In Glacier Country: 15 June 2011

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A nice day, in spite of some increasing cloud later on. After breakfast, we head off to the cable car office to buy a 7-day pass, which costs 60 francs. At 1020 am, the cabin glides up the 2400 ft to Belalp, landing us 7000 ft above sealevel. It’s rather colder (by 7C) than in Blatten, and the air is rarer as well. We walk in an easterly direction towards Hotel Belalp. The entire area has been built up with holiday chalets, restaurants and more cable car runs. I can only just about recognise it since my last visit here in 1985. Along the path, dozens of black cows graze, all sporting a big bell round their necks, which clang furiously as the animals move. On arrival at Hotel Belalp we find that it is closed until June 18th for refurbishments. The Aletsch Glacier has changed a lot in the past 26 years, having shrunk and turned a dirty hue of brown. From the hotel, you can also just about discern the Hanging Bridge (translating directly from the German), which takes you across the outflow of the glacier. It allows you to cross from Belalp to Riederfurka, a distance in a direct line of 3 miles, but with a 1600 feet descent and ascent along the way. The view is phenomenal. The Fusshorner are partially wreathed in cloud (they rear between 11,000 and 12,000 feet), with the bivouac on the slopes below them just about discernible. This is not much more than a glorified roof with struts. Out of sight, and more than 4 hours’ walk away is the Oberaletsch Hut, at 8,800 feet, where you can stay the night. The ring of mountains, stretching from the Sparrhorn to the Grisighorn has variable amounts of snow left near the summits; these mountains top at between 10,000 and 11,000 feet.

As I pour hot water into a mug, a fly decides to flop into the boiling hot water – and is killed instantly. I remove the corpse and proceed to make the tea. I mean, that’s been sterilised. We then walk up to the monument to British naturalist John Tyndall (1820-1893), requiring an ascent of 700 feet. Not easy for yours truly, who is in appalling physical shape. Once there, you can continue up the Sparrhorn, which rises to 3,021 metres (9,910 feet). We’ve done this in the past, but I think I’ve done well by reaching the Tyndall Monument. I try to walk too fast. We slowly amble down the path to the Luesgensee and the new cable car to the Hohbiel, just below the Sparrhorn. At the top station for the Blatten Belalp cablecar, we have a glass of iced tea and wait for the 1520 departure. I video the descent from the front of the cabin – something that requires a head for heights. Not something I’m in complete possession of. Back in Blatten, we buy more bread and an ice cream. Once back in the chalet, it is battery charging time for all my devices, camera, GPS, phone.