Vicosoprano, Switzerland

Back at base we had two very leisurely days, happy with our achievements. This is the view from the tent, the Spazzacaldiera on the left with the Fiamma just visable. Such a beautiful area.

Bernina, Switzerland

Bernina, Switzerland

Glacier on the Bellavista Terraces.

Bernina, Switzerland

We descended from the summit down into Italy and to the Marco e Rosa hut where, feeling like conquering heros, we spent the afternoon and evening eating, drinking and not-quite-believing! The next morning we had to traverse the Bellavista Terraces and then descend onto the Pers Glacier and so to the Diavolezza hut where we got the cable car back down to the valley. This picture is taken from the Bellavista Terraces looking back at the Marco e Rosa hut.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

The view from the summit looking south and along the line of descent. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

The view from the summit looking east to Piz Palu and the Diavolezza hut. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

Summit photos at 4049m!

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

The final ice pitch before the summit. This was a really nice bit of climbing- a perfect way to summit. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

Abseiling down to the final shoulder before the summit climb. I really like how the block in the foreground is blurred with me in the background in focus. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

The Swiss / Italian boarder. Don't need any passport control here. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

View from Piz Bernina, looking across to Piz Palu. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

Behind this block, the final climb to the summit. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

Looking back down the Biancograt. Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

Thanks (so much!) to Matt for the picture.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

This second route picture picks up from the foot of the Biancograt. From the top of Biancograt the ridge continues but the route becomes rock rather than snow. There are two short abseils before a final ice pitch to the summit.

Piz Bernina, Switzerland

On ascent day Matt very kindly took my camera to take the pictures. This is me at the foot of the Biancograt... here goes! Thanks to Matt for the picture.

Val Roseg, Switzerland

The Tschierva glacier in the evening sun.

Val Roseg, Switzerland

Val Roseg, Switzerland

From the Tschierva hut there is a perfect view of the Biancograt (white ridge). I've marked our route in black. The top of the Biancograt does not mark the summit of Piz Bernina however. From here the route veers slightly east for a further 100m(?) to the summit.

Val Roseg, Switzerland

Val Roseg, Switzerland

The fine weather persisted so we spent one night back at camp sorting ourselves out then headed out to the Tschierva hut for our attempt on Piz Bernina. Rather than spend several hours walking into the hut we chose to take advantage of a horse and cart travelling up Val Roseg. Where's my milk?

Descent from Piz Badile

Descent from Piz Badile

Descent from Piz Badile

The summit ridge of Piz Badile (Badile means spade or shovel) forms the boarder between Switzerland and Italy. This picture shows the north-east face of the mountain with the north ridge to the right. The north ridge offers 19 pitches of smooth granite climbing (it's hard to get the scale from this picture but this ridge is 3000 feet). We didn't take any pictures on the actual route but took plenty from the Sasc Fura hut the next morning.

Vicosoprano, Switzerland

As a special pre-climbing-the-Badile dinner we bought sausages and had bangers and mash, camping style. Afterwards we settled down to enjoy a tunnocks bar and a quiet game of chess. I looked up from a particularly cunning move (...?!) only to find that someone else was also enjoying my tunnocks bar. This is one of my favourite photos of the trip. I've never seen a grasshopper looking so happy.

Chiavenna, Italy

Chiavenna, Italy

We spent the afternoon in Chiavenna (just over the Italian boarder) sport climbing and buying supplies for the Badile.

Bondo, Switzerland

Towards the end of our first week we got the weather window we needed to tackle Objective Number Two: the north ridge of the Badile (the fin of rock at the very right of the picture). However the rainy days we had sat through in the valley had meant substantial snow fall up high. From Bondo we could see our route, and knew that in this state we would have to wait at least another day for the snow to melt...

Bondo, Switzerland

Albigna, Switzerland

The Albigna dam with the Spazzacaldeira behind and the Fiamma just visable on the summit.

Albigna, Switzerland

Standing on the Albigna dam.

Albigna, Switzerland

After a few wet weather days spent playing cards and drinking tea in Chiavenna we got another chance to head up to the Albigna. This time we climbed a couple of sport routes on the other side of the dam directly below the Albigna hut. This is taken from the Albigna dam.

Albigna, Switzerland

The impressive granite slabs of the Albigna taken from the cable car on our way back down to the valley.

Albigna, Switzerland

The forecast for the first few days of our trip wasn't great but there was supposed to be a few hours of sunshine on our first morning so we took advantage of the Albigna cable car and headed up to the Spazzacaldeira. We did a nice sport route to the summit and then thought we'd wonder over to the Fiamma (a 30ft pinnacle of rock)... just for a look. Looking turned to climbing and spurred on by the fact that we might not get another chance to bag objective number one, Matt made a fine ascent to the top of this very precarious pinnacle. Just as I pulled onto the top to join him a flash of lightening and clap of thunder warned us not to push our luck and amazed at what we had achieved we made a hasty retreat back down to the valley. Objective Number One well and truly bagged! Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures that day because it was quite dark, however, John and Toby did the Fiamma several days later and took this fantastic photo of John. Thanks very much to Toby and John for this picture.

Vicosoprano, Switzerland

This summer Matt, John, Toby and me drove to Val Bregaglia for two weeks climbing. Matt and I had a very tight schedule with three main objectives; the Fiamma, the north ridge of the Badile and Piz Bernina via the Biancograt. This is base camp in Vicosoprano at the Mulina campsite (highly recommended, run by two of the most jolly people I have ever met).