Climbing above Kandersteg: Ueschenen day 2

We start with the same procedure as Saturday: gondola up and then walking around the corner and up to the cliff face. We're not overly surprised to see a bunch of cars parked near where the path heads up from the road today (it's Sunday). Up up to the cliff and then it's decision time.

We want to do a route in the other wall, which is steeper and bit higher than what we did yesterday, so we opt for Aurikel Primula. We get ready and wait a couple of minutes for the pair in front of us to move up and then G starts climbing. He doesn't get very far. After the second bolt there's a bit he doesn't like (probably some of this is also nervousness about the 5c+ pitch above and the crowds) and after looking at it for a bit he wimps out. We decide to do the Familienroute (4c, 4b, 5b, 5a, 5b, Greg starts) instead. There's a team of three above us, but they seem fairly far along, so we go for it.

Once again nice climbing. The group in front of us is quite slow and it's hard to pass a group of three, so we just relax and enjoy the views. We do a food break on one of the broader ledges to let them finish the route and then do the last bit ourselves. Again, fun climbing.

We've got all our gear with us this time, so when we top out we opt to hike back to the gondola instead of abseiling. Up, up we go through the grass until we hit the hiking path, then along that to the Alpschelehubel to enjoy the viewpoint before heading back along the ridge. The path we want to take - to the right and then back down the gondola station - is officially closed. Alternatives are to continue on, through the Bundnerchrinde, and then back through the pass or down into the Ueschenetal and back that way. We opt to checkout the closed path just to see how bad things are. It ends up being no problem to make it through - there are a couple of spots where the path is thin or has been covered by rock/mudslide, and a few snow patches, but those are easy to pass and we're crossing the snow in the valley bottom in no time at all. We do another food break and then head down, down to the gondola. 

After picking up our extra bag at the hotel we get on the train (with first class tickets to avoid the crowds) to start the trip home.

We'll definitely have to go back to Ueschinen and do some climbing on the left wall on a Saturday or during the week when it's less crowded.

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