The Swiss Alps. Kev Reynolds
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Название: The Swiss Alps
Автор: Kev Reynolds
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Спорт, фитнес
isbn: 9781849654883
isbn:
Hilaire Belloc, The Path to Rome
After the Mont Blanc range the Swiss Alps contain the highest and most spectacular mountains in Western Europe, as well as the longest glacier, the greatest number of 4000m summits, and numerous other peaks on which the foundations of alpinism were forged. The 1786 ascent of Mont Blanc by Paccard and Balmat may have signalled the beginnings of alpine interest and activity under a veil of scientific enquiry, but in the same decade the Benedictine monk Father Placidus à Spescha was busy climbing and exploring the Glarner and Adula Alps with an undisguised passion for mountains and mountaineering that is now shared by tens of thousands of visitors who flock to Switzerland in summer and winter alike.
With their rich variety of massifs, their snowpeaks and immense rock faces, their glaciers, lakes and waterfalls, their forests, flower meadows and pastures, the Swiss Alps may justifiably claim to be the quintessential Alps, a love of which is not confined simply to those who walk, climb or ski among them, but also shared by the frail and elderly and those content simply to sit and gaze in wonder. Yet thanks to its mountains, more than a century after Leslie Stephen coined the phrase, Switzerland remains for many the playground of Europe.
The Alps are without question the best known of all the world’s mountains, and those that tower over the valleys of Switzerland count among the most easily recognised by both connoisseur and layman alike. The Matterhorn instantly comes to mind, but it is not the only one, for Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are symbolic of the Oberland, and the graceful buttresses of Piz Palü in the Bernina range, for example, are depicted on calendar and chocolate box with as much frequency as the proverbial edelweiss and flower-hung chalet. Yet familiarity with such mountains should not breed contempt, for the beauty of the Swiss Alps remains a perennial gift for all to admire.
The Ried glacier hangs above the tiny village of Gasenried (Chapter 2:10)
Mountains make up over 60 per cent of this small landlocked country. With an area of just 41,285 square kilometres, small it may be, but if it were rolled out flat it would be enormous! The landscape, being at once abrupt, dramatic and sublime, is what makes Switzerland so appealing, and while the Pennine and Bernese Alps remain the principal focus of attention for the general tourist as well as for climber, skier and hillwalker, elsewhere the Bernina, Uri and Glarner Alps, the Lepontines, Adula, Silvretta and Rätikon – to name but a few – host a great number of compelling summits that remain unknown to all but a relative handful of enthusiasts.
About this Book
This book sets out to redress the balance, to introduce those who have not yet found them to some of the unfamiliar and largely unsung mountains and valleys, while still giving due regard to the giants that dominate the landscape at Zermatt, Grindelwald or Pontresina. It’s a handy resource for the active hillwalker, trekker, climber and ski tourer; a guide and gazetteer to the peaks, passes and valleys, providing sufficient background information to help anyone planning a visit to make the most of their time there. Questions such as ‘Where to walk, climb or ski?’, ‘What multi-day treks are available and where do they go?’, ‘Where are the mountain huts, what are their facilities, which peaks do they serve?’, and ‘Where are the most suitable valley bases?’ – all these and more are addressed in detail.
This book does not give detailed route directions but information is given about all the guides and maps available for every region under review. The aim of this volume is not to lead step by step, but to inspire, to entertain and to inform; to show the first-time visitor – and those who have already discovered one or two of its districts – what the Swiss Alps have to offer. The emphasis is on activity; the intention to help the reader gain a quality experience with every visit. In truth the outdoor enthusiast is spoilt for choice, but armed with this guide, it should be possible to make that choice a better informed one.
Val Morteratsch, the original route to Piz Bernina (Chapter 4:4)
Dozens of individual valleys are described, together with the mountains that wall them, with recommendations given for their finest walks, treks and climbs. As such recommendations are purely subjective readers may well take issue with some of the suggestions. That is just how it should be.
Working eastwards across the country, this guide is divided into seven chapters, each devoted to a specific range or group of connecting ranges.
The Mountain Ranges
1: Chablais Alps
A small area located south of the Lake of Geneva (Lac Léman) in Canton Valais, its most emblematic peaks are those of the Dents du Midi. No summit exceeds 3200m, and there’s very little permanent snow and ice, but plenty of rock routes can be found in the lower-to-medium grades. There are lots of good walking opportunities, including multi-day hut-to-hut routes, and downhill skiing is popular around Champéry and Morgins. Despite its close proximity to the Mont Blanc range, the Chablais district has some surprisingly little-trod corners where activists may experience a degree of solitude unknown in several other regions of the Swiss Alps.
2: Pennine Alps
Extending along the Swiss-Italian border from the edge of the Mont Blanc massif to the Simplon Pass, the Pennines boast the largest concentration of 4000m summits in the Alps, including Monte Rosa, Matterhorn, Weisshorn, Dent Blanche and the Dom. Snow and ice climbs abound, and while the ordinary rock routes are not technically difficult, the length of many climbs, and the exposure and sometimes questionable quality of the rock, tends to raise the standard of seriousness. Ski mountaineering is popular, with classic tours like the Haute Route (Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn) being a major attraction. Some of Switzerland’s busiest downhill ski resorts are found here (Verbier, Zermatt, Saas Fee), but there are also many seemingly timeless villages and unspoilt valleys. In summer day walks and hut-to-hut tours make the Pennine Alps a veritable mecca for mountain walkers of all persuasions.
3: Lepontine and Adula Alps
The Lepontine Alps of Canton Ticino (Tessin) rise northeast of the Pennine range between the Simplon Pass and the Lukmanier, where the Adula Alps then continue the line as far as the Splügen Pass. The Lepontines gather round surprisingly remote valleys – perfect for walkers, but less rewarding for the ambitious climber. Glaciers are in short supply and the rock is not always reliable. However, a good number of its peaks would repay a visit by scramblers and first-season alpinists. The highest Adula summit is the 3402m Rheinwaldhorn, while Monte Leone (3553m) and the Ofenhorn (3235m) in the western Lepontines have much to commend them. There are no major resorts, but charming and unspoilt villages provide low-key accommodation in a romantic setting, and the whole area is suffused with the warmth and light of Italy.
4: Bernina, Bregaglia and Albula Alps
In the far southeastern corner of the country these three diverse groups are linked by the Bregaglia and Engadine valleys. In the Bernina massif stands the easternmost 4000m summit (Piz Bernina) among an attractive group of snow- and ice-clad peaks where several classic, traditional routes await the visiting mountaineer. Pontresina is the main centre here. The neighbouring Bregaglia is renowned for its quality granite, and in particular the 800m northeast face of Piz Badile. Carrying the Swiss-Italian border, the Bregaglia is a rock climber’s playground par excellence. By contrast the Albula СКАЧАТЬ