The Ascent of the Similaun Peak on 27 August 1839 (Conclusion)

Appendix.

The Ascent of the Similaun Peak in Schnals on 27 Aug. 1839. 3/3

(Conclusion.)

Since the Similaun punished us pygmies for our audacity in daring to tread upon its eternally white crown, not allowing our eyes to feast upon the magnificent panorama of its distant views, I shall cite the description of the view that Mr Egger had from that very spot on 15 July of this year, although even his was not entirely unobstructed:

To the west one could see the Ortler, towards the south the entire Nonsberg and the mountains extending beyond Trent, as well as those on the left bank of the Adige, the Schlern and the mountain ranges there as far as the Großglockner situated to the east, then the mountains above Sterzing, the Brenner, the entire mountain massif of which our peak itself is a member. – Among these the Wildspitze near Fent and the Wildeisspitze in the innermost corner of Schnals near Kurz-Raß; above all these our giant still proudly rears its head. Between these, many mountains rise beyond the Inn, until at last the dark grey of Bavaria's plains halted the eye. Of Switzerland one could see probably a hundred mountains. And if I am not mistaken, Egger continues, I saw Monte Rosa, which set a limit to my eyes.

In thousandfold groupings, one sees from there ridges and forms of smaller and larger mountains of all kinds. That one is in the land of glaciers, I saw clearly myself before ascending the peak while I still had an adequate view. Fr Beda Weber is right when he says in his work: Whoever has climbed the Similaun can boast of having seen Tyrol's glaciers.

To the northwest, below our summit, there is said to be a colossal pit, called the Similaunsgrube, formed by immense walls of ice, which, shrouded in fog, I did not see.

My seven companions urged me to depart. – With a bleeding heart I took leave of the sublime vantage point, with the firm resolve to keep watch on it for a night with several friends at the time of the summer solstice. The travel equipment was packed together and the plan for the return journey was devised.

In a north-westerly direction, across the great glacier, would certainly have been the nearest return route under a fog-free sky; however, on account of the large crevasses, the guides did not dare set foot this time on this route, which might well be usable for the return, but not for the ascent owing to its great steepness. It was resolved to go in a south-westerly direction across the Grafferner, which is not as steep, is shorter, and has fewer crevasses.

In groups of four we were bound together with ropes; I had mine fastened tightly around my chest. Fuchs, Veithaler and his son, together with Ladurner, formed the first party. Myself, Rafeiner, Spechtenhauser, and Mr Groß formed the second. – We crossed above the crevasse, and the first party set in motion, each man following the other at a distance of 3 to 4 paces. This time I was the lead man of the second party. In spite of our crampons, we glided down across the glacier standing upright, leaning upon the sturdy mountain staff with lightning speed, dodging crevasses here and there, where we could very easily come to a halt. To an onlooker it would certainly have presented a droll spectacle, for our variously coloured coats looked like flags on the ship masts of diverse nations. Both from Katharinaberg and from the valley floor at the entrance of Schnals, one could easily have seen us.

We may have descended in this manner for a quarter of an hour when I noticed that the first party halted and shouted to me to turn more to the west, which they also did. Only once safe did I learn that Fuchs, as lead man, had turned too far to the south and, deceived by the fog, had strayed onto a slope where the ground, covered by too thin a sheet of ice owing to this summer's heat, bordered an abyss at least 600 feet deep, bringing the first caravan close to inescapable danger.

We veered south-west and finally moved over to the west, where I very soon saw the spot where we had taken our midday meal. The distance for which we had required 1 ½ hours of brisk climbing to reach the summit, we covered across the glacier in only 20 minutes.

After half an hour we left the glacier, – the rope was untied, – the crampons removed. – Scree rolled after us, and often in considerable amounts. Where this did not trouble us, the stone slabs tipped over and made going down already more tiring than the ascent. I was truly amazed at the height we had attained, since in our rapid descent, for which the glacier was very helpful to us, we nevertheless required in an entirely straight direction down to the valley floor four full hours.

The Similaun has now been climbed; – I found myself reinvigorated by breathing the pure mountain air. – I and every one of my companions would have begun the journey anew, not yet weary of climbing and wading, just as Thurwieser would still have had a mind to ascend the Ortler when he had only just descended from it. It is something inexplicable to me: for several weeks my muscular strength was rejuvenated; as far as I learned, my companions shared the same feeling. Only the skin of my face peeled off in scales on the fifth day after a prior erysipelas-like inflammation, because, although I had a snow veil with me, I did not use it.

The hospitable guide Rafeiner entertained the entire company upon our return. – I then proceeded to the innkeeper Gorfer in Karthaus, where I went to bed for a few hours. At 1 o'clock in the morning I set out on foot; a light shower of rain accompanied me as far as Staben, where I arrived at 2:30, – threw myself into a carriage, and happily reached my residence at 4 o'clock in the morning on 28 Aug.

In conclusion, I allow myself a few words for a future climber:

One should take the route to the peak that I took on the descent; it is not at all dangerous and tiring like the one we had taken on the ascent, where we had to leap over boulders 5 to 15 feet high. The return route may be entrusted without hesitation to the guides, for which Veithaler with his farmhand Fuchs or Rafeiner will at all times be found willing; both men of discernment, local knowledge, and an education rare for valley dwellers. Indeed, here one may be relieved of the worry of having to beg for a guide with a handsome sum of money. – Such conduct is alien to these men, and I have good cause to express my public thanks to them here for their selflessness and devotion. With equal willingness, Mr Johann Egger, cooperator in Unser Frau, may be found ready to accompany travellers ascending the Similaun: had pressing pastoral duties not detained him, he would gladly have been mine. Mr Egger combines with the qualities of a very fine mountaineer possessing local knowledge and an agreeable companion also those of an excellent geographer.

Any hiker who does not make exaggerated demands, and restricts them to a frugal, clean meal, a very good glass of Tyrolean wine, — a clean and very good bed, and friendly care, will certainly find satisfaction, both with the innkeeper Gorfer in Karthaus and with the lower innkeeper Spechtenhauser in Unser Frau.

Apart from good crampons, a mountain staff, and a snow veil, along with the proper provisions of food, the hiker on the Similaun requires nothing, — the guiding and often lifesaving ropes will be provided by every guide himself.

May lovers of high alpine regions feel encouraged by these pointers to climb the heights scaled by me; the author wishes each of them a better view than was granted to him; yet he believes that any exertion of the ascent, if the weather be favourable, will be rewarding.

Algund, 14 Nov. 1839. Franz Radi, rural physician