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Friday August 3rd, 2007
The weather was improving by the following morning, but there was still a light drizzle falling as we set off at 8:45 in misty clouds: no tremendous views of mountains and glaciers today!
After a damp couple of hours we stopped at the old and atmospheric Rotstock Huette (complete with its old and atmospheric outdoor pit toilets (yuck)) for some restorative hot chocolate and apple tart. Russell and Sally, continuing a pattern that had started on the ascent up to Muerren in the previous stage, thereafter forged on ahead, leaving me and the guest hikers to follow.
The simple fact is that those of us hiking the whole of the H2H are in the meantime in much better shape than some of the guest hikers. This was not unexpected, and for myself I had decided before the hike that when and if such a situation occurred I would hike with the guest hikers, for several reasons:
o Safety: it was quite likely that I'd be more experienced from a hiking perspective than some guest-hikers, and furthermore I would have the maps.
o Morale: if I were a guest hiker and none of the three whole-way hikers were to stay with me, I'd quickly start to feel disheartened and like a second class citizen.
o Being a good host: for the most part the guest hikers are my friends, and it would feel wrong to leave them to hike alone.
o And lastly, entertainment: new faces, new conversations, and after all, what would I do with the time "saved" by hiking faster?
Russell and Sally, perhaps also for various, but different, reasons, and also because with me staying back the guest hikers were not alone, felt free to hike at the speed that was most comfortable for them. As a result, and in spite of waiting for a half an hour at the 2612m Sefinenfurke pass, they reached Griesalp an hour or more ahead of us. We arrived, more or less punctually (as compared to the sign-posted times and my own estimates) around 5PM.
There is perhaps less to say about the trail than usual because for most of the time we were hiking through clouds with limited views. The last couple of hundred meters of climbing before the pass, and the first couple of hundred of descent afterwards, were very steep and tiring (giving us a taste of what was to await us on our hike over the Hohtuerli the following day... but I am getting ahead of myself).
The high-point, at least emotionally, of the day was encountering a small herd of large white goats that seemed to possess a certain nobility, if goats can be said to posess such a quality. They were completely unafraid of us, quite friendly, and left me with the impression that they regarded us as equals... quite different from feeling I get from most domesticated animals other than cats. I found that I quite liked them and learned later that they were a breed from the Saanen region of Switzerland: perhaps we should get some for Provence? On the other hand, having observed the unconcerned way they ignored barbed wire fences (slipping between or under the wires), perhaps not: I'm not sure that we would keep them for long!
Our accommodation for the night, the Berggasthaus Golderli, remains an idiosyncratic place with a disconcerting mixture of friendly generosity and irksome and inflexible rules. However, since there is not much choice in Griesalp (one of the more isolated villages we have come across), as the saying goes: beggars can't be choosers. The alpacas were still there, but at least this time the cows kept their distance in the night and I was able to sleep!
Last comment: there is such a difference in my physical fitness from last time we were here (four years ago): then I was exhausted when I got to Golderli, this time I was only a little tired and could have continued for several additional hours if necessary. A pleasing change!
