Читать книгу The Swiss Alps онлайн

16 страница из 176

The precise period for hut-to-hut trekking will depend on the specific route and the height of passes that need to be crossed, but from early July until the end of September these should be snow-free and safe to attempt. As a general rule, the most popular huts are manned from July until late September – but check first as there are numerous variations.

Walking and climbing/mountaineering take place at varying altitudes between June and the end of September or early October, although given the right conditions, the keenest of participants will make the most of every opportunity no matter what the calendar says. However, July is the optimum month for mountaineering, when the glaciers should still retain some snow cover but the highest ridges are usually bare and dry. The weather is often fairly settled, although a heatwave can bring major rockfalls as the glue of permafrost melts. Global warming has resulted in several recent heatwave summers, ruling out any predictability for good conditions on snow and ice faces outside the late winter months.