"Walking in the Alps"

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"WALKING IN THE ALPS" In the summer of 1964, I walked ing away unnecessary primus stoves, by an indirect route, through the Alps trypans, etc., only, over the second part from Berchtesgaden in Bavaria to to accumulate essential climbing rope, Chamonix in France, with a preliminary karabiners and primus stoves, so that trip in the Rhaetikon and Ferwall Alps my pack was heavier at the end than in Western Austria and the tiny nation the beginning. of Liechtenstein. Imagine a drunken Alpine weather is changeable and unspider that has inked one of its legs predictable. During summer thunderand crawled across a map. of the Euro- storms, springing up in the late afterpean Alps, now and again raising its noon or evening, are frequent. Someinky leg to leave no trace. Then you times they occur with remarkable sudhave a plan of my "long red line", in- denness and at other times the clouds direct, avoiding places of lesser interest, gather ominously, the thunder rumbling cities and the larger towns; seeking out a warning for hours before the storm the more interesting viewpoints, and the breaks. Often it would rain heavily for solitude of the higher alps, away from half an hour, followed by light rain, and the teeming throngs of the valley and sometimes would be more thunder than highway, penetrating the weaknesses of storm. Long downpours were less frethe ranges where a man alone might quent. The first half of my summer had prudently go. Altogether, I climbed mainly fine mornings with gathering almost half a million feet or more than clouds maturing to thunderstorms almost 88 miles, and unless this epistle is being every afternoon, and some longer periods written on the back of a low-flying of unsettled weather. The latter half of sputnik, descended the same amount, summer had long fine spells, separated crossing 78 passes of between 5600 and by several days of showery weather. 10,000 feet and ascending 28 peaks of Snow falls on the higher alps, even between 6900 to 15,204 feet. in summer. A detailed account would be quite To most people the word "alp" implies impossible, so that I shall concentrate rugged snowy mountains, but in actuality only on generalities and some more in- the name applies to the high mountain teresting places and events. An early pastures, where sheep and cattle graze decision based on my winter trip to in summer and hay is cut. So important Spain, was to keep my weight down so are these flower-studded alps that their far as possible. On such a trip the very name has been given to the whole range, least is still a lot, especially by alpine and then to all matters relating to mounstandards where lightness is the rule. tains. Early in summer, at the end of The only major saving I could make May, early June, the hard-working mounwas to leave the tent behind, and rely tain folk leave the valley to occupy on mountain huts when the weather was crude chalets in the high alps. Hay cutbad, and sleep out when it was not. ting begins early and continues late into Youth hostels are of little value, in September. Methods employed are still Baravia and Switzerland decrepit old primitive, although motor mowers are men of over 25 are denied admission, sometimes used. Hay is dried in several elsewhere they are situated away from ways, poles about 1 metre high, with the mountains to lure youth to the de- cross poles near the top and half-way bauchery of wine, women, and art, found down, are used for making hay-cocks. in the cities. Mountain huts I found also The hay may be dried on racks, left on to be of little value, they opened late in the ground, or hung on improvised fences the season, were more expensive than or lines. The methods seem to vary not Iv was led to expect, and during the sea- only from valley to valley but from son it was quite impossible to get a village to village. Hay and other farm night's sleep in one. In consequence, "stores" such as natural manure, are most nights I slept out under the stars often carried in conical wicker baskets or under an obliging rock bivvy, bushes strapped to the back, and piled high or sheets of iron. When tired of the above the head. I have seen hay transubiquitous corned beef diet, I would ported by overhead cables, or drawn by up at a hotel, live it up with exotic horses, oxen or women. Hay making is Foodar and wine, to collapse soporifically a family occupation for both young and on a feather bed. During the early part old. The chores are not too clearly deof my trip I lightened my load by throw- fined, but mainly the men do the cutting, the children the tedding and turning, Nearby his infamous bunkers. Across and the women the carrying. Old ladies into Austria I visited the Eisriesenwelt, with care-lined faces may be seen or "Giant Ice World", to the south of shuffling along under a staggering load. Salzburg, one of the finest sights in the Alps. Over 30 miles of cave of which The basic difference between the threequarters of a mile is frozen with "Alps" and the "Southern Alps" is in ice stalagmites and stalactites of huge the degree of human effect. The Southern dimensions and crystalline purity. Light- Alps are mild, untamed ranges of soli- ing by means of hand carbide lamps tude, beautiful and challenging. The Alps and magnesium ribbon is superior to have a scenic beauty created by the electric lighting. Freezing occurs beharmony of man and nature during the cause of the high altitude of the cave and course of centuries. No piece of country the induction of cold air. is too small to care for. Hay fields may be only 10 feet square, and strip. farm- The Dolomites are sugar-candy mouning is sometimes practised. Steep hillsides tains, shaped in spires, towers and pinare often terraced. By contrast, New Zea- nacles of amazing shapes, eroded from land's back farm country is mild and magnesium limestone, which is harder raw, with gaping erosion scars too com- than normal limestone, of neutral cream mon. colour which can reflect the climatic mood, and has given names like Rosen- Like may others I imagined the Alps garten to mountain peaks which reflect to be teeming with people, especially the the sunset. Alas for me, the weather