I continue from where I stopped in the last post. Since the clash at the very beginning, the first hours were tough for me psychologically. I was mad at myself for not researching better and coming there, I was mad at G. for the way he was telling us how the ascent looks like. I was mad at my friend for making me part of it, and finally I was mad at my guide, I didn’t like how he was operating with the rope, but mostly I was feeling so uncomfortable with the fact that my life depends on him at this time, I just couldn’t trust him and I was sure that if I fall he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it and the giant abyss below me was not helping. I am sure I spent at least 15 minutes hating and blaming everyone of the forth of us(only in my mind of course). Writing it now, these thoughts seem quite stupid and funny, but at these moments back it was different. I had never felt such fear in my entire life. Then at some point my mind got tired of all that thinking, just stopped and only the climbing had left. We had a motto in our small climbing group - A step, a breathe and keep moving up. Focusing only on what had to be done made it easier and far more pleasant. So a lot of steps and breaths later we was at the Solvay Hut.
at 4,003 metres (13,133 ft). It is the highest mountain hut owned by the Swiss Alpine Club, but can be used only in case of emergency.. Here the Swiss guides decide whether to continue or to come back depending on the time that it took to their clients to climb to the shelter.
The notebook in the shelter where we also wrote our names
And the view around
That was our first real break. I didn’t like the breaks, even for water, because once we had stopped, I started to feel the really really tired. while we were climbing it was like being in a flow state of mind, just focus and climbing and nothing else. My guide was deciding for me when it’s time to stop, to dring water or a power gel(that was our main « food » the whole day), if he didn’t tell me it’s time, I wouldn’t even thought about it.
Some more climbing
...Some snow fields..
...and around three hours after Solvay we were finally at the top - 4478m(14 692 ft) above sea level.
It was so amazingly amazing around us :)
We spent probably around 15 minutes there and it was time to go back.
I had the wrong idea that the descent was going to be easier. It was definitely not. It was hard to find the right route and we got lost many times and we even had to climb back a couple of times. Our Friends managed to reach back the Hörnli hut almost 2 hours earlier than us and they were watching us with binoculars from there and trying to help us find the right way through the walkie talkies. While my guide was struggling to find the way I managed to capture a few photos at the end of our adventure. In the morning, 12 hours earlier it was dark, so we couldn’t see this beauty.
Seeing Hörnli Hut again was a happy moment.
My guide at the end of the route. We were so tired and so happy :)). I wasn’t mad at anyone anymore :D. I just loved them all so much. We hugged and congratulated each other there and he told me
« To be honest I didn’t think you could handle it, neither psychologically neither physically ». Not that I was surprised, I knew what he was thinking from the moment we had met, but these words were a small part of the reward for the experience. Which is actually to realize how much more you can than you think, it was like a small representation of the tough times in our life. You think you can’t, you are scared, but you have no other choice that to keep moving forward, even when it seems impossible. And when you reach your destination, you feel grateful and blissful. I will never forget this day.
The next day when we were trekking back to Zermatt part of the people that we met, seeing us with all the equipment, were asking « did you make it to the top ». And I was really proud when answering YES! 😂
We took our car, and started our trip to Geneva, our flight to Bulgaria was from there the next day.
We passed through Lausanne also. Switzerland is beautiful everywhere - at 4478m and at 375m asl it looks like Wonderland to me :).
We took a night walk around Geneva, enjoying the contrast between the almosphere in the high mountain and in the city. In the park near the Geneva Lake we saw a large group of people dancing tango. They were dancing so beautifully that we spent a lot of time watching them.
This was the end of our adventure. Only 8 days, but it felt like a month with all these ups and downs! It was amazing. Thank you very much for reading :)