Posted on October 13, 2015
Lying in the warm sunshine at the top of Craig yr Ysfa looking out over Wales one could be mistaken for thinking its the middle of summer…warm, sweaty walk ins, shady crags and bone dry mountain rock…not what you expect on October 1st! The last time I remember it being this dry and warm in the mountains was back at the end of June, hopes of a third great summer in a row were high…I don’t think it ever happened, however the stunning and beautiful Indian summer we are currently enjoying is more than making up for it!
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After work cragging in the Pass at the end of June. Lee on Nectarine Run, tricky! No success that evening but we did manage the superb Noahs Ark in Cwm Glas Bach and Big Boys at Rhoscolyn that same week.
I was fortunate this summer to have five weeks out in the Alps over two trips working with a fantastic bunch of people and enjoying some fantastic weather in July and some more mixed weather in August. The area around Andermatt hosts some of the finest granite climbing in the Alps and so with stellar weather there was little reason to venture far from the surrounding valleys and passes in the first couple of weeks.
August arrived and the heat wave started to subside somewhat with more unsettled weather. A great couple of days at the Moiry Hut and then the Wiwannihut were had before the first snow of the summer arrived which coincided with the end of our time and so it was back to the UK.
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Sunrise approach on the Gwatchenhorn
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Beautiful morning light approaching the Gwatchenhorn.
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A quick day hit to climb the classic Steuri route on the NE Face of the Kingsptiz with Ben and Dave.
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Kings of the Kingspitz!
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Turbo scrambling on the Chlj Schijen Ridge above Andermatt.
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Lee following us up the superb Alpentraum on Teufelswand. Immacualte granite climbing in the scorching heat…almost perfect!
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Hochschijen Sudgrat above the Bergsee hut.
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Morning light at the start of the classic Weissmies traverse from the Almageller hut.
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A quiet morning on the Moiry Glacier approaching the Pointes de Mourti.
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The stunning cirque of the Wiwannihorn.