March 14-16 Konkordia (alps)
3/15/07
2181
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Konkordia
http://picasaweb.google.com/kevinsteffa/07_03_Konkordia
In the Alps of Switzerland, there is a place called Konkordia, a place of meeting, a place where three major glaciers converge into a plain of ice. It is also cultural meeting place where civilization is extended out across the glaciers in a series of mountain refuges, an invitation to an international mix of alpinists and ski-tourists. It is also my first first experience in Europe, and a chance to meet and tour with Ruth after her stay in the Pacific Northwest a year previous.
We don our skiis at Jungfraujoch, the final stop on the train line, an alpine research and tourist facility perched high on the Bernese alpine crest. It feels part space station, and part fantasy ice cavern right out of a gamers world. We had just taken a railway tunneled through the heart of the Eiger, leaving behind the picturesque valleys and lakes that have made this region famous. Before us spreads a glacier of Alaskan scale, gently sloping all the way down to Konkordia with hardly a crevasse to be seen. The sun is shining and the air is calm.
Skiing down at first feels a little strange maybe a combination of the altitude and too little sleep. We are prepared with a rope and glacier gear but leave them stowed. The upper slopes yield to turns gently, a buttery corn, and as we pick up speed across the lower slopes, the icemantled horizons scroll by in a dreamlike trance. We come to a stop at the flats looking back in wonder at the forces that have brought us here.
The refuge is marked by a smooth granite knob rising 100m above the level of the glacier. Behind it rises an impressive monolith, a smooth vertical slab culminating into two knife-edge points. At one time, the glacier rose to the height of the refuge, but a century of warming has since isolated it from the ice. A thousand steps now lead up, bolted into the vertical rock. We climb up and for the first time meet the other travelers who have also made the journey everyone is on the deck in the sun, some half-dozen nationalities represented. Beer flows easily here and the relaxation sets in before a hearty dinner.
After the sun drops and alpenglow has faded from the peaks, the maps come out and excited conversations buzz amongst the various groups. A few phone calls later, some quick organizing by Ruth, and we lay out plans to ski out over Lotschenlucke, and make a stop at Hollandia Hut. It turns out it would open up for the season the very next day.
In the morning we find ourselves crossing the Konkordia flats a final time toward the pass, bound for some sweet corn on the slopes of Kranzberg! In the distance we see tiny specks of the other groups from the night before heading out to various goals, but again the vastness of the terrain swallows up their presence we are alone in a quiet world of blue and white.
The Hollandia hut is an incredible place! We had been skinning for hours up from Konkordia, the landscape nearly unchanging, shadows slowly creeping down across the flats, and a cold wind settling in. At Loetschenluecke, the hut is perched on a rock overlooking both valleys, capturing the last rays of the setting sun. The dining room is adorned with stained glass and carvings, and warm light spills in through all the windows. Besides the custodians whom had arrived hours before, we share the place with a Swiss family who had just skied a high traverse from Jungfraujoch that day. Bundled in wool blankets, we sip tea and a warm soup, and all play a Swiss card game 'Jass. Acorns are the trump, and the Jack takes all!
Skiing out the cathedral of rock, ice and snow through Loetschenluecke challenges us unexpectedly with changing snow conditions: windblown crust mixed with corn, lots of learning opportunities. We recognize the remains of the Anen-refuge on the right, swept away like a house of cards by an avalanche two weeks ago. The valley narrows over the moraine, then spreads into a lovely larch tree plain, and we are happy to ski down the cross country trail into town. Good afternoon Yeti, and welcome to Valais!
http://picasaweb.google.com/kevinsteffa/07_03_Konkordia
In the Alps of Switzerland, there is a place called Konkordia, a place of meeting, a place where three major glaciers converge into a plain of ice. It is also cultural meeting place where civilization is extended out across the glaciers in a series of mountain refuges, an invitation to an international mix of alpinists and ski-tourists. It is also my first first experience in Europe, and a chance to meet and tour with Ruth after her stay in the Pacific Northwest a year previous.
We don our skiis at Jungfraujoch, the final stop on the train line, an alpine research and tourist facility perched high on the Bernese alpine crest. It feels part space station, and part fantasy ice cavern right out of a gamers world. We had just taken a railway tunneled through the heart of the Eiger, leaving behind the picturesque valleys and lakes that have made this region famous. Before us spreads a glacier of Alaskan scale, gently sloping all the way down to Konkordia with hardly a crevasse to be seen. The sun is shining and the air is calm.
Skiing down at first feels a little strange maybe a combination of the altitude and too little sleep. We are prepared with a rope and glacier gear but leave them stowed. The upper slopes yield to turns gently, a buttery corn, and as we pick up speed across the lower slopes, the icemantled horizons scroll by in a dreamlike trance. We come to a stop at the flats looking back in wonder at the forces that have brought us here.
The refuge is marked by a smooth granite knob rising 100m above the level of the glacier. Behind it rises an impressive monolith, a smooth vertical slab culminating into two knife-edge points. At one time, the glacier rose to the height of the refuge, but a century of warming has since isolated it from the ice. A thousand steps now lead up, bolted into the vertical rock. We climb up and for the first time meet the other travelers who have also made the journey everyone is on the deck in the sun, some half-dozen nationalities represented. Beer flows easily here and the relaxation sets in before a hearty dinner.
After the sun drops and alpenglow has faded from the peaks, the maps come out and excited conversations buzz amongst the various groups. A few phone calls later, some quick organizing by Ruth, and we lay out plans to ski out over Lotschenlucke, and make a stop at Hollandia Hut. It turns out it would open up for the season the very next day.
In the morning we find ourselves crossing the Konkordia flats a final time toward the pass, bound for some sweet corn on the slopes of Kranzberg! In the distance we see tiny specks of the other groups from the night before heading out to various goals, but again the vastness of the terrain swallows up their presence we are alone in a quiet world of blue and white.
The Hollandia hut is an incredible place! We had been skinning for hours up from Konkordia, the landscape nearly unchanging, shadows slowly creeping down across the flats, and a cold wind settling in. At Loetschenluecke, the hut is perched on a rock overlooking both valleys, capturing the last rays of the setting sun. The dining room is adorned with stained glass and carvings, and warm light spills in through all the windows. Besides the custodians whom had arrived hours before, we share the place with a Swiss family who had just skied a high traverse from Jungfraujoch that day. Bundled in wool blankets, we sip tea and a warm soup, and all play a Swiss card game 'Jass. Acorns are the trump, and the Jack takes all!
Skiing out the cathedral of rock, ice and snow through Loetschenluecke challenges us unexpectedly with changing snow conditions: windblown crust mixed with corn, lots of learning opportunities. We recognize the remains of the Anen-refuge on the right, swept away like a house of cards by an avalanche two weeks ago. The valley narrows over the moraine, then spreads into a lovely larch tree plain, and we are happy to ski down the cross country trail into town. Good afternoon Yeti, and welcome to Valais!
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