Hexenkopf from Serfaus with Abdalla

Last weekend Abdalla Mohamed, my former PhD student in Aberdeen, visited me in Munich. Abdalla is one of the toughest and most capable researchers out there as he has completed his PhD on a muscle cancer termed rhabdomyosarcoma within 3 years at a time when Egypt, his home country, experienced enormous political and economical changes. Despite all these difficulties Abdalla also published very well and collected money for Sarcoma UK, the charity that looks after sarcoma sufferers and supports research aimed at understanding sarcoma and at developing better treatments. Please give generously! In Aberdeen Abdalla has started to get into hill walking and completed the West Highland way and the Great Glen way for Sarcoma UK. As we both like mountaineering we agreed on a walk. As our target I chose a peak just over 3000 m, the Hexenkopf, from Serfaus where I had spent a holiday in my childhood. 

Here is Abdalla roughly 500 m up on a 2000 m ascent and descent day. With Scottish prudence & pride we did not use one of the ubiquitous cable cars. 

 Here is our route from Moveslink. More or less Westwards from Serfaus to the Hexenkopf. 

But the Alps are different than Scotland. Lots of bulldozed roads, snow canons, lifts and all sorts of other stuff. Still a great day out with Abdalla, now Dr. Abdalla Mohamed, but not so good for the remoteness and solitude that is so easy to find in Scotland (see last weeks entry). 

 We reached the Alpine hut serviced by the German Alpine club section Cologne/Rhineland for alcohol free beer plus some food. The hut is superbly built and equipped but lacks the character of the Scottish bothies. Still a good rest and source for calories. From there on the last 500 m up to the Hexenkopf, following the red-white-red markings on the rock. 

 A wee bit of mini scrambling and we were huffing and puffing as we felt the altitude. 

 Finally the potentially first Egyptian ascent by Abdalla and the probably 5342543th (plus/minus) German ascent by myself. 

 2000 m up (1500 m difference in altitude but we needed to cross a few bealachs as well) means 2000 m down. We had another Apple strudel in the hut and then cruised back to Serfaus. On the hillside a few hairy sausage rolls were racing up and down and left and right: Marmots. Spot the one in this picture. 

 And plenty of cows with their bells. Do they really like the constant ringing sound?

 Finally we arrived at my car after dark. Here is Abdalla still happy despite a big day, having shown that he is not only a superb researcher and postdoc but also a very capable mountaineer! I hope this wasn't our last outing together...

 

HW