Karen and Norm Numerof once again made their yearly pilgrimage to the Alps, this time joining Mark for a week of climbing in the Engadine. With original goals including Piz Bernina's Biancograt, we were all forced to adjust plans as a cold and very wet series of storms dropped snow down to low elevations.

Mid week we even made a quick trip to Grindelwald, with the hope of climbing the Monch and Jungfrau, but were again thwarted by the weather - wind on the Monch and too much new snow (and potential avalanche hazard) on the Jungfrau.

On our first day we hiked in the spitting rain up to the Boval hut, hoping to climb Piz Morteratsch on our second day. The welcoming trail sign to the hut.

Too much new snow over the rock forced us to revise our plan. This photo shows Piz Bernina in the morning light of day two. Lovely weather, but lots of snow.

The Boval hut in mid-July.

Hiking out from the Boval hut on our second day. Piz Morteratsch up and right, and Piz Bernina on the left.

Here is one of the very few photos I took on our Monch and Jungfrau attempts. Very high winds on the Monch forced a retreat from low on the route, and here, on the Jungfrau too much new snow created concerns about avalanches.

We returned to Saint Moritz in time for some good weather. However, all the accumulated snow made conditions on many of the peaks less than ideal. On this day, however, Norm and Mark did manage to climb Piz Palu, catching the first lift from below the Diavolezza. Piz Bernina on the left and Morteratsch on the right.

The start of the route on Piz Palu.

Higher, not too far from the summit of the east peak.

Norm starts up the last couple hundred feet of the highest, central summit. A strong northerly wind kept things cool.

Climbers on the east ridge of the east peak.

Looking down on the normal route from near the summit of the east peak.

Norm and the summit of Piz Palu.

And now for something completely different. We made a day trip in the the Albigna hut for some fun rock climbing. Crossing the dam en route to the hut.

Climbing the clean granite slabs of the route "Via Lucia e Marcello".

Norma nd Karen, about 3 pitches up.

The mists came in later in the day, as we crossed the dam back tot he small cable car and the valley.

To finish Norma and Mark hoped to climb this broad ice couloir on Piz d'Arlas. However, after ascending about a third of the way up the gully, unusually warm weather created worries about rock fall and a strategic retreat was called for.

Walking back to the Diavolezza lift, after our try at Piz d'Arlas