A new guide

July 12th

Total walking time:  4 hours 10 minutes.

Breakfast at 6.30 a.m.  Dave and I left the friendly Abruzzi hut just after 7, to reach Plan Maison in just under an hour. Here I left Dave and my rucksack and took the cable car down to Cervinia (Breuil), where I found the Guides’ Office, paid for Giorgio and thanked the lady for her efforts to get me an excellent guide.  Then back up to Plan Maison to continue to Testa Grigia with Dave and my rucksack.  From here we had to trudge up the ski pistes to Klein Matterhorn in hot sun and on soft snow, 1 hour 10 minutes.

At midday Euan arrived to take the place of Dave who left for Zermatt and beyond to have his foot examined properly.  With Euan we slowly went up the Breithorn, following a clear trail made by dozens of other climbers, mainly Italians.  It is Sunday and there must have been at least 200 people on the summit that day!  2 hours there and back, 410 m up.

We spent the night at the “refuge” at Klein Matterhorn: no warden, costly but well organised, with all facilities.

Photo:

On the summit of Breithorn