Alps 2009

Alpine holiday from Saturday 17th July 2010 to Saturday 1st August, firstly based in Zermatt with Graham Madgwick and his family, then based in Chamonix and guided by Neil Johnson of Alpine Guides Ltd.

Images are © Jonathan Gregory 2009.

See also the MOBILE VERSION of this album, and the OTHER ALBUMS.

Each thumbnail image below is a link to its own picture page, and each picture page has a link to the next one.

58-014 Philip, James, Graham and Pippa
58-017 58-018 Zmuttbach and view down the Zmutt valley at Pt 2026
58-016 Mountain houseleek Sempervivum montanum 58-015 Campanula
58-013 58-011 Matterhorn seen from the hut, Zmuttgrat in the middle
58-010 View W from the hut, Rimpfischhorn on the L, Monte Rosa on the R 58-009 Dent d'Hérens seen from the hut at sunset
Col Durand and descent to Zermatt, Sunday 19th
We attempted to climb the Point de Zinal, but turned back near the Col Durand because of deep snow and slow progress. The pictures are from the descent down the Zmutt valley.
58-008 James and Oliver 58-005 Philip, with Graham and Pippa behind
58-007 Matterhorn 58-006 Dent d'Hérens behind on L, Schönbielhorn in front on R
58-004 Zmutt valley, with Rimpfischhorn above on the L, Monte Rosa on the R 58-003 Path along the moraine of the Zmutt glacier, not far below the hut, with Stafelalp below and Rimpfischhorn and Strahlhorn above and behind
58-002 View of Rimpfischhorn and Strahlhorn from Hohle Bielen 58-001 Waterfall at Pt 2311
Castor, Monday 20th
Graham and I traversed Castor (4228 m) from the Klein Matterhorn via the WNW flank from Klein Matterhorn, descending via the SE ridge to the Quintino Sella hut.
59-036 Lenticular cloud over the Mischabel mountains: Dom and Täschhorn on the L, Alphubel on the R 59-035 Pollux and Castor in front, the twin peaks of Liskamm behind on the L
etc-dsc05025 NW ridge to the summit (Graham's picture) 59-034 View NW from Castor, Zinalrothorn on the very L
59-032 Liskamm seen from Castor 59-033 View along the SE ridge from Castor
59-031 59-030 Along the SE ridge etc-dsc05035 Me (Graham's picture)
59-029 Descending to Quintino Sella hut, which is at the end of the snowy spur, under the cloud; the mountain on the skyline on the L is Testa Grigia 59-028 Graham, approaching the hut
Vincent Pyramide, Tuesday 21st
We crossed the Paso del Naso, climbed Vincent Pyramide (4215 m), and descended to the Gnifetti hut.
59-027 Liskamm E on the L, with Cresta Sella leading up to it, 59-026 Il Naso, Cresta Sella, Liskamm E
59-025 Vincent Pyramide 59-024 Liskamm E ridge and summit
Lisjoch, Wednesday 22nd
When we reached the Lisjoch, the wind was very strong, so we did not continue to Signalkuppe, but descended the Grenzgletscher.
59-023 Spindrift at Lisjoch 59-021 View from the Grenzgletscher over the Gornergletscher and Gornergrat; behind are Dent Blanche L, Obergabelhorn middle and Zinalrothorn R
59-022 59-020 Graham on the Grenzgletscher
59-019 Flowers by the path to Rotenboden from the Gornergletscher
Findelngletscher moraine and Riffelalp, Friday 24th
A family outing; we took the cable car to Blauherd, walked via the Berghaus Flue some way up the right bank of the Findelngletscher, then descended to Riffelalp.
59-018 59-017a Matterhorn seen from Stellisee
59-016 Obergabelhorn and Wellenkuppe seen from Stellisee 59-015 Matterhorn seen from Findelngletscher moraine
59-014 Findelngletscher with Adlerhorn above on L
59-013 59-012 At lunch in an ablation valley
59-011a Obergabelhorn, Wellenkuppe and Zinalrothorn seen from Grüensee 59-010 Obergabelhorn and Wellenkuppe, with the Trift valley leading up, seen from the path to Riffelalp
Arben bivouac hut, Sunday 26th
We were a party of five: Neil and me, Al Powell and his two clients. The next day we traversed the Obergabelhorn, ascent via the Arbengrat, descent via the ENE ridge normal route over Wellenkuppe. We did not stop for photographs.
59-009 Matterhorn north face, Hörnligrat on the L, Zmuttgrat on the R 59-008 Looking up the S side of the Arbengrat
59-007 Sunset with Monte Rosa on L, Liskamm at the back, Breithorn on the R
Torino hut, Tuesday 28th
Neil and I took the cable-car from la Palud to the hut.
59-006 59-001 View from the hut of Mont Blanc R, Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey in the middle, Aiguille Noire de Peuterey L
59-005 View from the hut down to Courmayeur in the valley, with Gran Paradiso on the skyline on the L and the Vanoise (?) on the R 59-003 Vanoise (?)
59-004 59-002 View from the hut of the Dent du Géant over the Aiguilles Marbrées
Dent du Géant, Wednesday 29th
We climbed the Dent du Géant (4013 m) by the normal route from the Torino hut.
60-037 Neil and the melted Madonna on the summit 60-036 View NNW down the Glacier du Tacul and the Mer de Glace, Aiguille Verte on the R
60-032 Grandes Jorasses 60-035 Arête de Rochefort
60-033 View S towards Courmayeur 60-034 View SW across the Glacier du Géant towards the hut, with the Arête de la Brenva behind
Dent Blanche, Friday 31st
We climbed the Dent Blanche (4357 m) by the normal route of the S ridge.
60-031 View NW down the Val d'Hérens 60-030a Matterhorn
60-029 View over Obergabelhorn, in centre of the near ridge, across the Mattertal; Dom, Täschhorn, Alphubel, Rimpfischhorn, Strahlhorn from L to R on the far ridge 60-028 N ridge of the Dent Blanche