Silvretta ESC Report

RELAXED SILVRETTA TOUR

Peter Wolf

1 – 6 April 2007

We assembled on Saturday evening in the comfortable surroundings of Hotel Tramserhof, set in the hills above Landeck.

In the morning we took a taxi to Ischgl and warmed up around the pistes. After an early lunch we went to the top of the lifts (Pauliner Kopf 2864m) to start the tour proper.

Following an initial descent to Zeblasjoch (2539m), we skinned up for some 300m to an unnamed col on the Austrian/Swiss frontier from where we could see our destination, the Heidelberger hut (2264m).

Monday dawned cold with perfect blue skies. About two hours of easy skinning brought us to the Kronenjoch col (2976m). Plans to climb the summit of Breite Krone (3079m) were abandoned, due to cloud coming in accompanied by a stiff breeze.

A delightful long descent westwards over powdery snow brought us to the Jamtal hut (2165m). On the way Andy dug a snow pit and demonstrated how to test the layers for stability. Later on he staged an extremely realistic avalanche rescue exercise. We discovered how difficult it is to search, probe and dig in real avalanche debris.

Tuesday was an exhilarating day tour to Hintere Jamspitz (3156m). After skinning for about 4 hours, we made a ski depot just below the summit before booting up the short distance to the top. Stunning views of the Engadine to the south. Then it was fresh tracks over superb powder for some 500m (vertical) down the Jamtalferner, followed by a blast back to the hut.

Next day started overcast with light snow falling. A steady skin of about 3 hours brought us to the col below Dreiländerspitz which was cold and windy so we skied straight down the short distance to the Wiesbadner hut (2443m) in time for a hot lunch. In the afternoon we joined another group for a demonstration of the new Mammut Pulse,Barryvox and practiced searching for multiple burials.

On Thursday we set off early on a day tour in perfect conditions, climbing the western edge of the Ochsentaler glacier amid glittering seracs and icefalls. We went as high as we could on skins, reaching the col at 3054m just below Piz Buin (3312m).

Descending from the col, Andy had us roped up as we crossed gingerly over to the eastern side of the glacier. Unclipping from the ropes and then a delicate traverse brought us to the top of a long steep pitch of perfect untracked powder. This was undoubtedly the best fresh tracks most of us had seen this season, or even years. It was particularly satisfying to sit on the terrace of the Wiesbadner hut with a drink afterwards admiring our handiwork!

On the final day we climbed eastwards from the hut across the foot of Rauherkopf Glacier towards Totenfeldscharte to about 2900m. For the first time on the trip we used kick turns as the terrain became steeper towards the col. Then it was Graham’s turn to dig a snow pit to check the safety of the slope before we started another exhilarating descent in deep untracked powder down the Bieltalferner. This led out eventually to the small resort of Bielerhöhe where we had a celebratory lunch on the terrace of the Hotel Piz Buin.

The adventure was not quite over yet, as our transport down the Klein Vermunt valley to Wirl turned out to be a hot and bumpy ride in a Ratrack machine.

Altogether a stunning tour with comfortable huts, uncrowded slopes and perfect conditions. It provided the best powder most of us had seen for years, thanks to Andy’s excellent guiding ably supported by Graham.

Party: Andy Perkins (Guide), Graham Frost (Aspirant), Gillian and Robert Jeens, Kate Keohane and Julian Davey, Lise Tonelli, Peter Wolf

Maps and guidebook: Swiss 1:50,000 Tarasp 249S. Austrian 1:25,000 Silvretta No. 26. Alpine Ski Mountaineering Vol. 2 by Bill O’Connor (Vol 2)

Accommodation: Hotel Tramserhof (Landeck), Heidelberger, Jamtal and Wiesbadner huts – all excellent