Summer Trip 2025

Arolla

“If it were easy it wouldn’t be worth doing”

– Oliver Lilleman

trip report

Written by our trip secretary – Maddie Poon

In the last week of June, 14 of Ben Lairig’s finest headed to Arolla, in the Val d’Herens of the Swiss Alps. Our first trip abroad since COVID, spirits were high upon arrival, so after settling into the campsite and having a glacial dip in the river we were well underway!


Sport climbing was on the agenda for various groups at the beginning of the trip, scampering up lines by the campsite and at the nearby crag of Pragachèt.

The damage done by rockfall to this crag, with one half of the routes having been sheared from the outcrop, was something of a precursor to issues the group elsewhere encountered in Arolla… in the early days of the week, an acclimatisation hike in the Col de Riedematten, an aborted approach to the Cabane de Bertol, and a noble attempt at the Petite Dent de Veisivi (3184m, PD) were variously impacted by paths in poor states, chossy slopes, and rockfall.

However, a hike to the picturesque and aptly-named Lac Bleu, a go in the campsite’s new sauna, and the group’s visit to Cabane des Vignettes were highlights that brightened our prospects. The approach from Arolla to this alpine hut (F, 3160m) was undertaken by four groups that arrived throughout the 27th June.

On the next day, after a good dinner at the hut and a little rest, two of these teams started alpine style to reach the Pigne D’Arolla (F, 3787m) — a sunrise view of the Matterhorn from the summit was the welcome reward for our sleep deprivation! Whilst the planned route was a traverse of both the Pigne and the Mont Blanc de Cheilon (AD, 3870m), poor conditions made this unadvisable. So one team descended via the Col de Brenay, the Glacier de Tsenâ Réfien and the Glacier de Cheilon.

The other returned the way they came via the Vignettes hut, arriving back to camp with enough time to turn it around and bag another alpine route before the weather turned. The Aiguille de la Tsa (AD 3b) was the objective, and after what was an inevitably fitful night of sleep at a bivvy, one pair managed to summit the 3667m rocky precipice.

Unfortunately, storm warnings for Arolla forced the campsite to close, so the group moved down to Les Haudères lower in the valley. Some interesting sleeping arrangements in Thomas’ car, and some cosy cowering beneath Munro’s tarp in the rain therefore brought Ben Lairig’s Swiss adventure to a close. A week of many highs, lessons learned, and the work of environmental factors beyond even committee’s control … but overall, a great success that has set the ball rolling for more BL alpine adventures!

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