This Article first appeared in
AAC(UK) Newsletter 176
published Winter 2007
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Last updated 13 December 2007
Advanced Alpine Skills Course, August 2007
by Robert Dufton
Three members did the advanced skills course which was based this year at the Oberwalder Hütte in the Glocknergruppe. The hut, located at 2973m, is in a magnificent setting, with views over the Pastern glacier across to the Gross Glockner. Our instructor Hannes Wettstein partly tailored the course to suit our experience and interests, but there was a greater emphasis on the technical elements, e.g. crevasse rescue rather than on the wider elements o planning routes, snow conditions and Alpine weather.
Most days we went to appropriate gullies or glacier fields nearby, but on one windy day we climbed the Johannisberg 3460m, from which we had excellent views in all directions and then after lunch at the hut we went up the nearby Mittlerer Bärenkopf 3357m. A cold front came through bringing snow and very poor visibility on the last day and so we were confined to the hut. However we learnt the Münchhausen technique for self-rescue from a corniced crevasse, and each of us in turn ascended the hut stairwell.
The management of the Oberwalder Hut has recently changed. It is now under the direction of Wolfgang and Patrice Hackel. It's very well run, the food is particularly good, and they had a friendly team working with them. The hut even has a small Intersport "shop", selling equipment at the normal, good value, valley prices.
Being a small group, in the evenings we mixed with others passing through, but on one memorable evening, the three of us and Hannes joined a large group of Dutch 18 year olds. They were marking the completion of their course, and the birthday of one of them. The celebrations progressed from Kaiserschmarren served in a pan big enough for everyone in the whole hut, via lots of singing (from "Bergvagabunden" to the Beatles) to bobbing for apples and finished with other silly games all involving lots of schnapps!
Two of us benefited from bursaries (for which many thanks), which reduce the fees and generously the Club allowed the course to go ahead despite the small number taking part. A quibble was the minor discrepancy between the kit list and what we needed. However we would all encourage more members to do the course, which increased our knowledge considerably. We put some of it to use immediately. Two of the group spent a few days more in the Glocknergruppe, whilst the author joined the Bernese Oberland meet.
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Last updated: 13 December 2007