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Maya and Maurice gearing up for the Alphubelgletscher ahead.

Maya and Maurice did the Rimpfischhorn planning for several days and we were waiting for Maurice to take us to the top. First we booked ourselves into the Täschhütte, 2701m, which is one of many Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) huts. The hut is close to a typical Waliser town of Täsch and the highest mountain in this area is called Täschhorn, 4490m. Täschhorn has a notoriety of not being easy to climb and most people use the hut it to go to the Alphubel or Rimpfischhorn.

On the day we were supposed to spend the night in the Täschhütte we drove to a small village called Ottawan, 2100m, and left our car there. We had only 600 meters of easy walk ahead before reaching our night's lodging place. It was a nice mid-afternoon and the weather looked promising. We were in no hurry and we arrived at the hut just before dinner.

Soon after dinner it started snowing. Thick clouds filled the whole valley and swallowed everything in it. I tried to save my night by having a couple of Waliser beers. I had to pay for my weakness in the middle of the night. When I was outside, above me was a clear mountain sky full of stars and the moon was so bright one could see as clearly as in daylight. I went back to catch another couple of hours of sleep. I knew we were going to have a good weather, at least until noon.

We were up at 3 a.m. with the first group and had breakfest soon after. There must have been at least 80 climbers in the hut that night. It was a holiday weekend with the Swiss 4th of July approaching on August the 1st. Everybody wants to be in the mountains then. Once on the trail we saw lights of head-lamps that streached like a glittering snake in the darkenss of the mountain slopes above us. After an hour, at about 3100m, we reached the foot of the Alphubelgletscher. It was time for the rope, crampons, and... pictures. This one was taken just before dawn. The "Alphubel Express" has already departed.