When I'd originally phoned the guardian at the Oberaarjoch hut to book us in for Friday and Saturday nights I'd also asked what time most people left the Berghaus Oberaar to walk up to the hut. "Any time", I was told.
So now we were at the Berghaus we wouldn't need an alpine start. We had a leisurely breakfast at seven, and it was twenty past eight by the time we hoisted our sacks loaded with kit for nine days in the mountains and set off down the steps to cross the dam. The morning was cool, with cloud blowing around in the valley and over the nearby summits, but the forecast was for improving weather and high pressure building.
We followed the more-or-less level path along the north side of the lake. It takes about an hour to get to where the tongue of the Oberaar glacier feeds into the moraines at the head of the lake, and the path starts to rise. Soon after, we took the opportunity to get onto the glacier itself, here dry (no snow covering).
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| Oberaarjoch on the skyline at the head of the glacier |
Despite John's disappointment that he wouldn't get to use his new crampons yet, we scrunched in boots over the gravel- and grit-covered ice keeping within sight of the right-hand edge of the glacier. Our objective, the Oberaarjoch, which had been in clear view earlier, had disappeared in the mist and cloud. Looking back we could see a large group following us, but as the mist closed in on us and visibility dropped to about 50 metres we lost sight of them.
Climbing gently, we crossed several low piles of rock - remnants of rockfalls from higher up being gradually carried down by the glacier. Then a larger pile, more like a rocky ridge, loomed through the murk. John and Chris were tending too far left for my liking - I was intent on keeping right, closer to the edge of the glacier. We took different routes across the rocks, then rejoined. Time for the map and compass, we agreed. A quick check gave us the right line, but we kept the compass handy for reassurance.
As we gained height snow patches started to appear on the glacier. We avoided the smaller ones, but before long there was more snow than bare ice, and then the first crevasse across our route. Time to rope up.
As we put on harnesses, tied on and took coils, the people we'd seen earlier appeared through the mist. They stopped as well. They were a group of 8 Swiss, who formed themselves into two ropes of four. We all set off at the same time, and started to pick our way through a zone of transverse crevasses. Most were narrow enough to step across, but a few were wider with limited crossing points. We and the Swiss started to get in each others' way, and in the end we claimed space on the heels of their first rope, with the others following behind us.
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| Our companions on the glacier (Photo - Chris) |
We made steady progress, and the mist started to clear. From time to time we could see the col, and by 1130, when we had been on the glacier for about two hours and were well over half way, it had cleared completely.
As we and the Swiss paused occasionally for a breather we played leap-frog with their two groups, and by the time the col was within reach of a final push we were at the front. And that's how we arrived at the col.
There was no problem finding the hut - a case of "you can't miss it" on the rocks a few metres above and to the right of the col. We squeezed into the tiny boot room, already overcrowded with four other people in it, and then into the common room to report in. The guardian was disconcerted - yes we were expected, but only for tonight. They were already over-full for Saturday night, and some people had been told they'd have to sleep on the floor. I pointed out we'd booked by phone for two nights, but it seemed that language problems had led to a misunderstanding.
We were given sleeping spaces for the night, though, and between ourselves we reckoned that possession was nine tenths of the law. We'd leave some kit in the spaces, and wouldn't move unless forced. The strategy worked, and nothing more was said.
Just one final comment about that night. The Oberaarjoch hut is very popular at weekends - it's easy to get to, and the Oberaarhorn is a straightforward climb with splendid views. The prospect of sunrise on the summit attracts people who would not normally stay at more inaccessible huts. Hut etiquette was badly observed - loud conversations after lights out, prolonged kit sorting in the dormitory, large helpings of food grabbed before everyone had had their chance. A pity, because as somebody said to us a few days later, "It doesn't show us Swiss in a very good light." True, and fortunately a rare problem in our experience.
| time | altitude(m) | distance(km) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berghaus Oberaar | 0820 | 2338 | 0 |
| Oberaarjoch hut | 1305 | 3256 | 8.5 |
| Total height gain/loss (m) | 918 | ||
| Total time | 4h 45min | ||
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Design, text and graphics by Tony Turton. Copyright © 2002 Tony Turton
Last updated 7 September 2002