with side protection, and a high-factor suncream and lip salve are absolutely essential, as is a first aid kit.
Water bottle – beware of dehydration and drink copiously where possible.
Head torch plus spare batteries and bulbs.
Klettersteig/via ferrata routes
Roughly translated as an ‘iron way’ or ‘climbing path’, klettersteigen (German) or vie ferrate (Italian) first appeared in Austria as early as 1869, developed as part of the armed struggle in the Dolomites during the First World War, and increased in popularity among climbers during the 1930s. In recent years a large number of these protected routes have been established right across the Swiss Alps, enabling activists to scale otherwise inaccessible rock faces by way of metal rungs, ladders or footplates safeguarded by a continuous length of fixed cable. Some sections of the climbing community object to them for cluttering the mountain environment, but there’s no denying their adventurous appeal, for those with no vertigo problems are able to tackle vertical and in some cases overhanging rock to reach vantage points and summits otherwise denied them. Cheating? Maybe. Exhilarating? Most definitely.
Safety equipment such as helmet, sit-harness, karabiners, rope and slings are essential, and their correct use should be rehearsed before setting off on any major klettersteig route. For these are frequently demanding, almost gymnastic undertakings that require a good level of mountain experience. Although non-climbers can successfully tackle some of the lower-grade routes, the ability to rock climb to at least grade III will be necessary on the longer and more challenging routes. A high level of fitness and stamina are also prerequisites.
The existence of many klettersteig routes are highlighted in this book, but the following German-language guide to 55 protected routes in Switzerland is recommended: Klettersteig Schweiz by Iris Kürschner (Rother, Munich 2004).
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.summitpost.org gives details of selected mountains and sample routes
www.viaferrata.org provides information on via ferrata/klettersteig routes in Switzerland, Italy, France and Spain
Ski touring/ski mountaineering
In winter there’s an arctic, pristine beauty to the Alps that many find as appealing as summer’s fine textures and colours. The crisp cold air, clear skies and glistening snows invite activity. Wearing snowshoes the walker can explore a winter wonderland that would be inaccessible equipped only with boots, and those who are fit and experienced are able to snowshoe their way even to modest alpine summits. For a guide to some of the best winter routes, see Hilary Sharp’s Snowshoeing: Mont Blanc & the Western Alps (Cicerone, 2002).
While by far the majority of winter sports enthusiasts go for downhill skiing, with major resorts being Davos, Grindelwald, Klösters, Mürren, Saas Fee, St Moritz, Verbier, Wengen and Zermatt, Switzerland also boasts some of the most important areas for ski mountaineering, and hosts some of the most compelling of tours. The classic Haute Route (Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn) is an obvious example, but there are numerous others, of shorter duration perhaps, but no less rewarding, that can be enjoyed in the Pennine and Bernese Alps, in the Engadine and Central Swiss Alps, in the Albula Alps and Silvretta.
The Pers glacier basin below Piz Palü in the Bernina Alps (Chapter 4:4)
Ski touring (or ski mountaineering) is one of the most demanding of mountain pursuits, and for those who have experienced it, it’s certainly one of the most enjoyable, whose appeal lies as much in satisfactions found when exploring a snow-covered world far from crowded slopes as in the silent beauty of the high Alps. It’s an activity that is growing in popularity as more and more accomplished skiers learn to appreciate the joys of off-piste adventure, and among mountaineers who wish to experience the Alps in winter as well as summer. As Bill O’Connor says: ‘the Alps are, more or less, snowbound from November to June, and those unable to ski are virtually excluded from their heart for all but three months of the summer Alpine season.’
Those whose experience of the Alps has been largely restricted to the summer need to learn additional skills beyond those of skiing and mountaineering in order to tour safely. Knowing how to assess the stability of snow, avalanche awareness and what to do to survive one are perhaps the most important. This is not the book to teach those skills, but it’s worth noting that 80% of avalanche victims are responsible for starting the avalanche they are caught in, and only four out of ten survive.
Bill O’Connor’s inspirational two-volume guide Alpine Ski Mountaineering (Cicerone, 2002, 2003) is both rhapsodic in tone and down-to-earth with instruction; with a host of tours beautifully illustrated and described, it is highly recommended to anyone drawn to the sport.
Equipment for ski touring/ski mountaineering
Apart from warm but lightweight clothing, the primary needs of the ski mountaineer focus on the hardware without which touring becomes impossible. A more comprehensive list is included in Bill O’Connor’s guides (see above).
Comfortable ski mountaineering boots with good quality footbeds.
Wide, short, all-terrain skis with a touring binding.
Climbing skins for uphill work.
Harscheisen – removable ski crampons.
Ski poles with powder baskets.
Shovel – an essential piece of equipment.
Transceiver and spare batteries.
Avalanche probe.
Ice axe, and crampons to fit ski boots.
Climber’s sit-harness.
Two 30m ropes (for a touring party) plus prusiks for each member.
Ski goggles, high-factor suncream and lip salve.
ALPINE CLUB DETAILS
Founded in 1857 the Alpine Club is the world’s oldest mountaineering club and the leading UK organisation for climbers active in the Alps and greater ranges. Benefits of membership include access to the AC Library which houses over 25,000 books on mountain-related subjects, monthly evening lectures, free copy of the Alpine Journal; each year, an annual alpine meet and reduced rates in huts. Visit www.alpine-club.org.uk.
The Swiss Alpine Club (Schweizer Alpen-Club, Club Alpin Suisse, Club Alpino Svizzero, or Club Alpin Svizzer) dates from 1863, has over a hundred individual sections, many of which organise mountain tours, rock climbing and winter activities. The SAC produces a members’ magazine, Die Alpen, publishes guidebooks for walkers, climbers and ski mountaineers, and through its member sections owns and maintains a great number of huts. See www.swiss-sport.ch/sac-cas, www.sac-cas.ch and www.alpenonline.ch.
The Association of British Members of the Swiss Alpine Club (ABMSAC) is an active UK-based club with a strong interest in alpine mountaineering. The Club organises a diverse range of meets to the European Alps and beyond. For information go to www.abmsac.org.uk.
Safety Dos and Don’ts
The following list of precautionary measures is valid for most mountain activities without reducing adventure in any meaningful way.
Ensure you are physically and mentally prepared for the challenge of your chosen route.
Plan your day with care; study the route details and time required to complete it. Don’t overestimate either your own physical ability or that of your companions,