A settled spell over the Western Alps

High pressure settles over the Western Alps for the next three days. Chamonix and Zermatt both stay dry, with valley highs near 26 degrees and barely any cloud. That is a rare rain-free window for a longer traverse. Start early. By midday the exposed sections bake, and under a clear sky the UV at 2,000 metres bites harder than the thermometer suggests. Carry more water than a cooler day would ask for.