"we don't go into the world to see it, but to see deeper into ourselves"
-quote read in a swiss alpine hut, roughly translated


a few years ago, my wife and i poured over maps, route topos, and trip reports trying to put together a sweet traverse through the valais alps of switzerland. our route would have taken us through three valleys, over numerous peaks, and promised to offer adventure and solitude alongside the masses of climbers that swarm these mountains during the brief summer months.

however, during an acclimatization trip in august, we realized that things weren't shaping up that well in the high mountains for what the SAC (swiss alpine club) would refer to as the "year without summer"


so we decided to go south till the sun shined and the temps got above 60F!


over the next couple years, we started our alpine apprenticeship. in a place like central switzerland, with the responsibilities that life brings, that leads to lots of cold, wet, and snowy weekends out in the mountains.

this year, we decided not to plan as much. we'd let weather and conditions dictate our route through the mountains, if at all. what a pleasant surprise, after one of the wettest junes on record, when suddenly the clouds parted and a high pressure system started moving our way!


conditions seemed good, albeit still a bit snowy up high. nevertheless, we were stoked about trading crampons for skis, and wanted more of that crisp mountain air. with our anniversary coming up, we both put in for a bit of vacation time, and started dusting off the summer guidebooks!


we figured, with two weeks to climb, we'd start off a bit slow and easy, and allow ourselves to acclimatize. plus, with it being our wedding anniversary vacation, we would even treat ourselves to cozy accomadations along the way.


Fletschhorn Breitloibgrat, 3985 meters, Switzerland


not too steep, not too technically difficult, and relatively snow free for the rock sections. perfect for a warm up route! we crossed paths with a team of italians coming down during the approach to the bunker. they had wanted to climb the north face (right, half in the shade), but the snow had melted and left only bullet hard glacier ice. they had climbed the ridge instead, and told us "the rock is sh#t, and there is only 5cm of snow on top of the ice at the top. it's like glass."

we thanked them for the beta, looked at our ultralight ice axes, and figured "screw it. let's go have a look since we're here!"

five minutes later, we heard a crack above us and looked up just in time to see basketballs hurling down at us. the sun was loosening up the rocks frozen in place along the ridgeline, and the mountain decided to shed a bit of its winter coat. the italians below us were able to run behind a boulder, but we were stuck on the snowfield...completely vulnerable. running along the snow, we managed to duck out of the way of most of the barrage, finally huddling down on the snowfield with our packs above our heads as these missiles whizzed past. once we were certain the barrage was over, we signaled to the italians that we were ok, and continued up towards the bivy...with a little bit more hitch in our giddy-up.


the next day, we set off before sunrise. with everything safely frozen in place we were able to enjoy the beautiful alpine sunrise as we crossed the approach glacier.


the italians were right. it was a giant, chossy ridge interspersed with steps of fairly easy climbing. gear was sparse and the climbing wasn't really all that secure. "pull down, not out" was the motto of the day, and i was glad i spent so much time climbing at the pinnacles in the central coast.


unacclimatized, we took our time moving up the labyrinth of choss. we finally got to the snow fields at the top and the italians were once again right. a light dusting of snow covered bullet hard grey ice. we moved together over the moderate stuff, simulclimbing while trying to have an ice screw attaching us to the mountain. over the final step, the steepness increased and we pitched out a short traverse till we crossed the summit ridgeline.


after that, it was a lovely jaunt up to the top. windless, sunny, and warm, we opted to hang out by ourselves and soak in the views of the valley we would descend to. it's not every day that a summit is so calm and enjoyable, and to enjoy it by ourselves...priceless!


of course, it's not over till it's over and we're down. the descent down over the glaciers went well enough, till i decided on the final snow slope that crampons, a rope, and an ice axe were no longer needed. we packed it all away and got the trekking poles out and started an enjoyable post hole down to the morains below. that is, till i sunk in unexpectedly, mid step, in the moat between a barely covered rock and the snow pack. the sudden shift in balance and my momentum going downhill caused me to go head first in a slide down the slope towards a band of rocks. i used the trekking pole to get my feet below me, but self arrest wasn't working as well as it would have with an axe. i hit the rock bands squarely with my butt, managing to get some pretty sweet air, before coming to a stop in the gentler slope below. lesson # 1 learned...self arrest with a trekking/ski pole sucks.

after my wife stopped laughing at me (i'm sure it was a bit funny to watch...if you like that sort of thing), i did a quick self check. nothing broken, my butt just hurt. let's get on with this descent. at least the views were ok.



