This year the group for our ski tour in the Bernese Oberland included the Agle family (mère Carol, père Alan, and fille Annie); Gianna; and Andy Baatz.

Boarding the train in Interlaken West, early on a lovely sunny Spring morning.

We began as usual by riding the train all the way up to the high glaciers at the Jungfraujoch. Here, we near Wengen, high above the Lauterbrunnen valley.

After a short ski down from the train station, we skinned up to the high col of the Louwitor.

The final slope up to the Hollandia hut. The snow, though slightly discolored by recent Sahara sand-storm deposits, was soft and corn-like over a firm base. Not bad!

After our first night, at the Hollandia hut, we rose early to a bluebird morning for our ascent of the Äbeni Flue.

Occasionally in the mountains you can disconnect for a moment from the task at hand and be blown away by the beauty surrounding you. This was one such moment.

Nearing the summit of Äbeni Flue with Aletschhorn behind.

The panorama opens up on the summit ridge.

Carol skiing on the Äbeni Flue; the base was solid, with a light skiff of creamy new snow on top. Yippee!

Gianna zips down the final meters back to the hut.

After a mid-morning snack, we continued down the flat and rolling Aletsch glacier to the Konkordia hut. Rollover image to see the Konkordia hut and the route to it.

Sunset on the north shoulder of the Aletschhorn as seen later from the terrace of the Konkordia hut. Our first glimpse of the stormy weather to come.

The famous 400+ (and counting) stairs to/from the Konkordia hut!

The following day, as forecast, was murky and damp. All we really had to do was to travel to the Finsteraarhorn hut, not too difficult with good GPS tracks and decent snow conditions.

Predictably perhaps, we did not photographically document our storm day in the Finsteraarhorn hut. Other than a foray in the fog partway up the Wyssnollen, we used it to relax, sleep, read, and generally enjoy the amenities of the comfy hut. This shot however, was taken on the morning of day 5, as we made our way up the Grosses Wannenhorn. Another of those blow-me-down-with-beauty moments! What a privilege to be out and about on a morning like this one.

The Grosses Wannenhorn. Rollover the image to see our route. The ascent route is marked in red, descent in green.

The frequent snowfalls of this late Spring have interrupted corn snow transformation, but on the other hand have softened the contours of the glacier "features".

High on the peak, the snow is feeling a lot more like powder!

Almost to the top.

On the summit of the Grosses Wannenhorn, we look out over a sea of cloud to the islands of distant peaks.

Annie and her Dad enjoy the moment.

Toward the end of a wild ride through the crevasse fields, hunting out the soft north-facing snow.

Smile, everybody!

After basking in our glory for a few minutes, it was time to continue our day's journey to the Oberaarjoch hut. Ducking under that cloud ceiling, we negotiate the rapidly melting conditions on the lower Fiesch glacier.

The clouds dissipated as we climbed up the Galmi glacier.

Taking a shortcut through the icefall.

Descending the Oberaarjoch hut ladders pre-dawn on our last day.

Sunrise on the Finsteraarhorn.

Starting up the Vorderes Galmihorn in the coooold dawn.

The sun greets us at the Bächilicke.

A quick side-jaunt up the Vorderes Galmihorn.

Views over to the Pennine Alps above Zermatt.

And toward the east.

An exciting little summit throne!

About to begin our final descent, southward down the Bächital to Reckingen.

Excellent firm snow conditions in the Bächital.

The groomers have been in here!

...or maybe not... We did have the inevitable avalanche debris to contend with eventually.

Looking under the cloud at the peaks south of Reckingen.

Inevitably, we ran out of snow on the trail above Reckingen. At 1940 meters, it seemed not bad for a 12th of May! Our day's tally: 1765 meters of ski descent (5790 feet) and another 600 meters (1968 feet) on foot.

Despite the persistent coolness of this Spring, things are "greening up" fast as we end our trip. A great way to close out this amazing ski season of 2012-13! Thanks to the team!