Riffelhorn

As the forecast for the day was for rain later on we decided that we would not risk another bivi in a thunder storm, and instead we would find a half day which would provide with some entertaining climbing, and also act as further training for the Matterhorn. For this reason we chose a route called "Skyline" on the Riffelhorn. The route is graded AD+ and is a rock route which the Zermatt Guides use as training for those people who aspire to climb the Matterhorn. We went out to get breakfast, and on the way we passed the Zermatt goats being led down the main street. This is a daily occurance as they are led to their pasture just outside the town.

We got the Gornergrat train to Rotenboden from where we walked to the bottom of out climb. The first section of the climb was fairly straight forward climbing, following the ridge up to a more difficult section. As we approached this difficult section we met a guide with his client. The guide explained to Al (who was ahead of me) that the next pitch was grade 5+ (approximately VS) and that it might be too difficult for us. Al did not mention this to me at the time.

Al struggled up the next section and I followed. This was particularly difficult as we were practicing in big boots, and I was still not used to climbing in my plastics. Eventually I made it up without excessive difficulty (it is surprising the confidence gained by not knowing the true grade), and the rest of the climb was fairly straight forward to the summit, where we stopped for lunch. We were particularly pleased to have reached the summit in guidebook time (1hr). During lunch we had a view similar to that on the right, which was taken from the Gornergrat station just above Rotenboden.

After lunch we began our desecent the way we had come, and abseiled down the difficult sections using the pitons and rings which were embedded in the rock. We joined the Ordinary Route (F) for the final part of the descent, by which time the cloud was building up once again.