Peter (one of the owners of the Hotel Monterosso) warned us that it was
a very long hike from Alagna Valsesia to Saas Fee, and he also warned
us that the trail starts a few miles up the road. We asked
if there was any bus service in the valley and he indicated that
there's a bus the picks you up in the parking lot up the road and takes
you to the trailhead at 7:30. Sure enough as we got to the
parking lot a guy drove up in his car, hopping into this airport van,
and motioned to us indicating he could give us a ride. He didn't
speak English but he didn't have to. He was a very nice old guy
with a Santa Claus beard and demeanor.
08:28
08:29
08:49
08:49
Jed's picture
Jed's picture
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
Not too long after we started hiking it started to ran. Not just
any rain, but epic mountain flooding rain. The hardest rain I've
ever seen, at least hardest rain that latest more than a few
minutes. It just kept raining harder like it would never, ever
stop raining. Kent lead the way up, but after he stopped to wait
up for us he announced he'd was turning around and that he was
scared. I'd never heard Kent be scared of anything.
Nonetheless the three of us pushed on. In another few minutes we
encountered a group of five Swiss friends we were retreating. One
of them was a mountain guide from Zermatt. One of them spoke very
good US style English and advised us that the trail ahead was very
narrow and had steep dropoffs and indicated it would be very easy to
slip and fall to your death in the driving rain and 'that's no way to
go'. Paul and I were covered up but Jed hadn't put on his
rainpants and was drenched. I concluded that the way
forward was really not a great idea and that a lengthy retreat was the
only way to go. We slowly caught up to the five Swiss on our retreat. By
now the path was generally flooded, and there were dangerous torrents
of water pouring across the trail in small torrential rivers. I
slipped and fell on the slick rocks a few times. It really was
fairly hazardous retreating.
Unfortunately it was raining so hard we didn't dare get our iPhones out
to text Kent to tell him we were coming down the mountain.
When we got back to the parking lot the five Swiss were in the van with
Santa Claus, and Santa had three seats left for us. Santa drove
us directly back to our hotel without us even having to ask!
Once we finally got our iPhones out we discovered that Kent had also
received a ride from Santa, had found a taxi at the TI, and was already
on his way to the nearest train station in Domodosolla with three other
guys he met at the TI.
We had Peter call about a taxi to Macugnaga - 240 euros for a 2-1/2
hour ride, and there was an 8 person van available to take the 3 of us
and the 5 Swiss. The taxi to the nearest train station in
Domodosolla was 180 euros and about 2 hours.
Unfortunately they were already making up our rooms so we couldn't
change and shower in them. Also unfortunately the five Swiss
started using the sauna room to shower and change, so we ended up
waiting over an hour for them to change before we could change.
About an hour and a half later we called to get a taxi, and then ended
up waiting about another hour for the taxi to arrive. By the time
we started down the valley in the taxi Kent was already in Domodosolla,
and soon he was in Brig, about 2 or 3 hours ahead of us.
11:32
12:22
The downside of living in the mountains....
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
13:14
The taxi to Domodosolla
13:15
13:15
Paul's pic
Lago d' Orta
We spent a very long time driving down windy mountain roads passing a
number of tiny villages.
While driving we learned that the English speaker of the group attended
the University of Chicago in the late 60s and studied business.
Our grandfather taught economics at UC, but our new friend did not
recognize his name.
The group of 5 Swiss had stayed at Rifugio Pastore, a traditional
overnight stop on the Tour de Monte Rosa.
Their guide told them it was
impossible to return to Rifugio Pastore because the rain had caused the
river to rise too much to cross safely.
They asked how much the
Hotel Monterosso had charged, and when we told them, they told us that
they paid nearly that much to stay at the refuge.
Eventually we passed the town of Omegna and Lago d' Orta, and finally we
were on a four lane highway.
After we'd been driving about an
hour and a half the English speaking Swiss pointed to a valley off to
the left and told us that Macugnaga was another 45 minutes or so up
that valley.
We were fairly stunned that it could take so long to
drive to a place we had planned to hike to in a single day.
15:21
At last we were in Domodosolla.
The three of us paid for our ride
while the other five negotated with the driver to take them all the
way back to Zermatt.
They encouraged us to ride with them since
the trains were 'so expensive'.
We'd had more than enough of the
taxi and we had Swiss half fare cards so we pilled into the train
station.
We struggled a bit in the Domodosolla station - the
first ticket window we found was underground and shut down.
Once
we found the tracks we couldn't find the station itself to buy
tickets.
An older man pointed us in the right direction.
At
the ticket window we were told we'd have to buy half fare tickets on
the train from the conductor, which sounded like a risky
proposition.
The same older gentlemen saw us on the tran and
explained that the Swiss run the trains north of Domodosolla, which
explained why we'd be able to buy half fare tickets.
Turned out
we never saw a conductor so we rode that train for free.
While on the train Paul got out his passport, half fare card, and other paperwork that were in a ziplock for protection.
The ziplock didn't work, and Paul's passport was a wrinkled mess and his half fare card pretty much destroyed.
By the time we reached Brig Kent was already in Saas Fee to retrieve
his luggage.
Kent and I had both sent a bag ahead from
Zermatt.
I followed Kent up to Saas Fee while Paul and Jed went
to Murten for the night.
19:02
I could see some mountain tops in Saas Fee, which was a slight
improvement from the last time we were there.
19:34
Our same room in the Hotel Popcorn.
20:00
20:17
20:00
20:42
We managed to find the same Restaurant Chami Stuba we ate at last year
for another dinner of the world's most expensive and best tasting
chicken wings....
20:42
21:17
21:17
21:28
21:31
21:53
Meanwhile..
Paul and Jed took the train to Murten
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
Paul texted us this picture of Jed being eaten by a pterodactyl.
We were horrified at the news.
He later confirm 'Jed's dead baby, Jed's dead'
He then went out to find Jed's remains in the pterodactyl nest.
Previous
Saturday August 8, 2015
Tour de Monte Rosa
Rifugio Gnifetti to Alagna Valsesia
