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!