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- Sep 20, 2013
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Alpine At Its Best
For those who love mountains, a trip to the Alps once in the lifetime is a must. No matter what type of climber you are, you will always find a way to enjoy the range. Almost every peak is fully charged with history and every climb represents more that the summit itself, not to mention that the experience is even better when we add the delicious food and great facilities that represents climbing in Europe.
This summer Mountain Madness has been running several trips reaching the most iconic peaks in France, Switzerland and Italy, we are almost at the end of the season and the list of climbs continues to grow. So here is a short dispatch of some of those stories:
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=bdde5a42b7e93e16d31ece842d19caba 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=b2a3a459ab5cab3730fd46cb9aa05708 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=baaf26e87ca96ca486122042004a43d7 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=77eb26b60a7716f6634391300cbd3fea 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=861c5485796cec7b7af1d53320ccc2e6 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=ebb8dee9e9b1792b24067ccf0c8f7ffa 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=f4ad1933d94943268e93c15f50097fdb 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=c9cc20697406b776a01a83e97460e950 500w)
Mont Blanc — The Gouter Ridge. Joshua Jarrin photo
We began with an ascent to the highest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc, mainly located in French territory with one face that belongs to Italy. Joaquim and Luiz O, two Brazilian brothers, found a way to fit a climbing trip into their family vacation in Europe. In fours days, we climbed Petite Aiguille Verte, as part of the acclimatization, and then Mont Blanc by the Gouter Route. Meanwhile their families took some of the lifts from Chamonix and enjoyed great views like from the top of Aiguille du Midi.
After this, Zermatt, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, was the destination and the chosen peak: Matterhorn. Jens N, a Danish climber that already completed the Seven Summits, wanted to try his chances on the Hornli Ridge. We used three days to acclimatize and get used to the terrain before the main goal. During that time we reached the summits of Pollux and Breithorn on the border between Switzerland and Italy.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=df7d544ede306e83e5890025403443e0 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=c0f4e8fe712865dbba20525c0850faaa 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=d8e6be88b5d222bcaaed93b068edd7f6 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=c3936bfd64964d8cac82701b76c92fae 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=a10ef57ce8368adad4a50ff6018b8924 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=a5e13760e55226f59740d2821446accf 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=225d9232b446d02dccefd72ab3a471f6 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=9f4e8b37b95f68381ffe51b7a64b7ae7 500w)
Jens on the summit of Pollux. Joshua Jarrin photo
When we felt ready, we took the lift up to Swarzsee and hiked for two hours, just in time for a great lunch in the Horli Hut. That afternoon we checked the details of the route and rested for the upcoming push. The following day started early. At 3:30am, we were up and having breakfast before our climb. Twelve hundred meters of an alpine rocky ridge were covered in just four hours of scenic climbing. The Matterhorn wasn’t an easy climb, but it got it’s reward once on the top, where we could enjoy the view of peaks from Mont Blanc in France to Dufourspitze, the main summit of Monte Rosa, in Italy.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=52d72edc79bb731538188c9e18a47aeb 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=ccb9c7b59d7f5bdb0faf6ff9c0e52da4 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=fa42f770c7c0e51b3117cf8ca5a5667e 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=a41adf898bb0835d32248f9876e75936 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=574d0c72facf822bcbab86b88f3ddfc1 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=ad1c54c882079fedf9891e8eb1252f8f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=887b59c37a74a29b23bb50035d492c96 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=c5c92b0eef78acb76c9b20db6616804a 500w)
Summit Ridge on Matterhorn. Joshua Jarrin photo
