last quick leg before making our descent. The already damp snow had become a bit heavier under the warmth of the spring day so the riding was not that great. The gentle terrain didn't help the thrill factor either, but for the two of us (and the dog) it was more of a day out than a hard day snowboarding. We rode our way back down with the dog running behind struggling to keep up. The valley itself isn't really worth the effort, but the higher terrain which it gives access to is. Riding down was a relaxing affair and neither of us were in a hurry to reach the snowline sfrom which we would have to lug our gear all the way back doen. But it came, ad we made our way back down the lower valley, through a Swiss farm, into the pine forest, past the deep ravine with ethe noisy river and waterfall and back to Oberwald for a beer after a good 7 hour effort. The Alps in spring are great fun.
The next day we found that he roads up to Grimsal Pass had opened so our plan to attack the big couloir I mentioned above was on. Unfortunately the weather had turned nasty again, but in the confines of a narrow chute that isn't any problems. The story is here.
The next day we found that he roads up to Grimsal Pass had opened so our plan to attack the big couloir I mentioned above was on. Unfortunately the weather had turned nasty again, but in the confines of a narrow chute that isn't any problems. The story is here.
By the time we reached the bottom of the run Lloyd could no longer keep up so I carried him.
We only had an mpeg camera so the quality isn't really worth it. As I was deciding which little rock jump to fly over I crashed and almost hit both.