Friday 22nd August: Morning clear and cold, Afternoon Sunny and warm 2°C to 20°C.
Saas Almagell to Macugnaga:17.5k: 7.15am to 5.00pm: 9hrs 45mins with 15 minute bus trip
7am - Goodbye Furgggstalden
We caught a bus to Mattmark dam
Mattmark Dam - largest earthen dam in Europe
Mont Moro here we come
Looking back at Mattmark Dam
Marmot country
Half way up Mont Moro looking back at Mattmark Dam
Steps of Granite slabs lead to top
Statue of Madonna on Mont Moro
Snow at the top of Mont Moro
Coffee huddled in a rock crevice at top of Mont Moro
Every man and his dog
20th Anniversary Tour Monte Rosa
Chains on way down from top
The easy way up to Mont Moro
Macugnaga 700m below
Dinner spread on bed
Highlight of the day was climbing to the top of Mont Moro at 2984 metres. Worst part of the day was trekking down the other side - a drop of 1600 metres. It was supposed to be cold and wet, but the weather was absolutely beautiful in the morning, even at 2°C, hazy and warm in the afternoon at 20°C for a brief minute.
We're awake at 6am, having stewed all night about the long day ahead. Hilary Sharp, in her book Tour de Monte Rosa has indicated it is an 11 hour hard walk and 19k to Macugnaga. But she's been wrong before and the last two days were grossly underestimated. So we're guessing it's more like a 25k walk that could take us 15hours. And after our long day yesterday of more than 10 hours, those statistics don't look good, particularly when we're about to attempt the highest climb yet to Mont Moro, notorious for misty wet weather. The verdict is we'll get the post bus for 4km along the valley floor to save 2 hrs so we don't arrive at midnight. Yes, we caught a bus. You caught a bus? Yes Graham, we caught a bus. I have a penchant for completing walks from woe to go but catching a bus for 10 minutes was preferable to being caught on a mountain top in freezing weather.
And so after a quick google check of bus times, we aim for the 7.52am from Saas Almagell. This means grabbing a fist full of breakfast and rushing out the door of our Hotel at Furggstalden high above the village of Saas Almagell, at 7am, then racing down hill for 2km to get the post bus up the valley to Mattmark. This was a good decision as even with a head start, our day was almost 10 hrs. Any later and we'd be arriving in the mist and dark.
Mattmark is the largest earthen (dirt) dam in Europe and hoards of people come to visit. The bus drops us at the dam wall and we start walking along the road circuiting the dam. The weather is just glorious. Blue skies and no wind. Mont Moro can be seen clearly ahead. The grade up is good and looking back, Mattmark Dam shrinks as we climb. After an hour, we find a spot in the sun to have breakfast - bread and jam. There's lots of day trippers climbing to the top of Mont Moro and returning to the bus. There's even a few dogs doing the climb - one of them we see being carried.
The granite slabs have been formed into steps - a mammoth task. Closer to the top, snow still lies on the ground. This is the reason we've delayed our trip until August. In June these Mountains would be impassable for the snow. At the top, the mist sets in and it's cold. We huddle in a rock crevice and make a cup of coffee before climbing the last few metres up iron rungs to see the golden statue of the Madonna.
It's freezing and 2°C as we descend, clinging for dear life to the chains fastened to the granite slabs. Down and down - we know we have 1600 meters to descend to the village of Macugnaga and it's a steep descent. Firstly over granite boulders, then loose stones. We stop for lunch, cowering behind a rock to escape the wind and mist driving up from the valley below. Lettuce and mayonnaise with a slice of tomato on stale bread.
The bare stones give way to a trail through the pine forest, and every now and then we get a glimpse of Macugnaga below - looking tantalisingly close but still at least 700 metres down in the valley. Time to stop for a cup of tea. And who should wander past but Francis, tour guide we'd met at the europa Hut, with her group doing the Tour de Monte Rosa. We chat briefly and I return her fold away knife I had found under a chair back at the Europa Hut where she had been sitting. Trekking in the Alps is a small world.
Finally we get to Macugnaga. My thighs are pounded to pulp from all the stepping down, and Ian's knees are telling him it was time to stop 3 hrs ago. Macugnaga is a small Italian village with a centre square surrounded by hotels and shops so we have no trouble finding the Hotel Dufour. Our room is tiny but clean and the shower is hot. Washing is a priority as we both only have one change of clothes.
We check out the menu at the Ristorante downstairs - pasta, pasta and mor pasta. A short walk around the village reveals that every ristorante specialises in tourists pasta. So we head for the local salami shop and buy dried meat, then to the Alimentary and buy fresh greens, cheese, ham and tomatoes. After a quick beer downstairs, we return to our hotel room and spread dinner on a towel on the bed. Yum! Better than pasta in all it's various shapes and sizes.
Time to blog and check out tomorrow's trek. Another 20k day. I hope Hilary's got it right tomorrow.