UKC

Hi, has anybody tried this approach i.e. starting at first light to avoid stumbling about in the dark? I've tried a search of the site and couldn't see anything. Advantages are finding the route and going up at a different time to other parties. Disadvantages are top ice field may be in bad nick. rockfall? Not a mixed route as such so a dawn start could be effective I think. Experiences?

In reply to glaramara:

I presume you are talking about the Hornli Ridge?

I think we left the hut at 4am and followed our noses/guides and clients. The previous evening we had recced the first 2-300m of climbing. We soloed up to the Solvay Hut and put the rope on after that.

Have fun. It is a brilliant route, but I would strongly recommend starting before dawn unless you are very quick/slick.

In reply to glaramara:
The Matterhorn is notorious for afternoon storms, so you run that risk by starting later. Don't underestimate how long it takes as well. We were well acclimatised and were going well and it took us about 4 1/2 hours up and the same down starting at the Hornli hut, and we only just made it back in time for the last lift down. As we were catching the last lift down a massive thunderstorm hit the mountain and quite a lot of folk had an unplanned stay in the Solvay hut.

If it is a very settled forecast, it could be an advantage starting after the mad rush of guides and clients. I found the initial scrum setting off and the attitude of the local guides pretty unpleasant.

In reply to shantaram:

It is a potentially attractive idea. It requires:

- stable weather
- being fast, 10h for up-and-down is a good time!

Disadvantages:

- you may be held up by slow parties in the upper, more difficult part (i.e. the fixed ropes where passing is difficult)
- you may be bothered by lots of people coming down in the upper part

After all, even though the rush in the morning is somewhat unpleasant, I think it still pays off to start just after the guides and make progress quickly. I did not find the routefinding too much of a problem in the dark. An inspection the previous day up to 3800m (unroped, takes about 1-1.5h going up) helped much, also to calm the anxietey. And, by roughly following the queue in a pre-dawn start, it will anyway be hard to get lost.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Aye the Hornli. But why before dawn, in your opinion? The storm risk later on?

In reply to glaramara:



So you are at the front of the queue, don't get held up by slower parties and it allows a bit of margin for error.

I think it is always a good idea to start alpine routes earlier rather than later.

Tom

In reply to glaramara:


Yes, the storm risk is later on. If you set off in good weather (which you will) there is a risk of a storm later on!

Afternoon storms are something to be aware of in the Alps, there are lots of things to be aware of, storms are just one of them, so make sure you are aware of most of them.

In reply to glaramara:

As some other folk have said, there is a risk of storms in the afternoon - though it's a risk, not a certainty.

The biggest problem though, is traffic. If the weather is decent, there will be the cast of Ben Hur on it, so you are likely to get stuck in queues higher up - a dawn start will almost guarantee you will hit problems at the shoulder with people coming back down from the summit.

In reply to glaramara: Hut is closed this year for refurb. Temporary setup here http://www.hoernlihuette.ch/base_camp.html

£100 a night per person for a temp shelter, ouch!

In reply to aultguish:

Think I've just found another reason why I won't be having a go at this icon Johnny!

In reply to aultguish:

There is no way on Gods earth I am going to pay that. It is also too low down the mountain. Can't see why bivvying near the Hornli would be an issue. I think the rules are, no bivvying within 500m of a hut in swizz-zerland but not sure, in situations were the hut is actually shut. We shall see.

In reply to JohnnyW:
Don't blame you mate.
I'll assess the situation when I get there but I'm not forking out £200 for us to sleep in a tent lol.
If all else fails, we'll head round the Italian side.
Also heading out a week later now, think about the 01/08, give this weather a chance to settle. No plans for doing anything yet, just gonna wing it when we're there
Heard about Paul, Duncan and Anna, shame.

Hopefully catch you and your party out there for a few cheeky wee beers one night

In reply to glaramara:

Snap.
Going to look at a bivvi location somewhere near the Hornli. Issues may be water and stashing kit. Having never been on the Matterhorn, I've no idea of the situation but it won't be a problem to lug a load of water up. May even camp lower down, then head up to the Hornli, get there about midnight and grab a quick kip for 4hrs before setting off. Plenty skinflint options

In reply to aultguish:

Indeed, they used to milk cows in Zermatt, now they do the same to tourists.

My approach would be to catch the last cable car and just hang out at the regular Hornli site until 4am - realistically you're not gong to get much sleep anyway. There's no many places to bivvy there if memory serves me correctly. Not sure the extent of the construction site or whether the no bivvying will be policed (i wouldn't leave anything at the bottom that wasn't well hidden though).

In reply to aultguish:

Yes, we are sticking to our dates, but will be circumspect with objectives. If all else fails, we will just head over into the more Southern Dollies - I still have the Boccette Way to finish after 4 trips, and that has as good a chance as any of being at least clear enough for a traverse.......
Plan, plan, and be flexible!

In reply to featuresforfeet:

Cheers for the info

In reply to featuresforfeet:

I might go and check it out next week, will post findings on here if I do