alpine flowers have to endure extremes of temperatures and very barren ground
In September the meadows will no longer be full of flowers, but a keen eye will still spot many different species at higher altitudes. Lower down there will be a few late-season blooms such as purple monkshood growing next to streams, or the Alpine pansy, which seems to keep going for the whole summer. In late summer the lower paths will be bordered by bilberry bushes, laden with berries, and also raspberries, the lure of which makes for slow progress at times. There are also some low-growing bushes bearing shiny red bear berries, used to make a savoury jelly.
There is a wide variety of trees to be found, depending on altitude. The Alps are known for their coniferous forests, largely composed of spruce and pine. These forests are brightened up by larch trees, the only deciduous conifers, which lose their needles each winter. They are a pleasant light green colour in spring, and their needles turn golden before falling in the autumn. Larch is one of the best woods for construction, and most old chalets are made at least in part from this beautiful red wood.
A tree peculiar to the Alps is the Arolla pine (Pin cembro) which has long needles and is often seen on the upper limit of the treeline – the higher up it grows, the smaller and more stunted it is. This extremely hardy tree can resist temperatures as low as −50°C and is indifferent to soil quality or slope aspect. Its wood is one of the most sought after, especially by sculptors. Its cones are sturdy, and the seeds too heavy to be blown by the wind. They are eaten by birds, notably the nuthatch, which stores seeds in cracks in rocks. Hence the Arolla pine is classically found growing out from the most improbable boulders.
Wildlife
One of the highlights of walking in the mountains is the excitement of spotting wildlife. In the Alps you may see a whole host of animals and birds along the trail. The chamois, ibex and marmot are the three ‘must-sees’, but plenty of other animals also inhabit these mountain valleys, meadows and boulderfields. In the forests are several types of deer, generally seen early in the morning or at dusk. Wild boar live below about 1500m and their snuffling antics often churn up the edges of the footpaths. The chewed pine cones lying on the trail betray the presence of squirrels, which will probably be spotted nipping from tree to tree.
If you are first on the trail you have the best chance of a wildlife sighting, but don’t make too much noise or you will scare everything away. The meadows and rocks are home to the mountain hare, which is very timid and more often seen in winter – or at least its tracks are – and the stoat which scampers around rocks, curious but very fast. They say there are lynx in the Alps but they are either very rare or very cautious: seeing one would be quite a surprise. Wolves are being reintroduced into the Wallis region, but you would be unlikely to catch a glimpse of one.
Ibex are often seen on the more remote parts of the Tour
Above there is a wealth of birds, ranging from the very small to the very big. Any forest walk will be accompanied by the happy chirping of tits, finches and goldcrests, and the drilling of busy woodpeckers. Buzzards are common at the lower levels and, higher up, golden eagles are not rare, especially on bad-weather days when they circle far above on the air currents. On the high cols you will be joined by Alpine choughs the moment you get out your picnic. These black birds, recognisable by their yellow beaks, are known to live at altitudes as high as 8000m in the Himalayas. But the king of all the birds has to be the lammergeier or bearded vulture, reintroduced throughout the Alps over the last few years. You would be lucky to spot one, but if you see a huge bird with an orange underbelly that only seems to flap once an hour it is probably a lammergeier. These giants, long regarded as meat-eating predators, live almost entirely off the bones of dead animals, dropping the bones from on high to break them up for easier consumption. Just rarely you may see a heap of broken bones lying near the trail.
Stoats often play among the rocks
It is a great privilege to see any of these creatures, and while taking photographs is a superb way to immortalise the moment, it is crucial to leave the animal undisturbed. Besides, there’s nothing so ridiculous as watching a would-be photographer stalking his subject while the animal moves further and further away! Fit your camera with a strong zoom lens, or be satisfied to keep the memory in your head.
When to go
The Tour of Monte Rosa crosses cols often close to 3000m, which are likely to remain snowy well into June. The huts used on the trek generally do not open until late June or early July, so it is not advisable to set out before the summer Alpine season begins. However, later is not necessarily better as fresh snow is quite likely late in the season.
Névé on certain sections of trail can make passage quite difficult – either because the snow is hard and slippery or because it’s a hot, late afternoon and the snow has melted and doesn’t hold your weight. For example, the stage from Testa Grigia to Plan Maison/Cime Bianche is really only feasible when there is no snow on the slopes, be it névé or fresh snow. Similarly the climb to Monte Moro from Mattmark can be very tricky in névé or fresh snow as there is a passage across sloping rocky slabs which is aided by cables.
In addition to thinking about snow conditions, you have to decide if you are going to walk every part of the route or whether you intend to take the occasional lift. If you’re planning to take lifts, be sure of their open season – usually early to mid-July to early September. In line with the lift season, the hotels in villages such as Macugnaga have a short summer season.
The wild and scenic Ruesso Valley leading up to the Gabiet Lake (Stage 3A)
The best time to do this trek is during this brief summer holiday season – late July to late August. The earlier you go, the more flowers there will be on the hillsides; the middle of the season sees the most holidaymakers in the Alps; the end is generally noted for beautiful autumn light, but can be prone to fresh snowfall above 3000m.
If in doubt call local tourist offices or the huts for up-to-date information on conditions.
Getting there
Zermatt/Saas Fee
By air
The nearest airports are Zurich and Geneva. From Britain these airports are served by many airlines, including British Airways (www.britishairways.com), Easyjet (www.easyjet.com), Swiss International (www.swiss.com). Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) fly to Geneva from Ireland.
Onward travel to Zermatt or Saas Fee is best done by train.
By train
Eurostar run a regular service from London to Geneva, which takes about 6 hours (www.eurostar.com) and for travelling around once in Switzerland the train service does not disappoint. The Swiss railway network is incredibly efficient; timetables and online ticket sales can be found at www.sbb.ch. For the best prices it may be worth buying a Swiss rail pass – all the different passes are described in detail on www.myswissalps.com/swissrailpasses with helplines and forums to advise on the best choice of pass.
By car
If you drive to Switzerland you’ll need to buy a motorway vignette on entry to the country, which in 2014 cost 40CHF for the year – this price has been held for years and each year there is talk of a considerable hike in price, so don’t be surprised if it costs more than this in the future. You cannot take the car to Zermatt, but must park at Täsch and take the train up to the town. Saas Fee is also a car-free resort with a large paying car park at the entrance to the town.