ubiquitous tourists. Away from the val- was coludy and showery. It Italy I leys, main centres, and very limited yearned the hard way, through an upset main season, this is not so; even though tum, about the standards of hygiene. they lack the solitude of New Zealand's In most places in Southern Europe it is ranges, it is still possible to find many inadvisable to drink unboiled water away places where one can go and meet no from the source, or to eat unwashed one, apart from the occasional shepherd. fruit. Even so, the development of hydroelectric projects and cable lifts is en- Alone it was imprudent to ascend croaching upon the areas of unspoiled high mountains. Reluctantly I employed quiet. the services of a guide to traverse the three peaks of Piz Palu, together with a Two features of the Alps are the tarverse of the Pers and much slotted flowers and wayside crosses. Late spring Morteratsch Glaciers in the beautiful when the snow is still quite low and Bernina Alps, on the border of southearly summer are best for flowers. The east Switzerland and Italy. From Zeralpenrose (a rhododendron) provides a matt I hired another guide for the trasplash of red around the treeline in June. verse of the Matterhorn, that mountain- In May the alpine meadows are a pro- shaped mountain, ascending via the fusion of flowers of every kind, size and Hornli Ridge, and descending the Italian colour, but it is not until late July or Ridge, to return to Zermatt via the early August that the edelweiss, rarest Furggoch and Furggletscher. The panoand most famous of alpine flowers makes ramas from the Matterhorn are some an appearance. The European Edelweiss of the finest that I have seen. The route has off-white petals that look as if they is marked by plaques to those who have had been cut from coarse cloth, and four died in the attempt. yellow stamens, they are found at mod- At Zermatt teamed erate altitudes in out-of-the-way places I with John (slightly larger than the Tararua Eidel O'Meara, an Englishman of Irish origin, weiss). Wayside crosses and chapels are from Germany, for an ascent of the numerous, especially in Catholic Austria Dufourspitze, the highest peak of the and Italy. The craftsmainship in the Monte Rosa group and Switzerland's carvings of Our Lord is of a high order, highest. It is a long snow slog with the with the muscle structure accurately steepest part near the summit where, shown. A jar of alpine fiowers is often at over 15,000 feet, the air is becoming placed at His feet. thin. John had a little climbing experience. Most of what he knew he Early in my tour I visited Kehlstein, learned from a guy called Harry. Hitler's retreat near Berchtesgaden. His "What happened to "Eagle's Eyrie" where he could over- Harry?" look into both Germany and Austria. "Well, he was taking a photograph, and being unable to get all the scene shorts and knobbly knees, some of the in, took a step backwards and fell down prettiest girls in Éurope and the most a crevasse!" eccentric tourists this side of a padded John had altitude sickness. cell. As you walk its narrow streets, from "We shall have to go back. a luxury hotel comes the strains of an "No, one of us MUST do it, you go orchestra playing chamber music, and on and climb it alone!"' from a snack bar crazy Beatle type twist music. Despite its smart After an argument, which John won, class hotels, Zermatt retains shops and I carried on, and caught up with a party much of its ahead, whom I joined for the final as- alpine village character. sault. I am told that the summit tem- Iti is the meeting place for the world's perature was minus 15 degrees C. On our eccentrics. I met a hard-up American. return the lower glacier was like an oven Another American I overheard directing and the snow as hard as custard. John the route to the Matterhorn in a loud was nervous of glaciers because on a voice, "Go down the street, turn left previous trip his foot had gone through over a little bridge, and turn right. . 1 into something not solid for hundreds of Another American asked me if there is feet. a short cut down the Matterhorn. "It is quite safe, keep to the middle "Sure, the record is 30 seconds. Care and don't dawdle." to beat it?" "It's very soft here." "Can anyone be crankproof," I said "Then don't stand there!" to John. "My left foot has gone through into "I don't think I will wash this shirt, something not solid.' it is only the dirt that is holding it to- "Shut up!" gether.' " On our arrival at the Monte Rosa At Zermatt one may see the we hut had a meal before continuing to rope that broke on the first ascent infamous of Zermatt. John met a man who was look- the Matterhorn in 1865, at its museum. ing for a climbing partner. John, un- One may play cricket with ice axes for aware that to impress climbers one only both wickets and bat when the weather exaggerates the very difficult and under is foul. Or you can give a states everything else, told Ginger how right as you pass the memorial respectful eyes very difficult the glacier was. to Edward Whympher, who made plaque the "Well, of course, I am very experienced first ascent of the Matterhorn. at glaciers," said Ginger. Grindelwald is another famous centre, "What part of New Zealand do you nestling under the notorious Eigerwand. come from?" I asked. The north face of the Wetterhorn is "Well, I am not a Kiwi, but I have equally impressive. In its museum I done most of my climbing in the South- saw a wooden ski-bicycle that was used ern Alps." in the early 1900's, and at its cinema "You are just a stupid pommy Ba documentary on an ascent of the "What part of New Zealand do you Eiger Nordwand, which was one of the come from?" finest mountain films I have seen. Zermatt is a place with charm and Chamonix was journey's end, where I character. Along its car-free streets one had a first-class feed with wine, and may meet climbers carrying packs fes- missed my train. Chamonix nestles under tooned with crampons and ropes, trousers Mont Blanc, with its glaciers and with bright red patches; guides in pointed aiguilles, one of the most sharp spectraditional dress, ladies in fur coats and tacular sights in the whole of the stiletto Alps. shoes, Englishmen with too long -NORM CLARKSON. *