So! Saas Fee, the base of our climbing objectives! We picked it like one week before we left for our trip. We arrived on Wednesday, found our hotel, got our discount passes, and headed up the Alpin Express gondola to scope out our mountains! We were ambitious and had the following objectives in mind:
- Allalinhorn (4027m)
- Aphubel (4206m) – via a traverse from Allalinhorn
- Strahlhorn (4190m)
When we got into the gondola, the whole system stopped, and we heard some stomping around in the ceiling above us. Turns out that some maintenance crew were hitching a ride up to one of the support towers! We stopped at the first main tower, and they stepped off!
We had some amusing views of the town.
The loneliest lift station
After two gondola rides, we arrived at a funicular! the final leg until the top station
The Allalinhorn in all of its glory!!! Woo!
To the right of it is Feejoch (the col), and Feechopf (the pointy/rocky peak). Not in view was Aphubel and Strahlhorn. The traverse to Aphubel looked sketch. We were told that Strahlhorn was no longer accessible this late in the season… Oh well. Allalinhorn it was!
If you look towards the middle of the photo, you’ll see that giant break in the glacier. Also, a tiny wooden structure… more on that in the next post!
We grabbed some drinks at the cafe, and luckily found some climbers that had just returned from the summit. We picked their brain for beta and went back to town!
Tomorrow = CLIMB TIME!