Weissmies by the back door

Summer 1989 my intention had originally been to go to the Caucasus as part of an exchange project diverted from the then Next Stop Soviet movement, but increasing disturbances, due to the breaking up of the Soviet Union made the arrangement look very uncertain. And as I fourteen days before departure still didn't know whether it would be possible to obtain a visa or not to this region close to the then Soviet border, I finally decided to go for the more safe option and go to the Alps instead. Here I would have no visa trouble, and still a lot of mountains to climb. But since I had negotiated seven weeks off work and thus had a lot of time, I decided to begin soft in the Saas valley and then slowly move westwards. At this time I had not climbed a single mountain between the Saas valley and Simplon, and what would be more natural than going for the highest one: Weissmies, with starting point in the Almageller hut.

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