After this, still in Switzerland, Jim C, an experienced climber from Washington joined us for the Spaghetti Traverse. This is a beautiful, five day trip that travels the border with Italy climbing the most important summits of the Monte Rosa Massif. Aside from the climbing, the highlight of this tour is the great accommodations on the Italian side. Everyday, after an average 5 hour journey, we arrived to a different hut and had the opportunity to enjoy some drinks and tasty Italian food for dinner. Considering the title of the trip, you can guess what was the first course! In Jim’s case, the traverse worked for acclimatization and afterwards he successfully climbed the Eiger with MM Guide Mark Allen.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=e733d407775306ade018cfe583a65a75 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=4dded0135bbc1845f7513b11beb81b82 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=e0b4b25c07668052efdd8e769104c2b1 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=3a81339750372e821a80ea69cbd31a72 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=fb6c3fbd0999403a950cf5c9fb06d2f3 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=17480a045310eb38d1e8d7d1a3cf4698 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=a3647ae2bd735baefa25a5ea53c17a5a 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=3d809b48880fbf11628641215ebe9c1a 500w)
Liskamm from the top of Signalkuppe, part of the Spaghetti Traverse. Joshua Jarrin photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=edf591a3f3aa4091c7ac650c240f4a91 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=4e65cdbde15a1465622fa07db1fe45bb 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=c14e45b17103387fae479bd28b96a12d 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=2d7ba8ee679a95505c9d298e517302a1 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=b24453e4eadd6eebbd2b7c897b7967dd 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=0061a3b055792aaa42e318606801d0c9 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=f31a6b0b0f875ebe3e123d28c147d65b 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=91991e6e9b3806288c46203e0051bd3c 640w)
Ice formation on the Spaghetti Traverse. Joshua Jarrin photo
But the summits are not the only way to enjoy the Alps. Sometimes the situation calls for a change of plans, but the fun never ends. That was the case for John L, his wife Meredith and friends Ben and Ashley who completed the traverse of Vallee Blanche from the summit of Aiguille du Midi in France to Torino Hut in Italy and also hiked up to Lac Blanc, near Chamonix. What great stories to come home with after traveling with a professional wrestler, John, who used some of the spots we traveled to to film promotional videos for his own video game.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=17b15cabf68b487678f66cbf699abc5b 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=60d2612c43e8c34ff6ac9d991482b59d 480w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=b66dcd1f030d4ec7f7a18323d9134888 480w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=bd3fc31f8945ce771f1ab65e82d57529 480w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=e35ac1618b2e347552436f307e67c29c 480w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=9135c63d7fa219f6af8445b90801bbe4 480w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=9f6225ee5ba906bffcacb4904c4686f6 480w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=d175447f48a8d4b1c195080e732092bd 480w)
“Bradshaw” promoting his video game from Lac Blanc in the French Alps.
Joshua Jarrin photo
Finally, if the weather goes bad and there are no other options but to turn around, you can still have fun! That was the case with Joe, Kirk, Mario, Pat, David, and Mark, a group of friends that take one mountain trip per year and this time it brought them to the Alps. The first idea was to complete the Spaghetti Traverse, but after reaching Castor, we got hit with a bad storm and had to find our way down to Italy and back to Zermatt. Since we couldn’t complete the traverse, we went for a good time in “Via Ferrata” close to the Furi lift station above Zermatt. The guys were a bit skeptical at the beginning. In the past they always completed the trips, and turning around was a new experience, but after a huge dinner in the Ferraro Hut (Italy) and lots of fun on the cliffs, they ended up with the conclusion that the final plan was even better than a couple of extra summits with bad weather on the range.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=c9b1da5216857706b3aa2981a6eb0eb7 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=3d579d965e341992b6434fd60b4a85ce 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=76eed2715d69626d6210c82424976a1b 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=097992bd0ed04dd397b89bb08d8606cf 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=c51f10057859a56dccc1e11bedf7e908 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=1527cd7a227b52f2bcd2ca73265807b3 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=3c1e32877d92b43cd3dcf4b67caa69fb 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJoshuaPic7.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=b80df4cf9baa8f3850406937dc3e6944 640w)
Mario P. climbing on “Via Ferrata” close to Zermatt. Joshua Jarrin photo