palace hotel • wengen 1 - the DHO

REPORT ON D.H.O. GLACIER TOURING, SEASON 1955
Due to unsuitable weather the touring fortnight had to be postponed and subsequently condensed
into the first week of March.
After a preliminary canter down Eismeer, and Goppenstein, a party of eight skied over the Oberand
Unter-Monchjoch, down the Fiescherwand, across the Eismeer, rejoining the latter via the Kalli
Firn above Grindelwald. This was the first time that all but one of the party had made this tour. It
was carried out in ideal conditions—the drop of 8,000 ft. providing the best day's ski-ing of the season
for many of the members.
Two days later eight of us set off for Zermatt via the Ewigschneefeld, Trugberg and the
Finsteraarhorn Hut, where we spent the night. Unfortunately a change in the weather prevented us
climbing the Wannenhorn (as planned) so we contented ourselves with a superb run down the littleknown
Fieschergletscher, arriving at Fiesch for lunch. We caught the train for Zermatt and were met
by two American members of the D.H.O., Jean and Bob Ayer. Jean had virtually achieved the
impossible by finding us rooms in a place already filled to overflowing, while Bob had arranged a
magnificent banquet to celebrate our arrival.
Next day our hosts, together with their guide, showed us the main soft-snow runs of Zermatt.
Alas, still bearing the marks of the previous night's hospitality, the D.H.O. contingent did not exactly
sparkle as the snow.
On the following day four of the party returned to Wengen while the remainder climbed up to
Testa Grigia and skied down to Brieul on the Italian side. After an early start we returned to Zermatt
next morning and then home by train.
The Club will organise a Glacier Touring Group during the latter half of February and beginning
of March 1956. The main idea will be to introduce members to Glacier Touring with easy one-day
trips, while not losing sight of the pioneer traditions of the Club in carrying out one or two skimountaineering
expeditions off the beaten track.
These tours will be subsidised and in addition to the officially organised parties any member of
the Club who makes up a private party of not less than five definite starters (who must, of course, all
belong to the Club) and a guide, will be eligible to participate in this subsidy provided that at least
12 hours'notice is given to the D.H.O. Office prior to the commencement of the trip. R.E.H.E.
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