We've started! The "Basler Hausmann's Zunft" have finally taken
their first steps on the Alpine Pass Route.
Neil, Peter, Andreas, Scotty, Matt
and Norval started out on Saturday to be joined by Mark, at Weisstannen,
the groups
stop-over point on Sunday morning.
With their beautiful mountain backdrop, we left the views of Sargans Castle and the town of Mels behind
us as we continued up the gentle climb out of town to St. Martin and it's tiny chapel.
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Continuing up the quiet lanes, we passed a number of farms with fields so steep that the hay
had to be gathered by hand. Here we could look ahead to the dense foliage of the Weisstannental, with the
ever-present reminder of which country we were in, or behind to the valley floor, including our starting
point of Sargans, about 500 metres below.
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It was at this point that we were able to join the country track, and sometimes streams, through the forest.
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Passing the local weather station, some didn't know where to look, while others took matters in to their own
hands and decided to celebrate the fine weather with a skinny-dip in the nearby river - the first of many!
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While the view from our hotel balcony could have been a bit better, some of us were nearly falling
over ourselves with the pleasure of just being here, or stripping off again!
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While the benefits of an invisible backpack were graphically displayed, we heard a "lunch" bell ring
somewhere nearby. Following an intensive search we settled down for a picnic.
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There really is nothing like having a fully clothed shower while standing underneath a snow bridge! Just
one problem - it seems that a boot was lost so the search party was sent in to the depths of the black hole!
Fortunately everyone returned safely.
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After all those exertions there's nothing else for it but another swim! What's Peter up to though?
Off to find another spot. Meanwhile spear-fishing lessons are taking place a bit further downstream.
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Nearing the pass it looks like everyone is doing fine. Just a little bit further along the path and up a few metres!
Once at the top of the pass the views on either side are spectacular. It's all down hill from here.
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Getting up the last stage was a bit harder than we though and left us strung out down the mountain.
Still, it was alright for those who were already there. They could relax, phone loved ones and watch the rest catch up!
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Once up to the pass we had one thing on our minds - a nice cold glass of...
Water. We still needed to dilute the excesses of the night before!
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So it was a race to the water point - a cow trough in the courtyard of an empty farm. But how good did that water taste!
Then another slippery track down to the end point in Elm.
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"Down the Gregory", Andreas!
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