A new season begins: a turbo-charged solo romp in the Monte Rosa

My wavering morale over the last few days led me to decide, on a whim late yesterday afternoon, to resume a quest that had been on hold for 8 months...

The counter had indeed been stuck at 57/82 since early August, and I dreamed of continuing this quest to climb all the 4000ers, so dear to my heart.

In the Monte Rosa massif, I had 3 of the 18 left, unfortunately quite far apart. With a touch of daring but being reasonable enough, I let myself imagine that I could try to reach Pollux and the Nordend in one go, in a single day.

And that is what led me to this deeply memorable day: alarm at 5:30, train to Zermatt and a cable-car ride up onto the glaciers, to start the project at 9:20. Long hours followed, being battered by sun and wind, moving alone across gigantic glaciers and enormous slopes, and taking the time for a beautiful escapade.

The attempt would be a success, with of course its share of surprises and complications, and Pollux (4089 m) and the Nordend (4608 m) were indeed reached in one go, after a big physical effort, made harder by the late hour (sun at its zenith, softened snow...). The emotion was great on the summit of the Nordend (the 2nd highest summit in Switzerland), but the timing wouldn't allow me more than ten minutes or so up there!

The descent promised to be tedious, and it was all the more so because the little bag of food and the bottle I had left on the glacier to collect on the way down were no longer there (no ill intent, I presume, but a very nasty surprise for me), and because the descent of the Gornergletscher was punctuated by crossings of glacial torrents (it stings your feet) and a gorge that finally proved impassable, forcing a considerable detour. Delighted to have been able to descend such a wild glacier, but appalled to see what a sorry state it is in, even in April...

Arriving in Zermatt at dusk was a moment of grace and great lightness: the moon rises, I reach my destination, my legs have covered 50+ km / 2800 m of ascent / 4800 m of descent through improbable places at a fairly respectable average speed... Everything is accomplished!