Smiler Cuthbertson - Mountain Guide

July 4th, 5th & 6th

Mont Blanc from the Tete Rouse Hut - Jagged Globe

I met up with the team at 9am on the 4th as planned. Hannah been to the Arolla area with the team of four, but due to an unfortunate injury, one of the team had to drop out.
I was recruited to be the guide for Stan, a Belgium living in London, and a tall and large well built man who was an important figure in the hotel business.
We got on very well immediately. Hannah had the two other lads and we were to travel only to the Tete Rouse Hut today. Firstly checking equipment and day food/water supplies, we then took our cars and cares to Les Houches for the midday lift to Bellevue. Soon we were walking through the snow to the ridge. The weather was very fine, so there were high hopes of success on the Blanc.
At the Hut, several other British guides were also going the same route - 2am start to the Gouter and after a short rest, to the summit. We would descend all the way to the Tete Rouse again that afternoon. We relaxed with the clients and after the evening meal, advised everyone to an early bed, ready for the morrow.

The muscles need tweaking early in the morning, but soon we were clad in crampons and fleeces and on the approach to the Grande Couloir. It was a fine night, cold and clear and with the snow lying in the couloir, very little danger of stonefall that morning. We were all soon across, jostling for positions on the ridge up to the Gouter Hut, with the many other climbers, mostly from Spain and the eastern countries. It was still very dark when we got to the hut but we sorted the teams out for food and drinks and rested for a short time.
The summit push was on.
Very much a similar pattern emerged as with all my ascents from the Gouter, I created a steady trek at a comfortable speed (for me as well as the others) and we emerged at the Vallot in good time. From this point the trek becomes more arduous and the pace slowed. I was quite a way ahead of Hannah and the two lads, but Stan was going well. Nevertheless, the top 300 metres is always tough. We pushed slowly on and with delight, curved over the final slopes to the summit. Jon and his team were right behind me and a friendly banter with all around ensued. Photos taken, flags unfurled and after drinks and chocolate, we turned for home. Hannah was just a few minutes behind and we congratulated everyone for the success. Then it was off down the Bosses Ridge and a rest at the Vallot Hut. The morning had dawned before the summit and in increasingly warmer conditions, we made our way down to the col and over the Dome du Gouter. Together with several other parties, we took the tedious descent back to tha Gouter Hut.
Stan and I had some food and drink in the Hut, Olivier, his wife and their team of caretakers at the refuge making us very welcome. Olivier mentioned the workmen had actually started that day on the construction of the new Refuge du Gouter, planned for opening around 2020. I can hardly wait.
An hour down the ridge is usual and the wire beckoned for its use with some stonefall occurring as we climbed easily down to the traverse. Linking us with a 10 metre lead, we quickly crosssed and were pleased to have no stonefall at all.
Soon we were relaxing in the refuge again, and after a good night’s sleep, we took a 7am breakfast and were off, down to the Nid d’Aigle and the train. The cable car was on time and we were soon in our own cars, heading for the hotel in Chamonix Sud.
I parted company with a great team in the early afternoon, and sped off to Argentiere, chores to be done, clothes washed and more rest.
A superb outing.

I sensed that June 17th was a little early for alpine excursions, and some research and very grateful assistance from Kathy, a guide colleague living in Les Houches, gave me the start and advice I needed, after all these years concentrating on the Chamonix and Zermatt valleys, and with some excellent help from Dave Fisher at Adventure Peaks, I was ready to trek! The only problem was the weather!
June is usually very good for alpine climbing these days, so I was surprised at the amount of recent snow lying on the mountains when I travelled over this year. The current weather was also fairly grim, lots of rain but snow showers higher up. Kathy advised me there would be a problem in my itinerary with the Valsorey Hut being closed, and warning me I might be trail-breaking over many of the higher passes and the couple of usually easy peaks on the plan. Pointing me to alternatives and warning me of certain problem areas, I felt pretty well clued up. All I had to do was meet up with the three clients and get started.

Nigel, John and Barry, all from the north-east area, were in the Chamonix hotel when we met for the first time. All very likeable chaps, two had been ski-ing and some walking in the Alps before, for Barry, it was his first visit. None were actual seasoned climbers but after all, they agreed, it was only a walk!

Day 1. The first day’s itinerary was to me, pretty easy. A simple walk up to the Albert Premier Hut! At eleven o’clock we stepped off the bus at Le Tour to a different world. Cold, wet, and no-one around. The cable car to the Col du Balme being closed had seen to that, as well as the copious amounts of low-lying snow. There were simply no walkers around?

A direct ascent up the steep moraine ridge was called for. It all went well until we reached the final steep section so familiar to me after years of ascents of Aiguille du Tour. Deep and quite wet snow on the ridge, it was also snowing hard, what a start we were having. I knew it would be difficult to dry stuff in the hut, but lying with ones wet socks in the bedroom did some help.