Weissmies S Ridge, 4017 meters/13,179 feet

the next day, we met up with my wife's brother and his wife. we try and take a trip together to the mountains at least once a year, and with the stable weather, we picked a route from Saas Fee to climb with them.

we opted for a traverse of the weissmies. there's a route on the south ridge from almageller valley, then back down the regular route over an impressive glacier to the ski lifts. with its varied nature, first over a steep firn slope, then up a rock ridge, and finally across a thin snow ridge to the summit, we thought it would make an excellent day out as a team of four!




we started early, and tried to get ahead of the throngs of climbers heading towards the same route. the line of headlamps was long, and we hurried to the base of the climb. this was one caravan we didn't want to be a part of.

tobias, melanie, and my wife megalena are all swiss, and of course very comfortable on snow. once crampons were on, we made quick work heading up the initial slopes.



then things started getting interesting. the rock ridge looked snow free, so we took off our crampons and had a quick break before the next few hundred meters of vertical.


what a wonderful surprise! after the hours of slogging up choss on the fletschhorn, megalena and i were astounded by the quality rock on the ridge. lots of horns to sling with the rope kept everyone safely attached to the mountain, and the climbing was easy, but sustained scrambling in a somewhat exposed atmosphere.




ropework as a team of four along a ridge is a bit tricky, but we made it up to the final snow ridge in excellent time, staying ahead of the train of climbers following us up. we once again donned our crampons and headed up the final slopes to the summit.





the descent was really a treat. i love dramatic glaciers, and being able to travel through that sort of terrain is a privelage i treasure. the snow on the north flank was still in excellent shape, so we took our time down to enjoy the day and the scenery.



following all of that fun, we said our goodbyes to meli and tobs. over beers, megalena and i decided it was time to head up the valley further into Saas Fee. for those who haven't been, you should definitely treat yourself to a trip there. amazing skiing in the winter, and the panoramas can't be beat. 4000 meter peaks tower over you as you sit in a cozy little mountain town and contemplate the glaciers that seem to end just above the city perimeter. all of this, and without the hustle and bustle of more famous destinations like Zermatt and Chamonix.

with some sore muscles, and a questionable weather forecast for the next few days, we decided to hang out for a bit and enjoy what Saas Fee had to offer.









Nadelhorn 4327 meters/14,196 feet

after a few days hanging around, there looked like a break in the weather. it looked sunny and stable, and like it was going to stay that way. perfect! we were starting to get a little tired of saunas and mini golf. time to get in position for another climb!

the approach from Saas Fee to the michabel hut is quite the adventure in itself. nearly a vertical mile over the town, it's practically a route in itself. protected with cables and metal steps, the approach keeps you on your toes as the hut looms constantly in the distance.





once in the hut, the big peaks around Saas Fee seem even bigger. the north face of the lenzspitze looms above as the summits of the dom, täschhorn, and nadelhorn fade into the heavens. nervous, but excited, we were in bed before sunset.





even with the new snow from the last few days, the climb went astoundingly well. the snow ridge snaked gently all the way to the rock step at the end, and before we knew it we were sitting on top soaking in the beautiful views!


Dom, 4545 meters/14,911 feet

"what next?" asked megalena, as we sat at a bar back in saas fee after the climb.

i replied that i thought we had done really well at altitude that day. our acclimatization program seemed to be working, and well at that.

"let's go for the normal route on the Dom. i've never been that high, and staring at that mountain for the last few days has really made me want to go there"

now, i don't want to sound cavalier about this, but i figured if there was a time to do it, it was now. we had already spent several days and nights at altitude, three of which at 4000 meters. i knew the right preperation was key for such a big climb, i just didn't know if that was enough for something as big as the Dom...the tallest mountain standing completely in switzerland.

so, we got serious about what gear to take and what to leave behind. luckily, it was a fairly basic snow/glacier climb so we opted for bringing a basic glacier rescue set with us. that would allow us to cover a lot of ground quickly, before the snow bridges would start to weaken as the day went on. the rest of the gear stayed behind in the hut.

the normal route up the Dom is different in a few ways to some of the other big peaks in europe...mainly because there's no lift out of the valley to help you get there. you wanna climb it, you have to do it by fair means, and when you start in a town at an altitude of 1400 meters, that means you get to walk up 3145 vertical meters, or 10,318 vertical feet, over a relatively short period of time. as you start walking up the surprisingly steep trail out of town, those figures weigh pretty heavy in your mind.


once in the hut, it seems like everyone is there to climb the Dom...and everyone is making sure they talk a big game. i climbed this, i climbed that, and i'm going up a more difficult route than you tomorrow. megalena and i were shocked at the ego and arrogance being spewed in the dinner room. i liked the huts better when i didn't speak german. we ate quietly, across from another quiet couple whom we would get to know better later. we went to bed early, but to say we slept would be a lie.


