Ski-running Part 12

Ptarmigan often greet one on the higher ridges and sometimes a capercailzie will get up with a noise which is very apt to upset one.

The choughs are persistent followers of a Ski-ing party, flying over one's head and chirruping for lunch. When at last we stop and take our nosebags out of our Rucksacks, they perch on a cliff near and wait till we move on, when they immediately fly down to see what we have left for them. I have seen a paper lunch-bag, which they were unable to tear, absolutely surrounded by a circle of their footmarks, some eight feet in diameter. How they must have worried it and each other in their endeavour to get at the contents.

At Murren a pair of ravens also accompany the Ski-ers. They take their perch high up and watch the many luncheon parties, croaking now and then to remind us of their wish to share our slices of beef and sausage. These "packed lunches" are usually so plentiful that the choughs and the ravens get a goodly feed. The tidy Ski-er who buries all his paper and orange peel and other debris will often find next day that the whole thing has been dug up by a fox.

At many of the Alpine huts, the snow-finch has adopted the habits of the sparrow and is often so tame that he will almost take crumbs from one's hand.

Another bird I love among the Alps is the dipper or water ouzel.

Ski-ing along the snow banks of the rivers, I have often watched him hop down into the water and run along the bottom picking up whatever his food is among the pebbles.

Surely most Ski runners can spare time to watch all these little people, whose rights to the snow fields are even greater than their own.

Very little vegetation shows in winter, but it is wonderful what a lot one can find if one looks carefully and it certainly makes Ski-ing more interesting to me if I can recognize the trees, plants and seeds.

A very fair estimate can be made of the different heights by noticing what grows.

Corn stops at 2,000 to 3,000 feet, though a little rye may be grown up to 5,000 feet in sunny places. Fruit trees and beech trees stop at about 4,000 feet. There is one beech tree above Davos about 5,500 feet above the sea, but it has never succeeded in topping the huge boulder which shelters it from the North. The silver fir is healthy at 4,000 feet, but is seldom found much above that level, while the spruce or fir goes up to 7,000 feet and does best there. Larches seem to thrive best at about 5,000-6,000 feet, but may be seen almost as high as the top of the Bernina Pa.s.s on the south side facing Italy. The cembra pine, like a great cedar, is the finest tree in the Alps and does best at 6,000 feet to 7,000 feet. It is also called the Arolla pine, because of the forests near that place. In the Upper Engadine almost all the forests are of cembra and there is one splendid old tree known as the "Giant Tree" near upper tree level on Muottas Celerina. Another group of veterans grows just below the Little Scheidegg on the Grindelwald side. Many of these trees are said to be 600 or 700 years old and their wood is much used for panelling in Graubunden. It is recognized by the big dark knots. The panels are usually formed of boards reversed so that the knots form a symmetrical pattern. Larch is also used and is very red, while sycamore goes to the making of tables and chairs in the Bundner Stubli. Good examples of the modern use of these woods may be seen in the hotels, Vereina and Silvretta, at Klosters, while the museum at Zurich contains beautiful old panelled rooms from different districts.

Creeping down steep avalanche slopes above 5,000 feet we find _Pinus montana_, whose long branches form a tangle in which to catch one's Ski tips. Below 5,000 feet this pine will sometimes grow almost upright but never attains much height. Alder may also be a trap for Skis on an avalanche slope where it creeps downhill and provides a very slippery surface for the snow. I remember shooting down such a slope about 100 feet when the snow slipped with me in a safe place.

Along the rivers the alder grows into quite a fine tree, and if its catkins be picked at Christmas and are brought into the warm house, they soon blossom out and spread their green pollen over everything.

Rather a nice way of bringing a reminder of Spring into one's Winter holiday.

Birch and mountain ash grow happily up to 6,000 feet on sheltered slopes but after 6,000 feet there are no deciduous trees, except the tiny creeping willows buried deep under the snow.

Juniper is the most ubiquitous shrub to be found, it seems to me.

You get its various types at sea level in Italy and on the top of mountains up to 8,000 feet when it pokes up through the snow beside the Alpine Rose or _Rhododendron ferrugineum_.

On the top of ridges when the snow is blown away, all sorts of treasures may be recognized. The creeping azalea with its wee evergreen leaves, which no one, thinking of the garden azaleas at home, would recognize as belonging to the same family. Little primulas and saxifrages sheltering in cracks in the rocks, with nothing but bunches of brown leaves to show them up. _Polygula Chamaebuxis_ or b.a.s.t.a.r.d Box almost always in flower on a sunny patch even in midwinter. On the lower slopes, gentians or anemone plants with their buds waiting to open when the soft wind or rain of Spring calls to them. _Erica carnea_ with its whitish buds waiting for Spring to colour them, one of the earliest of the flowers. Or the seeds of _Gentiana lutea_ or _asclepedia_ or _purpurea_ and of Aconite or Monkshood on their strong stems standing high above the snow.

One winter when at 4,000 feet we had no snow at Christmas, we went flower hunting instead of Ski-ing, and found thirty different sorts of flowers out. But this was exceptional and by no means satisfying to the Ski runner, who has come out for the sport he loves and not on botany intent.

