Summer 2014

Very wintery on the Lagginhorn – 11th July 2014

Following a week of cloudy weather, fresh snow and storms we headed east to the peaks above the Saas valley. The rocky nature of the Lagginhorn leant itself to the snow and we hoped there would be less wading through deep snow than over in Zermatt to reach the climb.

Heading up in the early morning

This normally rocky ridge becomes a great snowy scramble

The route was just like Scottish winter, perhaps a ridge in Glencoe…?

The exposure builds for a section before climbing the final steeper slopes

Happy to reach the top..!

And relieved to be back down from the mountain.

Gornergrat gorge – 9th July 2014

The Gornergrat gorge is a fantastic via ferrata expedition that explores the main gorge through which all the glaciers above Zermatt drain.

A great mixture of climbing and sliding along this natural feature

The first zip line

Various modes of transportation are presented..!

Too much snow, but a short window of sunshine – 7th July 2014

Heading away from the Klein Matterhorn lift the cloud cleared to reveal the world outside

Heading across to the Breithorn, above Zermatt

First up the mountain this morning, but this was the last we were to see of the sun for a few days!

Gran Paradiso – 4th July 2014

The mountain cleared for us just before the top

Rasmus and Karina on their trip mountaineering trip in the European Alps

Things can get a little complicated on the final rocky section before the summit…

The top… with Mont Blanc in the background

and another big surprise for Karina…

…and she said Yes!

Alpine training above the Torino Hut – 3rd July 2014

High up among the glaciers and peaks of the Mont Blanc Massif

A good first scramble up the Aiguille Marbrée

Mont Blanc training above Saas – 23rd June 2014

At the Lagginjoch. Team Leicester plus a bear hunter from Michigan!

The team did make the summit of Mont Blanc by the end of the week, and we had good weather after a week of rain and snowfall, no doubt because I forgot to bring my camera for the trip…