2018-08-11
A jagged row of peaks, chopped out a huge tilted block, with a steep drop of over a mile down to the Walensee. How could you not want to traverse them?
The traditional traverse seems to choose, somewhat arbitrarily, 7 peaks, with names approximately:
They are everywhere you look:
Last summer, I made the attempt from the first train to Walenstadt and succeeded in finishing 5 before heat and exhaustion got the best of me. This summer, finishing all 7 was a big goal. I recruited the unstoppable Annelen, and soon the big day arrived, with good weather!
We camped at the Walensee and started at 4:30. After a bit of getting lost in the town, were soon powering up the 1700m climb to the Chäserrugg.
It was soon getting light, and we were treated to a gorgeous view at the summit.
Hinterrugg is really the same peak, so 2 down!
We enjoyed our first descent, down a steep rut of a trail.
Next up was Schibenstoll, with its classic view.
Thankfully we encountered a dripping faucet just below the Schibenstoll/Zuestoll junction (as I had last time), or I would have been done for.
Then, my third time hiking Zuestoll. This time, though, we hiked up the other side, which was actually easier and featured a cool section hiking underneath an overhang.
At this point I was not doing very well - quite tired and dehydrated, and thus unable to eat enough. I was suffering at the top of Brisi.
Fortunately, we were saved by a cow barn! Thanks for sharing your water, cows.
Even more steep grassy trails let us to Frümsel.
There are several enormous holes in the ground around here - one even had anchors for some brave soul to rappel into. Be careful!
The technical crux was this "third class grass", marked by yellow dots offering a shortcut to Selun.
Finally we reached the summit of Selun! The view, now the 13th time, was about the same.
We descended on the proper trail, even running parts and arriving exhausted (for me, anyway) in the hot valley. Annelen sprinted for the bus and got yelled at holding it up for me.
I highly recommend any or all of these peaks! Having now collected 13 summits from amongst these 7, I'll probably take a break for a while.
I think that this certainly qualifies as the steepest day I've ever done, with the highest average grade and the most elevation gain.