#myalpinelesson
On 9 August, I climbed the Bianco ridge with a guest. Looking back, I would like to share this Alpine lesson with you.
The weather forecast had predicted very good weather for the summit day. Accordingly, about eleven rope teams started at 4 a.m. from the Tschierva Hut in the direction of the famous Himmelsleiter - the Bianco ridge.
Arriving at Fuorcla Prievlusa, it became light and we could clearly see that the wind was much stronger than predicted (30km/h - 60 gusts), moreover a deep layer of clouds and fog made visibility extremely poor!
We three mountain guides were travelling as a team with one guest each and after discussing the issue with the wind and weather and wanting to hear the opinion of our guests, the most inexperienced guest said very firmly that he wanted to continue! No sooner said than done!
Further up we could see the ten rope teams, which were all ahead of us, slowly disappearing in the fog and windy weather, determined to move on! As the weather did not allow for a long discussion, as we had to keep moving due to the cold and windy temperatures, the decision was made to go on. After all, we were three mountain guides in a team with one guest each, which also conveyed a certain sense of security.
A short time later we caught up with the first rope team, which actually wanted to turn around, but then decided to continue when they saw that we, the three rope teams, had decided to go towards the summit. Soon we overtook another rope team on the shark fin. From then on, conditions were icy and in several places we had to belay with ice screws.
Visibility remained poor and the weather windy to stormy and exhausting. In the end, we climbed the whole tour with crampons because of the snowy conditions, which is more time-consuming and energy-sapping, and we reached the Refugio Marco e Rosa only after eleven hours. Everything went well, but our guests were pretty much at the limit, although happy and proud!
The last rope team, which I was really worried about shortly before dark, arrived at the hut half an hour before nightfall, as they had got lost in the poor visibility, among other things.
My Alpine lesson is therefore: If the conditions are demanding, the weather is worse than forecast and the guest is not exceptionally fit, I would clearly turn around - even if I were the only one of eleven rope teams to abort. Of course, the goal is always to have all three conditions - conditions, weather and people (the guest's fitness) - point to green. However, the reality of being a mountain guide is often more complex and waiting for all conditions to be perfect will certainly not feed a family.
Our tour was a classic example of group dynamics, as the majority pulled it off while the back and weaker rope teams got carried away - which can be brutally dangerous. This time, as so often, everything went well, thankfully, and few rope teams give much thought to what didn't go well on the tour. In the past and with much less experience, I probably wouldn't have either. However, everyone can imagine how quickly one dies of hypothermia in the strong wind and cold temperatures at 4000 metres, if one is forced to sit there for several hours, let alone the whole night, because one has twisted the knee, for example!
PS: Perhaps it is also good to know that at a certain altitude on the Bianco ridge you reach a point of no return, as the descent takes longer and is more demanding than the continuation to get to the hut via the summit. This situation will become even more acute in the future, as the Bianco ridge is becoming more and more of an ice tour, especially in late summer and autumn! On the Hörnligrat of the Matterhorn, for example, you can easily climb a little higher even in suboptimal conditions, because you go back the same way anyway. On the Bianco ridge, however, you should realise at the latest before the shark fin, but better on the Fuorcla, that it will be really tedious and difficult to turn around.
I wish you continued patience and passion in climbing and the courage to turn around! Because the only thing that dies when you abandon a tour is your own pride!