Day 2. Kathy had warned me the trek across the Trient plateau to the Cabane d’Orny would be bad enough if there were no tracks, and  there weren’t. The few climbers from the Albert Premier Hut going to the top of Aiguille du Tour, provided a welcome track as far as the Col Superior du Tour. From here on it was blank and sometimes knee-deep snow. At least the weather had improved a little and after three-quarters of the plateau were dealt with in strenuous fashion, we encountered two French guys  heading towards us who had planned to do some rock climbing around the Orny Hut but were now simply walking through the Fenetre de

 Saleina to go home. Their tracks were a welcome relief and we made good progress down to the Cabane. Here, snow lay all around obscuring any of the tracks, and with the weather closed in again, difficult route finding wasted

some time. Dropping down from the Cabane we finally located a visible path and then a signpost which led us down towards Champex and our eventual goal that evening, La Fouly.
I pondered whether the faint track leading down the Coombe du Orny had ever been walked at all, as we made difficult and tiring progress all the way down the steep side of the mountain. The lads (and me) were pretty tired after such a long and hard trek, so on reaching a little place called Plan Reviere, we decided it was pointless to make the long (6km) walk down and then up the valley to La Fouly, and who knew when we would reach our hotel that night? Luckily the man we had met on reaching the first road, gathering grass and hay on his flat platform truck, turned out to also be the local taxi man and within an hour we were at the Hotel in La Fouly.

With John and Nigel being old friends, it seemed sensible for me to share a room with Barry. He was a very likeable chap, a policeman, a Detective Inspector no less, and some interesting tales of crime, including murder, kept me interested for ages.

Day 3. The comfortable bedrooms and sufficient Swiss breakfast gave us the impetus to get started next morning. However, there were already problems with our itinerary. Because the Valsorey Hut was closed, the original plan to go from Bourg St Pierre would not be possible. Kathy had kindly shown me a different way, over the Col

Neve and after gaining a high point above the col, we would drop steeply but easily down to regain the Bourg St Pierre route. Christian, running the La Fouly Hotel, also warned me there would be no trail, the route long and difficult with all this snow, and there was no-one going that way yet. He offered an inviting alternative, over the Fenetre du Ferret and over the Col Grand St. Bernard by post bus and taxi to the Mauvoisin Dam. That way we could easily reach the Chanrion Hut in about seven hours.
The weather continued to be poor, with cold rain turning to wet snow at any height. Visibility was virtually nil and we were fortunate to be able to follow steep tracks which only gave navigation problems when we reached the snow line. It turned into a difficult day, and when one has to wear crampons on steep grass, I think you will accept it was all a bit unexpected. Locating the Fenetre was difficult and time-consuming, but eventually we dropped down through the snow to the

 Fenetre and at last we could see the winding road leading to the Grand St. Bernard Pass. At first we sat and waited for a bus, but eventually the cold and wet prompted us to hike up to the Col, where at least we could have a coffee and lunch. Helpful cafe staff gave us info on the bus we would need and around 3pm, we were moving at speed down to Bourg St. Pierre and the Hotel Bonapart for our much needed accommodation for the night and a welcome drying room at last!

Day 4. With the Valsorey Hut closed, there was no way we could follow the planned itinerary across the high cols to Bourg St. Pierre, so we opted for a short bus ride to Ossieres and then a taxi around to the Mauvoisin Dam. We were getting around but were gaining spare days as well. Still, better to be making progress towards Zermatt than risking arduous journeys across untracked high passes.

It was a daunting sight - the dam, clagged in rain and the tunnels which led us the start of the trek, were clad in big icicles, daggers waiting to drop onto unlucky passers-by.
Again visibility was poor and once we had left the lake side, navigation again became complicated. The weather forecast showed an improvement on Sunday (Day 5) and we longed for no rain and some sunshine. The Chanrion hut was a welcome sight and normal service on tracks with way-markers was becoming more usual.

Day 5. By now, we were also being accompanied by another small group of walkers. At the Chanrion Hut, we were now involved in four separate groups, mostly French people and two teams led by guides, which was becoming useful, as the itinerary was lead us over serious ground with the weather and snow. We learnt that it was not only us that had changed plans a few times, and that our idea to go over three cols to the Dix hut was not practicable. We would be the only team doing this route. Everyone else was diverting up the well-known and easier route of the Ottemma Glacier and

going direct to the Vignettes Hut. I was hardly likely to avoid this change and the revised glacier trek. So, with other groups in sight and with the weather much better now we had the first relaxed and pleasant day’s hike

since leaving Chamonix. The weather deteriorated in the afternoon but the tracks in the mist were reassuring and we finally stumbled into this gloriously placed hut. It didn’t seem as big as I remember those 30 odd years ago, and I finally clicked - only the winter quarters were open. There was no guardian, apparently because the helicopter couldn’t bring him up due to the adverse weather. No guardian, no spacious and comfortable rooms, and no food and drink! I pondered retreating to Arolla, (thus avoiding the seven-hour trek across the Col du L’Eveque) and down the glacier to the turning point, up to the Bertol Hut - all with no food and drink apart from our limited supplies of day food. All was settled though when the French

party we were getting to know and admire, did some searching and appeared with winter supplies of soups, some pasta, and plenty of sachets of tea, sugar and coffee. So everyone was sorted with adequate food for the next day.

