Ira Garber, having done the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route glacier trek with Kathy a few years back, invited his friends Richard and Jerel to join him in a slight variation this summer.

Hiking the ridge above the Chanrion hut on our first day, with the Grand Combin in the background.

The relative lateness of the season meant dry and icy conditions, adding challenge to every day at some point. Here we descend fixed ropes on the descent to the Dix hut from the Col de Cheilon.

Relaxing at the hut; whatever they served for lunch, looks like the crew enjoyed it!

The next morning, an early start to get over the Pigne d'Arolla.

Topping out on the steep section of the Serpentine.

Our first summit! The Pigne.

The next day we continued on, over the Col de l'Evêque.

The crevasses were quite open approaching the col.

Starting down the other side.

We got into quite a labyrinthine passage on the glacier below. After much "jiggery pokery" as my British friends would call it, we managed to find a way through.

Much later, the end of a long day, we land in one of my favorite spots: the Grand Hotel Kurhaus in Arolla.

A rainy travel day brought us next to Evolène.

Lovely old houses, and new.

The rain continued on our next day's journey: over the Col du Tsaté.

Mist, rain, but fortunately no wind.

The following day dawned clear at the Moiry hut. Our objective: Pointe Mourti.

High on the glacier, the weather is perfect.

We follow a large group up onto the ridge.

Higher up, we have the route to ourselves.

Getting near the top now!

The summit is all ours.

The way down too.

On our last day, we decided to take a wander up to the ridge below the Grand Cornier, just for the views down into the dramatic Zinal glacier.

Stunning views of the giant peaks separating us from the Mattertal, and Zermatt.

It was a bit hard to leave the pure white snows of the upper glacier behind.

But a reward awaited us at the Moiry hut! Top shelf rösti!

Then it was down, back to civilization.

A final farewell glance back to the Pointe Mourti.

One last summit before we have to break up the party. Thank you Ira, Jerel, and Richard, for a terrific week.