The weather has sucked. Tell me your stories of climbing above the clouds into the sun, unexpected dry areas, or good times despite rain.

did a bit of sport climbing in the Laabertal yesterday... had the best of the weather on Wednesday last week too!!!

Maybe in the Kaiser this weekend with some friends, doesn´t look good though

two weeks ago I cancelled a trip to the Bernese Alps because of the weather forecast. Then I was persuaded to join another group that went for Piz Kesch to Albula Alps. Okay, Saturday was mostly in the clouds with some snowfall - but Sunday morning was fine until noon and we had fine views to Ortler and Bernina with fresh snow. We didn't make it to Piz Kesch though because the group was too big and unexperienced, but it was an unexpected fine trip.
This weekend I will go for a hiking trip to Zillertal Alps (Edelhuette - Kasseler Huette) and I hope at least Sunday will be better than expected.

Yes, what on earth has happened to the weather this summer in, say, Bavaria where I do most of my mountain hiking?

I check the http://www.zugspitze.de/livecams/cam4.htm camera on top of the Wank mountain, most days. It overlooks Garmisch-Partenkirchen and gives a pretty reasonable view of the Jubilaumsgrat from the Alpspitze across to the Zugspitze.

But for the last few weeks the view has mainly been of the inside of a cloud!

And it all started so well this summer. In fact too well for my June trip as I was hiking back down into valley temperatures close to 90 degrees. Well above what I can easily cope with.

I'm back to Farchant on October 5th for a week and just hope all this cruddy weather has gone by then.

A couple of weeks past I was down in the Smokies. Hiked out over Mt. Ambler to Icewater Springs and the Boulevard and decided not to visit Charlies Bunion despite being only a mile from that viewpoint.Also decided to pass on the chance to see the Jumpoff even though I later learned we were but a short distance from it on the Boulevard. Went back and climbed up Clingman's Dome instead. I really should do this more than once a year. Views- pretty smoky.

Two weeks ago I spent three days in Oberstdorf. My intension was to do the Heilbronner Weg but it rained more or less the whole time so I ended up walking around in the village. On the cemetery I found this

On the cemetery I found this

What's a Weltburger? Is he a good town citizen?

world citizen

desainme wrote:

On the cemetery I found this

What's a Weltburger? Is he a good town citizen?

The text on the stone reads:

Frontside
ANDERL HECKMAIR
BERGFÜHRER (Mountain guide)
WELTBÜRGER (World citizen)
FREUND (Friend)

Backside
GEB. 12.10.1906
GEST. 1.2.2005
1931 CHARMOZ
1938 ERSTBESTEIGER DER EIGER NORDWAND
(First ascent of the Eiger north face)
1951 GRAND JORASSES
ERLEBNISSE (Experiences)

Out in the Wilder Kaiser Saturday to do the North ridge on the Hinter Goinger Halt... a 3er route. The forecast was not bad. We scrambled up the gully system that leads to the col where the climb starts (which by the way is not without a certain stress). The clouds came in with a vengeance and it looked really threatening. I didn´t want to get caught on the ridge if the weather got horrible so a said to the other two that I really think we shoud bail out. We talked about it for a bit, checked the clouds (even lower) and agreed to down climb the gullies. We got off route somehow and ended up in steep ground on at times awful rock which broke away at all the wrong moments. It was a real struggle because it was virtually impossible to protect so we solo down climbed. Anyway about n hour later we got down to the Steinene Rinne and guess what? The clouds lifted. It would have been easier, more fun and one hell of a lot safer to have done the climb! At least it was a bit of down climb and keep a cool head training! I could have kicked myself, but if the weather had really turned, I´d have been all smug about it.... life is like that. The ridge´ll still be there next year, so I´ll go up again.

We at least spent an hour enjoying the amazing rock scenery there and wondering how the hell 3 or 4 Steinböcke got up on the summit of the Predigstuhl north summit!

The ridge´ll still be there next year, so I´ll go up again.

Isn't that what it's all about Charles? Making decisions based on what is currently happening, not what may possibly happen in an hour or twos times. And being able to go back next year to try again.

For my October Farchant trip I'll have a selection of hikes I want to do, (maps and a few photos from the Internet). The ones at the top of my, "I really want to hike to the top of that mountain", and also, "I'll do this one if the weather is lousy as there's less chance of getting lost".

i.e I really want to walk the route from Ohlstadt over the Heimgarten ridge to the Walchensee. But I may have to accept a stroll from Farchant down the Philosophenweg and then up the Wank if it's all low cloud and heavy rain.

Bryan Benn wrote:

The ridge´ll still be there next year, so I´ll go up again.

Isn't that what it's all about Charles? Making decisions based on what is currently happening, not what may possibly happen in an hour or twos times. And being able to go back next year to try again.

For my October Farchant trip I'll have a selection of hikes I want to do, (maps and a few photos from the Internet). The ones at the top of my, "I really want to hike to the top of that mountain", and also, "I'll do this one if the weather is lousy as there's less chance of getting lost".

i.e I really want to walk the route from Ohlstadt over the Heimgarten ridge to the Walchensee. But I may have to accept a stroll from Farchant down the Philosophenweg and then up the Wank if it's all low cloud and heavy rain.

Yes it is Bryan, your quite right. By the way, the Ellmauer Tor by the Steinerne Rinne traverse is also up your street!! Fantastic area and easy to get to, think about it:o)

Regrads Charles

My daily look at the webcam overlooking the mountains south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen http://www.zugspitze.de/livecams/cam4.htm shows what looks like fresh snowfall. And from not a great deal above 2000m!

mvs wrote:The weather has sucked. Tell me your stories of climbing above the clouds into the sun, unexpected dry areas, or good times despite rain.

We did Arete Rochefort and Midi Plan traverse two weeks ago in Chamonix. The conditions were bad but there was no track at all. I loved the virgin conditions in there.

The Rochefort was tracked only untill Aiguille Rochefort but we continued over Dome du Rochefort and bivied on top of the Calotte du Rochefort. The sunset was very spectacular but it was -5C. It was a bit coldish with my 500 gram sleeping bag.

On the Midi-Plan we were opening the trail on this perfect sunny morning with loads of fresh new snow. I was swimming in the snow till my hips and I loved every moment of it. At one point we dropped a cornice and it went down with a big slab avalanche. All the guided parties were following us since the guides were too lazy. At one point one of them started with the trail but he was too slow and I got bored with the pace. After that we continued with the real work.

You don't get to do this stuff too often. Although the routes were "easy" they beat any TD I've done so far.

I would have loved to continue with Aiguilles Traverse in these "winter" conditions but the weather forecast said bad stuff about thunder and 60km/h foehn gusts. My partner didn't feel like continuing... I don't think it would have been that bad. It's regular stuff in Patagonia and the traverse is quite easy to escape.

Great to see so many stories, both sharing my frustration but also getting out there and doing stuff.

So I went for a hike all last week, the "walker's haute route". It was a great time. Pretty lonely - first off I was the only guy going from Zermatt to Chamonix. Secondly, I'd only see these big guided groups at a hut in the evening, hardly ever on the trail.

I can't complain about the weather - the Bernese Oberland sponge helped me out a lot down there in the Penine Alps. Had 3 blue sky days, 3 days of clouds that blocked the highest views (but didn't rain), and a day of rain/snow. I at least saw all the big peaks that are part of the tour.

It was a lot of fun, I'm working on a TR...

Man, Charles I can't wait for you to climb Predigtstuhl and tell me _your_ impression of that "sting in the tail" pitch near the end!!

--Michael