04.09 Europahütte to Grächen

DSCN2330 Day 6 (4 September) - our sixth day in a row of good weather! DSCN2326 We prepare to leave Europahütte DSCN2328 Brigitte plays with the hut dog while Christine looks on DSCN2331 Time to start on the Europaweg to Grächen
20140904 083509 We climbed up through the larch forest DSC01067 Greg and Christine with the Mattertal below 20140904 083515 The crest of the Alpes Valaisannes 20140904 083726 Looking west to the terrain traversed yesterday on the Weisshornweg
20140904 083748 Jeremy, Christine and Greg DSCN2332 Approaching treeline DSCN2333 The Weisshorn and the Bisgletscher DSCN2334 A bridge ahead of us
DSCN2335 Only four people at a time. DSCN2336 What fun! 20140904 085736 Arriving at the far end 20140904 085808 Christine finishes her crossing
IMG 0611 The men come next DSCN2337 Hanspeter IMG 1327 The bridge was certainly a model for the larger bridge we saw yesterday but which is not now useable. DSCN2338 The Weisshorn and the huge rockfall above Randa
IMG 1464 Round the corner into the next ravine DSCN2340 The trail was re-routed here, going up a landslide DSCN2341 The trail clings to the hillside DSCN2342 Sinuous
DSCN2343 Sarah and Hanspeter taking a short break DSC01066 More ropes and chains... DSC01074 Europaweg does not follow any traditional route DSCN2344 It seems rather to have been pushed through a very difficult landscape.
IMG 1468 Brigitte DSCN2345 Christine approaching a snack site. DSC01069 Leo from the side with Schöllijoch in the distance IMG 1466 Leo from the back with Weisshorn
DSCN2347 A nicely improved section of trail DSCN2348 that then leads into more boulders DSCN2351 Someone was setting up some kind of temporary shelter (note bedframes) DSCN2352 I think that this is an observation well, part of research project on permafrost
DSCN2353 Bietschhorn across the Valais IMG 5319 An exposed section of trail DSCN2354 In some places chiseling into the cliffs wasn't sufficient IMG 1330 Hanspeter and Jeremy
DSC01077 Lunch break. DSCN2355 Approaching the last rough section of the trail. 20140904 114218 Cliffs 20140904 114331 Sarah, Hanspeter and Leo
20140904 115032 Double ropes! 20140904 115048 Hanspeter and Sarah getting ready DSCN2357 Luckily there were ropes! DSCN2358 Climbing down
DSCN2359 Threading one's way DSCN2356 Luckily there was a trail! DSC01075 Someone went crazy with the trail blazes! DSCN2361 Not Christine's favorite surface.
DSCN2364 She is being positive! DSCN2366 Brigitte was being a great daughter! DSCN2367 Really, a giant jumble of rocks! DSCN2369 Around another corner
DSCN2370 Plants hanging on IMG 1478 Today's destination:Gasenried (lower L) and Grächen (center R) 20140904 133647 A belvedere DSCN2372 Natural sculpture
20140904 133907 Human sculpture DSCN2373 Human parody DSCN2374 Brigitte, channeling Andrew Wyeth's "Christina's World" DSCN2377 Directions to Everywhere
DSCN2378 Down through the forest DSCN2379 past some active management DSC01085 and finally into the town of Gasenreid DSCN2380 where pastry awaited!
DSCN2382 But we weren't done yet! DSCN2383 We followed a bisse that, in theory, led to Grächen DSCN2385 Everyone refreshed from their rest in Gasenried IMG 1482 Sarah testing a bench
DSCN2388 Leo and Christine testing the bar at the Hotel Hannigalp DSCN2389 Jeremy, Bri and Sarah DSCN2390 Hanspeter joins the action and buys us a round on Will DSCN2393 Our Last Supper!