the next day we were up at 2:30, and out the door at three. the routefinding across the moraines half asleep and in the dark was no easy task, and somehow we found ourselves ahead of the guides, leading the caravan across the glacier. with the overcast night, nothing had frozen, and the crevasses and snow bridges were significantly more dangerous. after a couple pucker-worthy crossings, we let some guides take over the lead and fell obediently into line. we had a long way to go, no time to start racing.


after and icy descent across the bergschrund onto the other glacier, things spread out a bit more evenly. we kept to a steady pace, trying to keep our heartrate down as low as possible at 4000 meters. on and on the track went, with the summit proudly looming over us the whole time. i didn't dare to look at my altimeter, afraid of how much further we really had to go.




as things steepened up, parties started having trouble. we passed people leaning on their axes, gasping for the thin air. we would pass, and then continue to kick steps through the sugary snow up the steep north flank.



the last hundred meters were brutal. steep, in unconsolidated powder, we could barely manage two steps before gasping a few breaths. after what seemed like an eternity, we couldn't believe our eyes! megalena and i stood upright, and were suddenly on top. unbelievable.


we both couldn't believe it. megalena and i only went to see how we'd do before we inevitably turned around. actually stepping foot up there never really occurred to us, so we were quite surprised when there was no more "up" to do. i hugged my wife and congratulated her, and only after we wiped tears of joy from our eyes could we see the view. spectacular.




we wanted to spend a lifetime up there. i felt honored to be allowed passage up that high, to tread upon those heights. the Dom gets that view every day, and today it let us share, if only for a minute. we wanted to stay, we wanted to soak in all of that beauty that nature has in store for us. but alas, we are only mortals, and we aren't designed for prolonged living in that enviornment. once the tears froze and fell off, we figured it was time to head down.

luckily, the descent went without incident, and we made it back to the hut after eleven hours of nearly nonstop movement. exhausted, we crashed into our beds and slept until dinner.

Breithorn full traverse, 4164 meters/13,661 feet

then, finally, it was time for a bit of fun. after a lazy return to civilization and a well earned rest day, we were ready for a full on ridge climb. snow, ice, and rock were calling to us, and we were absolutely stoked for this route.


we treated ourselves to a lift ride up to the matterhorn glacier paradise, where some very basic lodging can be had for a couple of novice mountaineers. with a plethora of climbs to do from this lift, and numerous other huts nearby, there were naturally several parties staying there with us. however, we were all completely self contained, rather than being waited upon like in the normal huts. that led to us being up nice and early, as everyone else slept in, and able to enjoy a calm cup of coffee and breakfast.

then out the door you go, into the night.



i love the peace and quiet of those mornings, the gentle crunch of the crampons on a frozen snowfield, the crisp air, and the way that the sun seems to rise so lazily over the horizon. twilight lasts forever sometimes, and that in-between moment is almost like living in a dream...completely surreal. as we saw the huge string of headlamps on the matterhorn going up in those wee morning hours, we could really treasure and appreciate moments like that, just the two of us, walking along some glacier across the valley. we took our time to the base of the route, hoping that we could put off getting to the ridge till just before the sun rose.





the sunrise was breathtaking. once again, i couldn't believe how lucky i was to even be there. to share it with my wife megalena, during our three year anniversary, is something i will always treasure.

but enough of that, we had to keep going.


the route starts off with a bang! we had a gendarm, the "twin" peaks, the middle peak, and the main summit to move across. as soon as we started going, the ridgeline had our full attention. we moved slowly, trying to enjoy every movement.





the climbing was mixed, with sections of technical rock, steep snow, narrow ridges, and rappels interspersed throughout. even as acclimatized as we were, some of the moves were strenuous, making 5.4 feel like some sandbagged 5.9+ in joshua tree. climbing it all in crampons didn't help make it easier.




we shared the route with two groups of italians. excellent fellows, in my opinion. they were incredibly friendly, and their level of stoke was infectious. whooping and hollering during all of the cool moves, exposed sections, and overhanging rappels, we climbed along together. at one particularly strenuous rock step, their leader shouted to megalena "isn't this wonderful? you are very strong woman!"



we laughed and carried on. i wish we could have shared a beer after the climb together, they seemed like our sort of people!

after we climbed the middle summit, there was only a short jaunt across the well tracked snow ridge to the main summit. all objective difficulties overcome, we took the moment for ourselves before we joined the masses on the main peak.




once we walked to the main peak, we were met by a father and son from england. the father was teaching his son how to climb mountains in the alps, and asked us to take a picture of them. once we were done, he said that an austrian friend of his had a saying he liked to use. he said "angels in the clouds. when we reached the top together, that's what it felt like. like we were angels among the clouds."

truer words were never spoken. i've never felt that much love, admiration, trust, and respect before...and the boundaries of all these feelings continue to grow. these last two weeks with megalena have been fantastic, and i'm looking forward to more adventures with my partner in crime!