"On the first part of the ordinary route, the main risk is of being knocked down by a speed-drunk skier".
From "The Alpine 4000m peaks" by Richard Gödeke

He`s referring to the easiest way up the Allalinhorn ( 4027 metres), namely that from the Metro-Allalin station. The knuckle-dragger in the picture cleared Cinder`s left shoulder only by a foot or so, which was completely unnecessary as the piste is fully ten metres wide. If he`d hit her going at that speed (50 mph I`d estimate) her head would have hit the hard snow with such force it would have exploded. Sorry to be graphic about it, but jerks like this deserve to be labelled for what they are. Thanks to the ski piste approach this is expressly the worst standard route up any Alpine 4000er. The only way to give it any redeeming quality is to go up the night before and camp behind that rise up on the left as seen from the station. Two flat spots out of sight from the commercial devastation just over the brow. You`re back in the mountains.

Allalinhorn from the hidden camp

Feechopf from the standard route
on the Allalinhorn

Summit pair, Allalinhorn (Strahlhorn,
Monta Rosa and Rimpfischhorn behind)

Walliser 4000ers behind, summit
of Allalinhorn right

Rimpfischhorn from Allalinhorn

Back at the "hidden camp", Allalinhorn

Allalinhorn before sunrise,
with disreputable foreground

South shoulder of Alphubel at sunset

Täschhorn and Dom at night

Colin and Cinders at our hidden camp,
east shoulder of the Allalinhorn

Skier and alpinist rub shoulders near the
Metro-Allalin station

Fellbach waterfall, Saas-Balen

 

Final shoulder of Allalinhorn (standard
route from the north)

Colin and Cinders at our hidden
camp, east shoulder of the Allalinhorn

Alphubel and Täschhorn at sunset

Sunrise on Monte Rosa from the
south ridge of the Weissmies

Matterhorn from Stelli See

Alphubel from summit
of the Täschhorn

 

Grande Murailles group from Cervinia

 

Les Bouquetins from
Cabane des Vignettes

Grande Murailles group from Cervinia

Descending the north-west face
of the Grand Combin

Abseiling Hörnli ridge, Matterhorn

Bättlihorn from Simplon Pass
in November

Matterhorn from Stelli See

View south into Italy
from top of Bec d`Epicune

Monta Rosa hut with Lyskamm
north face behind

On Ferpecles arete, Dent Blanche

Peaks lining the south side
of the Glacier d`Otemma

Off the glacier, and so taking a rest
after the Grand Combin

Balfrin from Alfons Imseng`s mountain hut,
Saas-Fee Höhenweg

East face of Grand Combin
from Cabane de Chanrion

Bivouac hut beneath
north spur of Dent Blanche

On ascent to Col de Cheilon

Lenspitze group from a bivy
on the Saas-Fee Höhenweg

Crossing the Pas de Chevres

Mäderhorn from Simplon Pass
in November

Grande Murailles group from Cervinia

On the south ridge of Nordend

A November frost, Simplon Pass

Matterhorn from near Findeln

Summit of the Täschhorn

Jägihorn and Jägigrat from
above the Weissmies hut

Seen en route to Almageller hut

East face of Monte Rosa
from Monte Morro

On the north-west ridge
of Grand Cornier

Wannenhorn and Bättlihorn
from Simplon Pass in November

Matterhorn from above Täsch

View north-east from
summit of Matterhorn

Climbing on the Grand Cornier

Wood sculpturer Alfons Imseng
and grand-daughter

On Alphubeljoch,
Allalinhorn behind

On Ferpecles arete, Dent Blanche

Descending the north-west face
of the Grand Combin

Les Bouquetins from the walk-in
to Cabane des Vignettes

On the summit of Bec d`Epicune,
Arolla group behind

Town graveyard, Zermatt

A winter climb on Testa Grigia

East face of the Matterhorn
from Stationi di Plan Maison

Alfons Imseng at his summer home
on the Saas-Fee Höhenweg

Lyskamm from the path
to the Monta Rosa hut

View south into Italy
from top of Bec d`Epicune

Castor, Pollux and Breithorn
from the path to Monta Rosa hut

Summit of Alphubel, Täschhorn
and Dom behind

West face of the Weissmies
from above the Weissmies hut

Wood sculpturer Alfons Imseng
and grand-daughter

Summit of Rimpfischhorn

Zinalrothorn, Alphubel and
Glacier de Zinal from Grand Cornier

Skiers on east flank of Alphubel,
Allalinhorn behind

East face of the Matterhorn
from Stationi di Plan Maison

Sign by Lago d`Orta

Town graveyard, Zermatt

   

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