Climb every mountain..........

Saturday 26th September
Climb every mountain................
We had a lie in this morning and rose to be greeted by fog.Di and Sebastion(hereafter D & S) had the breakfast already laid out for us and we sat down to discuss the options for the day ahead.D & S are keen on buying a new property closer to where they work and they were going to meet up with Sebastion’s friend, who went off last night to climb Mt Pilatus,and talk over the pros and cons of the property.We would tag along and then afterwards Sebastion has a climb in mind for us,if we were up to it.Then depending upon time we could take in the sights of Lucern and either have dinner out or back at their home.
While we were having breakfast,Sebastion’s friend phoned to say that they hadn’t made the top of the mountain last night but had had to sleep out overnight using Sebastions paraglider as some cover.They would still meet us at the house D & S were looking to buy and then they would head off to climb some other mountain.
We met up and had a look at the house from outside its fence.It is a house built in the 1920’s and could be described as a ‘doer upper’ but with plenty of potential.
We then drove a bit further onto Lake Larerz from where we would start the climb up Mount Hochfluh. Sebastion had asked us what we were up for as he had a mountain in mind with a climb of about 1600 metres or 1 mile!!
We had done plenty of walking on this adventure especially during our time in the UK in Settle and the Lake District and distance’s of 10km or more were within our capabilities.So his idea of a 1600 metre climb sounded like it would be achievable.
We should mention at this point that Di is about 6 months pregnant and she is joining us on the trail to the top as well.
The top of the mountain was hidden from view by fog so it was difficult getting an idea of where our final destination up the mountainside was and the trail to get there.All we could see ahead was green pasture rising sharply up behind a small collection of houses.
Sebastion led the way following the marks painted on the sides of a house and then as we got into the pasture on fence posts or small trees.
There was only one way we went in that first hour and that was up,straight up!!The trail didn’t even once divert across the hillside to give the legs some relief from the drive necessary to take each step.Although the pace was slow we needed to take a break every few minutes to keep the breathing going and admire the view down the mountainside to the lake.The going was relatively straight forward as we leaned into the mountainside to find a place to plant our next step.
Eventually we cleared the pasture land and made our way through a small forest of trees and then onto what in the winter time was a ski slope.Here the land got a bit more uneven and boggy in parts and we needed to concentrate on where to step next.
The slope eased a little as we made it up through another small forest of trees to a clearing on a saddle where there a small house with restaurant/bar which could also be reached by road from the other side of the mountain.It was here that we met other people who were out for a climb for the day and also people who had got there by car which might have been an easier alternative than our trail but of course,no challenge at all !!
There was a seat overlooking the valley on the other side of the saddle and we sat there and had lunch of rolls,cheese and salami with a Toberlarone and an apple each.The view would have been beautiful had there been no fog.!!After the strenuous climb we were famished and needed an injection of food to prepare ourselves for the second stage and assault on the mountain top still far above us in the fog.
At this point Sebastion asked if we felt OK and could finish off the last 500 odd metres to the top.Having started at around 400 metres above sea level at the lake we had already covered about 1100 metres and once the lunch had hit the spot we couldn’t give up and say we had only made the saddle.
So with lunch over we strode off full of energy again up the path on the final assault of Mount Hochfluh.The trail initially was just a steady climb and it remained that way for the first 30 minutes or so as we climbed through more forest,this time mostly pine type trees.
Then the trail took on a more steeper slope as we hiked up a ridge with steep drops on both sides,one had a wire rope to protect us from falling off the edge.We were still climbing in fog so unfortunately the only scenery was what was in our immediate vicinity.
As the trail surface turned more to rock and became even steeper we met other people coming down the trail.They were obviously locals as they bounced their way down looking like they had just been out for an afternoon stroll in the mountains.We wondered whether we would feel this way ourselves after making it to the top!!!For now it was back to catching our breath every 10 minutes and hoping that the leg muscles wouldn’t give out before we made it to our destination.
