Gwilym's Adventure Blog

Camping at around 1000m last night was great as it was a cool night. I may even say it was almost cold but I was very happy with that. A full 2 hours of rain this morning as I made a quick exit from Switzerland via a small bit of Germany and into a warmer and drier France. A number if coffee and patisserie stops to break up the very flat and extensive French countryside but I refuse to pay money to get bored on a motorway. The most excitement was the 600m Col du Bonhomme which at least was hilly and had a few nice bends. Nice campsite i choose due to location but sadly a swimming ban in the river so can't have my dip as planned. Last night's campsite in Andermatt cost me more than the Macedonian, Bosnian, Serbian and Romanian ones put together but I guess that is about right for Switzerland Lucky to get a campsite on low season here in France though. They go to high season prices  on Friday.

Today has been a great day. I have either been over or under mountains. I started in Italy with the classic Stelvio Pass just after breakfast and then it was down the other side and at some point I entered Switzerland and went over another pass before my trat to myself of a "train under the mountain". To be honest, it was no treat, 20km of holding onto my bike on a flat bed carriage scared it would fall over everytime we went round a corner. It was a mesh floor about 1mm smaller than my side stand foot. After this, it was up to Malbun the highest point in Liechtenstein for more coffee and some well deserved cake. Back down the same serous of bends and back into Switzerland over another 2 passes to my campsite at the bottom of Gotthard Pass. I arrived 30mins before reception open so I decided to ride Gotthard Pass and come back later. I got back, checked in and tent up minutes before the rain. Looks like yet another storm tonight...

In order to help us recover form the descent yesterday, Rick and I cycled down to Lake Geneva for a swim, rest and lunch before cycling back along the lake and up to his house. The lake was about 24 degrees and although vis seemed a bit murky it was probably all the bathers. I could still see a few fish about. I am not sure that cycling uphill in 30 degree heat is to be deemed a rest day but it was good fun all the same. My short visit to Switzerland has been very successful but tomorrow morning I will be on the motorbike riding back to catch the ferry home. I hope the weather has been as good at home as it has been here.

Me going up  Having a rest Me in descent After a decent evening meal and a night in the Rothornhutte , we were woken up at 04:00 for breakfast (well a fairly pathetic breakfast to be honest) and started heading up. We had a snow plod, a scramble up a ridge and a glacier crossing before we arrived at the base of the Rothorngrat route on the Zinal Rothorn . The first half of the route was easy and we soloed along. Unfortunately I was not as acclimatised as I would have hoped for and I started suffering at around 3800m so Rick did a good job of getting us moving together on a rope for the final 200m of climbing. Even though I was feeling rough it was a very good route. We than endured a total of 2600m of descent with a 20 min break at both the Rothornhutte and and Trift Hotel before arriving back in Zermat at 7pm

This morning Rick and I drove to Tasch, took the train to Zermat 1600m and then walked into the Rothornhutte which was a 1600m climb to 3198m. The view on arrival was stunning. This was a long haul uphill with climbing bag and took around 6 hours.

Rick in blue, his shadow up and to the right, my shadow belaying further up the ridge After a decent meal and reasonable nights sleep in Cabane D'Orny at 2831m, Rick and I had an early start (after seeing an amazing sun rise) and a short walk to the base of Aiguille D'Orny for our second route, La Moquette . This was a 8 pitch route taking us up to 3150m before heading down via Cabane D'Orny to the chair lift and back in the valley by 2pm. We are now back at Rick's place in Lausanne planning the next few days.

This morning Rick and I caught the chair lift up from Champex Lac and after a 2 1/2 hour walk in arrived at the very welcoming Cabane D'Orny . I quick drink to refresh ourselves and we headed up to Aiguille de la Cabane (2999m) to climb Bon Accueil which was 6 pitches from 4b to 5b. We swung leads before an abseil/walk descent and back to the hut for a chill out, relax and acclimatisation.