Ali and Lay’s Mountaineering Blog

The trip out to Arolla was straightforward - Easyjet flight from Gatwick to Geneva, train to Sion and a bus from there to Arolla.  Smooth as clockwork, but then again isn’t that what you would expect from the Swiss?   

We checked into the Hôtel du Pigne d’Arolla for one night.

Here is a list of gear taken to Arolla:

• 50 litre rucksac
• 50 m rope (9.1mm, dry treated, dynamic - obviously)
• 4 season boots and crampons
• ice axe
• climbing helmet
• climbing harness
• layered clothing system
• gaiters
• warm hat, neck guard / buff
• Gortex outer gloves and liner gloves
• waterproof jacket and overtrousers

We, like the Cat from Red Dwarf love shiny things so we each took:

• belay device
• HMS karabiner (1)
• screwgate karabiners (4)
• snaplink karabiners (2)
• ice screw
• pulley
• prusik loops (3)
• slings (3)

Other useful gear

• altimeter
• headtorch
• glacier glasses
• flask
• Sigg and Nalgene bottles
• whistle
• map, compass and guidebook
• GPS
• survival bag
• first aid kit
• trekking poles
• silk sleeping bag liner (no need for a sleeping bag)
• pen knife
• towel
• wash kit
• sun hat, sun cream, lip protection
• Compeed, zinc oxide tape
• tea bags, hot chocolate (just buy boiling water at the huts)
• toilet paper
• camera
• Snowcard insurance

Following recommendations from Simon Hale and on various Outdoors Magic postings,  we have changed the plan for our first alpine expedition.  Chamonix, our original destination can be somewhat intimidating to novice alpinists, it would appear - especially those that are going without a guide!

The new venue will be Arolla in the Swiss Valais and we hope to summit La Luette (3,548m) and Pigne d’Arolla (3,796m).  Both peaks have routes that are graded ‘F’ for facile (easy) - well we shall see!

We will take advantage of a couple of mountain huts for overnight accommodation.