Snow!

Yes it’s arrived, the first snow of the new season, and what a day to be out in it. Mr S drove us up a long windy road above Sarnersee, to the snow line at 1300m. It was quiet up at the Mülimäs Hut, no other cars, also v chilly only 1deg C and in the shade. We walked up a snow covered track then decided to go toward Stücklikreuz, it said 1 hr 40 mins. It was already noon, we were a bit late setting off. The snow was really lovely to walk on, not too much and very dry and fluffy. Superb views opened up toward Astelhorn and Arnigrat, and over Sarnersee to the Berneralps. There was just one tricky bit going up, a bit of an awkward icy step, but no great problem.
There was another pair at the viewpoint cross, it was really a stunning place to have a snack. I was watching the Gemse, Mountain goats down in below in the shady snow, quite far away but lovely to see. Now the adventure started. We went down a different way, and the conditions were really bad, hard iced path, very thick muddy holes. Everywhere was severely damaged by the cows on the steep slopes, the summer was really wet up there. Every step down the mountain, 700m was tricky, it wouldn’t be possible without the trekking poles, it took us much longer to get down than go up!
Back down at the roads, my legs and hips were shaking like jelly, and I was glad of a slight up hill easy road to walk on to stop the shaking!
Overall lovely to be in the mountains, but I wouldn’t chose that way down again.
9km, 700m up and down, 4 hours.