With the weather forecasts changing from day to day as usual, it’s hard to plan a trip far in advance, but this time things are working in our favor. Stefano has Wednesday off and would like to go for a hike in the mountains. The Engadine looks promising, so we decide to take advantage of it. The ancient alarm clock, which I’m no longer used to, helps me forget my trekking poles in my car as I hop into Stefano’s in Lecco, but, as some might say, it’s all part of the training… The approach goes quickly. The ice looks good until we leave the normal route to head toward the spur. The final section is a bit treacherous, in slushy snow that doesn’t inspire much confidence and with a bridge of dubious quality. Once this first step is taken, we begin climbing. The ascent is easy, and the ridge is sometimes covered in snow. We reach the summit just in time to catch the last cable car, but surprises await us on the standard route. The usual trail has been rerouted in several places to avoid crevasses that would require daring jumps. So we begin a series of ups and downs that seems never-ending. It’s 4 o’clock when we reach the trail, and since we have a good hour to get to the cable car, we decide to take it very easy… perhaps too easy… (but we made it anyway)