We managed to ride on of the first lifts and we were at the top of the lift system around 0900 before the top drag lifts were running so we started to make the climb straight out of the cable car, a rising traverse under the north side of the Allalinhorn itself.

This is a pretty reasonable climb and fairly pleasant as the sun came round onto the slope a little. After a while we’re into a slightly more awkward area of the glacier and rope up as a precaution for the crevasses.

Up on the Feejoch ridge the snow’s a bit firmer and we switch to crampons for a short distance before returning to skis. For some reason at this point one of my bindings starts to play up and I step out of the ski quite a few times which is a real pain. These are a pair of Dynafits and it’s been fine lower down and fine when I’ve used them before for climbs at home so I’m not entirely sure what the problem is today, my boots are extremely tired and I suspect the insert is too battered now but I think it’s related to the way I twist my left leg around, this broke the boot last year and got repaired by Garmont but I’m having some problems again now.

Switching back to crampons again for the short summit ridge we arrive to blue skies and pose for a few photo’s and admire the views over to Zermatt and the Matterhorn before returning to where we’ve left the skis and starting a 2000m descent to Saas Fee.

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