The Swiss Alps. Kev Reynolds
When the pressure of water finally broke through the blockage, a wall of water swept downvalley causing much devastation.
In the warm period of 2000–4000 years ago, much less ice covered the Alps than there is today. Relics found near the 3301m summit of the Theodulpass show that it was snow-free in Roman times, and the tongues of 1st-century glaciers were then at least 300m higher than they are now. Throughout the Middle Ages, a number of passes that are covered by glaciers today were free from snow and ice and were in regular use.
But glaciers began to advance again from the 15th century onwards, reaching their greatest extent around 1850 during what has been referred to as a mini ice age. Visiting Grindelwald in 1723 Horace Mann reported that an exorcist had been employed to halt the advance of the glaciers that were threatening to engulf the village, while a century later James David Forbes described an advancing glacier invading fields of corn, and of seeing peasants gathering ripe cherries ‘with one foot standing on the ice’.
GLACIER RETREAT: CONSEQUENCES FOR MOUNTAINEERING
Recent hot summers have seen the collapse of snow bridges adding to problems where access routes cross glaciers. In some years classic mixed faces have not been in condition (the White Spider section on the Eiger’s Nordwand disappeared in the summer of 2003), and where glaciers are in retreat they often leave behind hazardous slopes of steep and unstable rock. Shrinking icefields have had a significant effect on numerous routes, especially where the climber transfers from glacier to newly polished rockface. Here, as on the approach to several huts, metal ladders may have been bolted to the rock to secure progress, while melting permafrost not only leads to increased danger from stonefall, but also threatens the stability of installations such as pylons carrying cable cars.
Glacier retreat and the increased possibility of rockfall can change the character of a route in significant ways. Climbers are therefore advised to check current conditions with great care before undertaking any alpine expedition.
The present glacial retreat began in the mid-19th century, and according to the Glacier Monitoring Service of the Swiss Academy for Natural Sciences, between 1850 and 2000 some 249 Swiss glaciers disappeared completely. Many more are in danger of disappearing within the next two or three decades, as satellite measurements recorded over the 15-year period from 1985 to 2000 show a 20 per cent loss of the glaciated surface of the Swiss Alps. Apart from the environmental consequences, glacier shrinkage can have a serious impact on mountain activities.
Mountain Activities
Walking/trekking
Every region included in this guide holds almost unlimited scope for walkers of all ages, abilities and ambitions, and in the majority of cases superb multi-day routes exist that link huts, mountain inns and villages. Literally tens of thousands of kilometres of footpaths have been created throughout the Swiss Alps; some of these are ancient trading routes; others, hundreds of years old, were worn by farmers, chamois hunters and crystal collectors. Some have been made specifically to reach mountain huts, while yet more have been devised and constructed by local tourist authorities for the simple enjoyment of their visitors. The majority of trails are waymarked, signed and well maintained, with bridges constructed over large streams and rivers, and rope or metal handrails provided to give psychological support where a section of trail is narrow or exposed.
Footpaths in the mountains are signed with customary Swiss efficiency.
Unambiguous waymarks help walkers keep to their route
The easiest paths (wanderweg) are waymarked with yellow paint flashes. White-red-white striped waymarks are used on more challenging mountain trails (bergweg), while blue-and-white waymarks indicate a so-called alpine route (alpenweg). These alpine routes often involve cairned areas where no proper path exists; there could also be some scrambling involved, with via ferrata/klettersteig style sections of ladder, lengths of fixed rope/cable, or iron rungs drilled into the rock to enable users to surmount difficult crags. Agility and a good head for heights are essential.
Signposts are found at most trail junctions. Apart from a few major resort areas such as Zermatt, they conform to a national standard and provide information with typical Swiss efficiency. Coloured yellow these signs bear the names of major landmark destinations, such as a pass, lake, hut or village, or sometimes a name that appears on no map but which refers to a specific footpath junction. Estimated times to reach these places are given in hours and minutes, while some of the signposts include a plate giving the name and altitude of the immediate locality. In the early stages of a holiday, times may seem difficult to achieve, but most hill walkers soon find them less of a challenge.
In summer, gentle valley walks suitable for families with small children follow trails and tracks through meadows, alongside rivers and around lakes. Funicular railways, gondola lifts and cable cars provide opportunities to gain height and far-reaching views without effort, and in a number of cases enable modest walkers to enjoy easy trails to vantage points that would otherwise be beyond their ambition. Alp hamlets and the occasional farm restaurant make obvious goals. Neither prior experience (beyond common sense) nor specialised equipment will normally be required. But waterproofs, warm clothing and refreshments should be carried, and inexperienced walkers should never stray from a marked footpath. Local tourist offices often provide useful leaflets suggesting suitable walks.
Bolted to the rockface, metal ladders like this one on the Pas de Chèvres, enable trekkers to scale otherwise impassable slabs
Stream crossing en route to the Vereinapass in the Rätikon Alps
Keen hillwalkers have a wonderland to explore, for countless footpaths seduce to mountain huts, passes, viewpoints and modest summits, every one of which will almost certainly reward with an unforgettable experience. For the newcomer to the Alps, however, ambition needs to be tempered with caution. On a first visit the sheer size and scale of the mountains can either excite or intimidate, and it may be difficult to appreciate just how long it will take to walk from A to B when the map’s contours are so tightly drawn. Don’t overstretch yourself on the first few outings. Keep ambition in check until routes have been found that match your capabilities, and make sure you enjoy the steep uphills as much as the level sections and downhill trails. Always carry a map and compass or GPS – and know how to use them. Stick to marked trails and avoid taking shortcuts that will lead to soil erosion, and where a route crosses terrain where no footpath as such is evident, keep alert for waymarks (paint flashes) and/or cairns that show the way.
WEBSITES FOR THE INDEPENDENT WALKER AND TREKKER
www.wandersite.ch and www.wanderland.ch both give plenty of information and advice as well as outline routes for the walker in Switzerland.
Trekking, or walking a multi-day route, is for many the ultimate way to experience the mountains. In essence trekking consists of a series of linear day walks with each successive night spent in a different location. In some mountain regions trekkers need to be self-reliant and carry tent, cooking stove and food. But in Switzerland such backpacking is unnecessary, for there’s a wonderful string of mountain huts, inns, dormitories and hotels almost everywhere below the snowline, enabling the outdoor enthusiast to make a whole host of journeys carrying little more than the basic essentials in a fairly small rucksack. Travelling light frees the spirit to roam the high places with maximum enjoyment and minimum sweat. This book outlines a number of hut-to-hut treks; some have dedicated guidebooks (listed where the route is described), while many more could be devised by careful study of the appropriate maps.
Equipment for the walker and trekker
Experienced hillwalkers will no doubt