Arriving drenched at a mountain hut 1

July 18th

Start: Mattmark dam wall; end:  Rifugio Gaspare Oberto (CAI)
Distance: 7,9 km
Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Vertical distance: 680 m uphill; 70 m downhill

Euan had to go back to Scotland.  This afternoon met with my fifth British guide, Dave Kenyon.  We drove to the Mattmark dam wall, above Saas-Almagell, and from here went up to the Monte Moro pass and a little way down the Italian side to Rifugio Oberto.  We started in cloudy weather at 4.20 p.m. but by 6 p.m. it had started raining, not very hard but continuously and there was thunder in the air.  By 7 p.m. we had reached the col and 15 minutes later we were taking off our wet clothes in the hut.  Friendly reception and we got a good supper.  The “lobby” of the sleeping quarters had a large pellet stove blazing away all night.  Initially it showed 19°C but by the morning it was a stifling 28°C; good for drying out boots and clothes but otherwise unbearable.