Day 6. The morning was clear and good, and we followed the French Guide’s party, who in turn were following three elderly but seemingly experienced trekkers. Indeed, it turned out the leader of the three men was an accomplished member of the Chamonix rescue service.
We crossed the Col de L’Eveque in glorious weather and descended the

 lengthy Glacier d’Arolla before finally swinging around eastwards to gain the normal Bertol Hut approach track. Here we hit a problem. The deep snow had blanketed out the usually straightforward zig-zag trail up to the hut, and the now well-beaten track in the snow went directly up to the col in a virtual straight line, to where the Bertol Hut sits majestically above. It was a very

strenuous hike, the snow being deep enough to warrant use of some handholds in either side of the deep and steep track. But we made it, and were relieved to find the lady guardian very welcoming with hot afternoon snacks. Later, good conversation and beers flowed.

Day 7 (of 9). Because of the itinerary changes, we were now left with one very long day and two spare days. However, all the other teams assured me it was far better to divert from the route in the afternoon to the Schonbeil Hut and overnight there, which still left three to four hours descent to Zermatt the next (and last for walkers) day. I consulted the team and we came up with an agreement to go to the Schonbeil Hut, then drop down next day to Zermatt, staying at the less-expensive but high quality Hotel Bahnof, and use the last of the spare days by making an ascent of the Zermatt Breithorn, at almost 4200 metres, a superb climax to a great walk. The team heartily agreed to the plan and as usual, the ‘three wise men’ led the

rest of the trekkers’ teams across the glacier and to the summit of the Tete Blanche (3707 metres). It was a wonderful summit, with now clear views all around, and the snow-clad Matterhorn standing proudly to the east.
The usual approach to the Schonbeil Hut is by way of the normal track from Zermatt. For Haute Route trekkers this usually means dropping down the Stockji Glacier, well past the Stockji buttress itself, to a distant point where one can back-track onto the hut approach. All this, including the ascent of the Tete Blanche, should only be undertaken in good visibility, as the route-finding through the numerous crevasses are serious throughout.
With the copious amounts of snow lying, we were lucky to be able to travel down the south side of the Stockji, and were surprised when finding the French guide’s party doing a swing around the base of the Stockji itself, instead of continuing a long way down the glacier. We caught them up at one of their rest stops and found the leader of the ‘three wise men’ had at some previous date actually created a route up the northern side of the

Stockji, across eastwards to the steep ground descending from the Pointe de Zinal, and had developed a superb (but quite technical) path across the steep walls to the hut. Apart from any crevasse dangers, I had felt the rope to be unnecessary, although we had used it everywhere one has to. But now the rope was important, albeit only for the one section of pathway above some very steep drops. But it was a superb key route and we were in the hut long before most of the other groups.

Day 8. The trek down from the hut to Zermatt did take us over three and a half hours in the heat of the morning, so the welcoming open access to the Brown Cow bar proved irresistible. Suitably rested, fed and liquidated we

walked through the busy town to the Bahnof where the wardens - first Kathy Biner, then Harry, welcomed us and kindly substituted the expected attic accommodation on the 6th floor, for Room 4 next to the office on the ground floor. At the same price as well. Good people to know. After showering and changing, the team wandered through the main street of Zermatt, mingling with the other visitors, before an evening meal at the superb

‘Potter’s Bar’ restaurant near the Gornergrat Station, where the meals are terrific and enormous. The evening was eventually spent packing and preparing for the Breithorn climb, eagerly lifting and comparing virtually empty rucksacks.

I am sure the three lads had a great time on the Haute Route and should be congratulated for doing the trek in such early adverse weather and conditions. They worked well with me, strong walking over some lengthy days, and good crampon work where necessary, offering sound advice and suggestions, with virtually no complaints at all. We slept well that night.

Day 9. An extra to the itinerary but with a spare day to deal with, the peak proved a wonderful ending to our trek. I’ve climbed the peak several times and from the Kliene Matterhorn, on a good day with good snow conditions, the climb presents little difficulty. Today was no exception and after no

 more than a four-hour round trip, the team were in their (more expensive) hotel and I was in the Bahnof, showering, changing and packing for my train, with changes at Visp, Martigny and the Frontier (Chatelard) to Argentiere, eta 20.15, just in time to meet Ian, my client for the next eight days. There was still one hiccup. The train deposited me at a deserted Chatelard station, but there was no follow-on train there? Strange, the ticket definitely said ‘change here’. Unbeknownst to me, there was a one-day strike going on!
I soon realised I wasn’t going on a train and started thumbing a lift, but cars were few and far between at that time of the evening. I wandered into the only civilization there, a cafe/bar and enquired about a taxi. 100 euros! I shuddered but realised I had to get to Argentiere, so reluctantly sent the cafe man off to get a taxi. I went outside to get the cool of the evening and by chance a car pulled up and gave me a lift all the way to Argentiere. I kept looking over my shoulder expecting some Swiss person to be yelling at us to stop. Oh well!
Ian was patiently waiting for me in the Office bar. My apartment came later.

Smiler Cuthbertson