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Whilst in Switzerland we like to get everyone in the group to
hike to the top of a peek. There is nothing special about
this. We just want everyone to go home with a bit of a sense
of achievement. Getting to the top of a peek can give us this
sense of achievement. And the route up is normally a tad more exciting
than Rambling in the valleys.
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| Group
two about to start walking |
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The first peek we climbed this year was called First. For our
younger scouts First is a very big peek with steep paths at the top.
For a young scout this gives a great achievement.
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So no wanting our leaders and Ventures to get bored, or to let
them think that hiking is boring we devise hikes that will stretch
them a little. Hiking up the Hockenhorn in time for dawn is
designed to give all the Venture Scouts and leaders a sense of achievement. Its a hike that will test them a little.
Some of the stupidly enthusiastic leaders and Ventures
found this a little too easy and went on to do the Rinderhorn a week
later but for most this was as difficult as they come.
By the end of camp we had completed three peeks for the three
ability groups. First for the scouts, the Hockenhorn for the
Ventures and older Scouts and the Rinderhorn for the mad leaders.
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| The
first snow field. |
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The peek of the Hockenhorn is about 2 hours walk away from
the Lötchenpass Hütte. We generally take the whole group up
to the Lotchenpass Hutte as an overnight hike.
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snow is about to get steep. The sun is starting to
illuminate the sky. |
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It gives our scouts a change of walking on a Glacier and they get to
spend the night in a high altitude hut. Both of these are requirements
for the Kandersteg International Scout Center High Adventure Award.
We also take time out to teach scouts how to use ice axes.
Then at about 3:00 am those going up the Hockenhorn, nip out and
are back in time for breakfast!
As Scout Leader I wanted to give as many of my scouts as possible
the opportunity of getting to the top of the peek. However, it is not
an easy hike and the safety of people in the group is our highest
priority. For this reason Tim and Nick were not allowed to go as time
and again they showed that they were less than mature, a liability and potentially a danger to
others. Maybe next time.
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In the end two groups went up the Hockenhorn, separated by five
minutes. Group One consisted of Andy J, Geoff, Dave, Ross and Danielle.
Group Two consisted of Michael, Chris, Nicola, Jon, Andy L. Derek
and Mark.
We got up at about 3am but for various reasons didn't actually
manage to leave until after 3:30. There wasn't a cloud in the
sky so we could see so many more stars, than you can in
Romford.
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| Shortly
before dawn, just before the last steep ascent. |
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| Five minutes after starting Danielle the youngest member
of the party felt ill and had to turn back. The first part of
the route is a gentle climb across rocky ground. Eventually we hit a
reasonably flat but very slippery snow field. The top layer of snow
had frozen solid over night.
The picture below was taken from near the top of the Hockenhorn
looking West back towards our hut. The small mountain in the center
of the picture is the little Hockenhorn. We walked across the snow
field just to the right of it.
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sun makes odd colours in the nights sky as it rises.
Our altitude here is over 3000m. |
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