Later, when the snow begins to melt on South slopes in March, the ma.s.s of purple and white crocuses open to the sun; nothing in the whole world can equal the ma.s.s of these crocuses. They push up as the miracle of Spring, impatiently thrusting through the snow, melting holes for themselves. The soldanellas do the same, but not till late in March, and with them come gentians and the whole glory of the Alpine Spring has begun. By this time the Ski-er has to oil and put away his Skis or climb to the glaciers and higher snow fields. A wonderful experience alternating between Spring and Winter as he changes his levels.

SUMMER SKI-ING

The only experience of Summer Ski-ing which I have had is on the Jungfrau Joch, about 11,900 feet above the sea.

The Berner Oberland and Jungfrau Railways carry one up from Interlaken to the Joch where there is an excellent new hotel, offering every possible comfort.

Good Ski-ing can be had on the glaciers and I am surprised that more people do not come out for practice during the Summer.

The two great draw-backs to this Ski-ing are, firstly, the expense and, secondly, the difficulty of breathing. The expense is unavoidable because the carriage of building materials, food, etc. to such a height must necessarily entail high prices. Glacier Ski-ing, except on the snow-field near the Joch, also usually necessitates the employment of Guides. But these snow-fields are so extensive and so safe that a week could be spent in practising without a Guide.

After the first night on the Joch the feeling of breathlessness is reduced, and so long as all climbing is done slowly no bad effects need be expected by people in good health and condition. The Jungfrau Joch can be reached from London in twenty-six hours, and keen runners could enjoy a week or a fortnight of amusing Ski-ing on snow which lends itself particularly well to the practice of all turns.

The Jungfrau Joch branch of the Swiss Ski Club holds an annual meet on the Joch in the month of July, which is well attended by Runners and Jumpers from all parts of Switzerland.

First-Cla.s.s Guides and Ski Instructors can be found at the Joch.

People who would prefer not to sleep at so great a height could stay at the Scheidegg or Eiger Gletscher, at both of which places hotels exist.

In view of the shortness of Winter holidays, it seems a pity that more enthusiasts do not profit by the chance of practising which the Jungfrau Joch Railway offers in Summer time. I have twice spent two days up there and have enjoyed them immensely. The snow was very different to anything I ever met in Winter, but also very easy and filled me with confidence. In July and August the creva.s.ses show clearly and need not inspire anxiety in anyone, except after a new fall of snow, which may hide the smaller ones temporarily again.

There must be several square miles of perfectly safe Ski-ing on the glaciers behind the Joch, which provide Nursery slopes just as good as anything found in Winter. The gradients vary, but it is easy to find stretches of 10 to 30 unbroken by creva.s.ses.

Anyone coming out to ski on the glaciers in Summer time should bring with them their own Skis or arrange to hire these at some Winter Sports centre in the valleys. They should also be provided with all the Ski-ing equipment they may need. A few pairs of Skis are kept for hiring purposes on the Jungfrau Joch, but they are not very good ones and it would be better not to depend on them.

REGULATIONS OF THE BRITISH SKI TESTS

AS APPROVED BY

THE FEDERAL COUNCIL OF BRITISH SKI CLUBS. 1923.

GENERAL REGULATIONS.

1. The British Standard Ski Tests have been drawn up by the Federal Council of British Ski Clubs, hereinafter referred to as "The Council." _The Council represents the following clubs, which are named in the order of their foundation: The Davos Ski Club, the Ski Club of Great Britain, the Alpine Ski Club, the British Ski a.s.sociation, and the Ladies' Ski Club_.

2. The British Standard Ski Tests are of two kinds: Cross Country Ski-ing Tests and Jumping Tests. There are three Tests of each kind, a First Cla.s.s Test, a Second Cla.s.s Test, and a Third Cla.s.s Test.

3. The Tests are open to all ski-runners without payment, but successful candidates will only receive a certificate and badge if they are members or prospective members of one of the Clubs represented on the Council. A candidate who has been proposed and seconded for a const.i.tuent Club, and who has paid a year's subscription, and whose election is pending, will be deemed a prospective member for the purpose of this rule. The following sums will be payable for the badges. These sums may be paid through the members' Clubs or direct to the Hon. Secretary of the Council.

First Cla.s.s Badge 35s.

Second Cla.s.s Badge 3s.

Third Cla.s.s Badge 2s.

4. In Switzerland francs will be accepted instead of s.h.i.+llings in payment of badges.

5. Certificates and badges will be awarded to any person who has pa.s.sed the Cross Country Ski-ing Tests: First Cla.s.s, a gold badge; Second Cla.s.s, a silver badge; Third Cla.s.s, a bronze badge.

Certificates will be issued to those who have pa.s.sed the corresponding Jumping Tests, and these certificates will ent.i.tle the holder to receive a Jumping badge when the Council authorizes the issue of new badges.

6. Application for the badges, accompanied by a certificate signed by two judges, shall be made either to the local representative of the Club or to the Hon. Secretary of the Council, K.R. Swan, Esq., 1 Ess.e.x Court, Temple, within three months of the pa.s.sing of the Test.

7. Certificate holders will alone be recognized as having pa.s.sed the tests. _No certificate will be recognized as valid unless issued to a member of one of the const.i.tuent clubs of the Council_. A list of those certified as having pa.s.sed any of the tests will be issued periodically by the Council.

8. _Judges_.--No candidate can be judged for any test nor for any part of a test unless two qualified Judges are present. No candidate can be pa.s.sed for any part of a test except by being judged formally and knowing that he is being judged.