The Margherita hut is the highest building in Europe at 4550m - yet still manages to provide free Wifi, phone charging, real coffee, a friendly welcome and the best hut meal of the summer (and free after-dinner Genépi!) From the hut the summit of Dufourspitze seems tantalisingly close, but the 4563m Zumsteinspitze bars the way, and the spectacular AD ridge joining the 2 peaks is narrow and delicate (even compared to the previous day on Liskamm!)
.JPG "Margherita hut from Zumsteinspitze")
.JPG "Early morning light on the South East ridge of Dufourspitze")
.JPG "The crux slabs, high on the SE ridge")
.JPG "Dawn light, just below the summit.")
.JPG "A team on the Dunantspitze")
.JPG "Looking back from the summit to the Signalkuppe")
From the summit we back-tracked over the Dunantspitze and made a tricky descent to the Silbersattel. There used to be fixed ropes here but they were destroyed by rockfall and the descent now involves some careful down-climbing. We'd hoped to climb Nordend, but the wind had blasted the joining ridge leaving a terrifying traverse on steep bare ice, so we had second thoughts and trekked out down the Monte Rosa glacier pondering the ethics of the 2 other teams...who'd booked a heli pick-up from the Satteltole at 4100m!
.JPG "Descent to the Silbersattel")
.JPG "Descending the Monte Rosa glacier")
