Day 6 - The Descent

We awoke on the 6th and final day of our mountain adventure to somewhat mixed emotions: relief that soon we would have home comforts again such as showers, drinkable tap water and decent breakfasts, and sadness that soon our exciting expedition would be over and we would have to return to our normal boring lives. 

I say awoke - I hadn't really slept that night, thanks to a very tall German guy who had climbed into the bunk next to me and snored loudly in my direction all night. So it was really more of a rising than an awakening. 

We had all been slightly dreading the descent back down, after the difficult ascent up to the previous day. However, that morning the bad weather had all but vanished, and we were greeted with a spectacular sunrise that painted the tips of the highest peaks golden. We were filled with new life and energy, and with the wind and rain gone, the descent down didn't seem so bad. 

The stunning sunrise paints the tips of the highest peaks golden

We all watched from the terrace with great amusement as my German cabin neighbour and his climbing partner descended on to the glacier and geared up in silence, facing away from each other - they had clearly had some kind of fall out about something. The taller one stormed off in a sulk, leaving the other one looking a little lost and upset. 

We climbed down from the castle hut (not it's actual name) via a different route this time - a steep and narrow snow ridge. Paul remained at the top, lowering us gradually down on a rope. 

Descending onto the Glacier 

Paul helps Ross down on the rope. 

Me descending from the hut, lowered down on the rope by Paul.

Once we'd all reached the Glacier, we roped up in the usual formations and started the long descent down towards the shimmering lake at the bottom. 

Roping up for the final time.

Me at the top of the glacier

It was strange as we descended, we appeared to be walking through three seasons in the space of a few hours. We started out very much in winter, in thick snow with full winter gear needed. Gradually the temperature climbed as we got lower, and soon the snow had vanished, leaving just the solid ice of the glacier. By the end of the journey, we were very much back in summer; the glacier had turned into running water and rocks, the temperature was high, and we saw greenery for the first time in days. 

Descending down from the mountains into Summer

Seeing greenery for the first time in days

Ian in front of a massive boulder. 

After a fairly short walk around the lake, we reached a huge concrete damn, a road, and a cafe - we were back in the civilised world! We stopped for a much needed coffee break at the cafe, before heading on our way to the bus that would take us to Interlaken - our next destination. 

Me on the damn - back to civilisation. 

Enjoying a much needed coffee break

However, the taxi that was due to take us to the bus stop couldn't be contacted, and our only option was to walk it - about an hour and a half hike along the mountain road. I thought that were this situation to occur back home, we would probably be at a loss for what to do if the taxi just didn't show and there was no other means of transport, you'd never consider walking that far! But in comparison to our 6 days of hard glacier climbing, 1 1/2 hours walking on tarmac was nothing, and we happily set on our way.