About two thirds of the way up this second stage we had thoughts of stopping and waiting for D & S to conquer the mountain and pick them up again on their descent.However a short rest and a drink changed our minds and we carried on.
Finally as the afternoon was wearing on and a further couple of hours had passed Sebastion,from his position as trail leader,shouted back he could see the last challenge to our climb to the summit,the ladder!!!Now he had mentioned something about a ladder on the way up at some point but we hadn’t really taken much notice thinking that it must be something to help over a small obstruction.After all whoever put it there would have had to haul it up this steep mountainside.
As we made a small flatish area to stop and take in the surroundings as we had broken through the fog level,we also saw,the ladder !!It wasn’t just a few rungs over an obstruction to our path but a bloody tall structure attached to an almost sheer rock face to the summit.It looked like about 50 odd steps to climb to achieve the final goal.
Sebastion was very assuring that we could make the final climb OK as we gave it our own appraisal.Initially I thought it was going to be too much for me but I thought no,I had come this far the worst that could happen to me was that I would fall backwards off the thing and probably die on impact!!Gretchen isn’t into ladders so she said she would look after my pack while I went and took the video from the summit.
The climb up the ladder wasn’t as difficult as I had first thought and I was soon at the top just as the sun was breaking through even more revealing the tops of all of the surrounding mountains in the region,a really spectacular view and worth all the effort of the climb from the previous 4 hours or so.
There was actually another way to the top from the other side of the mountain that didn’t look like it required a ladder to make the final few metres.However I have to agree with Sebastion when he said that the ladder was the challenge!!
Gretchen had enjoyed the view at the base of the ladder and after we climbed back down we all headed off down the mountain side.
While the passage down wasn’t as strenuous on the breathing as it was on the way up it brought other muscles into play and the knees and thighs soon started to notice the exercise they were getting.
All went well with the descent for the first hour even though it was still necessary to be wary about where you put your next footstep and especially so for Gretchen with “her bones of an 80 year old”as helicopter off the mountain wasn’t a prospect in the fog that had now returned,if she slipped and broke one or more of those bones.
However it was me that nearly had the mountain rescue in action.I think I might have become a bit too confident in my descent and on one of few parts of the trail where some rough steps had been hacked into place,my feet went from underneath me and I was quickly on my bottom.The backpack saved full impact with my rear end and Gretchen saved me sliding further.I was more circumspect after that!!
We came back down to the restaurant/bar place about 30 minutes quicker than it took to climb from and Sebastion suggested we reward ourselves with a cold beer!!What a great idea and we joined some other locals inside the homely bar for the reviver before the last part of the descent.
We still had a fair distance to go and with the fog rolling back in quite thickly it didn’t seem like it would be too long until darkness fell and Sebastion didn’t want to have us still on the trail when it did.
The next stage which had been strenuous on the way up was far easier going down and our pace quickened.What also helped was Di’s suggestion of chicken cordon bleu for dinner.We were probably in no fit state(a bit sweaty) to go to a restaurant for dinner and she was also thinking of the BBA budget!! (we shall sign her and Sebastion up).It took us only about half an hour to descend over the ski slopes and I must have been getting over confident again as I suffered another fall and this time Gretchen wasn’t there to stop me.Luckily though my backpack broke my fall on my bottom again and I sort of sprung back to my feet and after gathering my thoughts we were on our way again.
Sebastion had worked out that in the failing light the road would be the best way down once we reached it and our pace quickened even further on the better surface although the distance we would have to cover would increase as it was not straight down as the pasture would have been.
By the time we reached RR in the car park it was dark.It was another 45 minutes or so to home and another well deserved cold beer that Sebastion produced from the fridge while the girls put together the chicken cordon bleu and a salad.
It was a delicious dinner and we hoovered it down after such a strenuous day.Poor Di was exhausted and she didn’t need to much encouragement to put her feet up.
It had been a day of unique Swiss experiences that we would not have been able to do without D & S and particulary Sebastion as our mountain guide and leader up and down the mountain and we are very grateful to them both for the day.

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