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The Haute Route de Soleil is a ski tour along the ridge of mountains south of the high valley between Fiesch and Andermatt. It follows the Swiss Italian border and drops into both Italy and Ticino, Italian speaking Switzerland.
In March 2009 I join a group from the International School of Mountaineering (ISM) led by guide Terry Ralphs to do the tour. On the Sunday night we meet up in Hotel Badus in Andermatt to discuss the route. The weather forecast is mixed for the week so the outcome of the trip is uncertain.
However Monday is fine and we board the train with full sacks heading for Fiesch where a taxi takes us through a long, straight old tunnel into the hidden valley of Binn where we start our tour.
We climb the Binn valley, first on a snow covered road and then along a track traversing the side of a gorge leading to a higher valley. From here we climb a ridge then round and up to the Binntalhutte (2275m). About 3hrs, including a picnic and 700m of climbing.
A good dinner of soup, salad and pasta washed down with red wine.
Day 2 weather is not encouraging - snow and wind. Nevertheless by 7 we are off. Terry decides to take the easier route (above) around the north side of the Ofenhorn. We ski down from the hut then put on skins for a 900m climb around a buttress then rising traverses to the col.
At the col we start to ascend the peak but howling winds and low temperatures persuade us to turn back. A few turns down then a pole along the glacier. We then skin across the lake in Arctic winds before a grim climb up around the dam leads to a welcoming Mores Hut - hot showers, pasta. and a cosy bunk room above the kitchen. 6hrs, 980m ascent and awful weather!
Next day we can see again (below)
