Alpine Bliss

TOUR DU MONT BLANC, September 17-26, 2010

105 miles, the grandaddy of all european hut to hut treks, 10,000 people do it every summer (most in july and august). You get to see the 15 mile long mont blanc massif from the Italian and French sides, a wall of rock, snow and ice with 400 summits and 40 glaciers. You walk through 3 countries while hiking 10 to 15 miles a day, over 10 major passes, 33,000 feet of elevation gain and loss, 7 valleys, usually done in 10 to 12 days depending on the weather and which mountain hotels are open or closed. "One of the great walks of the world". Mont Blanc, at 4807m or 15,771 feet, rises 12,000 feet above the Chamonix valley floor, it is the highest mountain in Europe west of the Caucasus in Russia. Most people leave from Les Houches, France and go counter clockwise, I left from Champex, Switzerland and went clockwise; thus I had an easy first day to test out my ankle, and I met different people each day that could give me advice on the trail and whether there were closed or open huts ahead of me.

First I had to get to Champex using my Switzerland - Austria Eurailpass. From Lech, Austria I took the train to Chur, the `oldest town in Switzerland`, with a wonderful altstadt (medieval old part of town), and found a youth hostel. When about 40 eighteen year olds moved in to my dorm room, I changed to a more private room so I could get some sleep.

Chur, Switzerland medieval old town, walled with original towers and entry pass ways

Then I paid extra to take the Glacier Express train from Chur to Brig, going up and over major passes, dropping down into secluded verdant valleys of small villages and farms, and ending up in the Valais valley of Brig - Sion - Martigny.

There were only 3 of us in this first class train compartment, here taking a brief rest stop (I usually travel 2nd class, of course, but the eurailpass requires first class).

View from the Glacier Express train, near Andermatt, what a great trip it would be to car camp and hike in this region.

I arrived in Champex, above Martigny, which overlooks a lake, and found the Jardin Alpin, Switzerland´s largest alpine garden, full of flowers, plants and trees, streams and boulders and a cave. They had this old drafty house where trekkers could stay for 23 dollars a night, using their big kitchen to cook in. I was the only one there. The beds were in the attic, you climbed up creaky stairs to reach it.

I decided to start from Champex, Switzerland and go clockwise around Mont Blanc. This way I could take the bus at the end of the first day if my ankle would not make it, the first days are not so much vertical so you ease into it, you also see different people each day instead of hiking with the same people, and you get advice from people on what is on the trail ahead of you. I never saw anyone else going clockwise, and met dozens of people going counter clockwise, usually leaving from Les Houches in the Chamonix valley. I am using Kev Reynolds book 'Tour du Mont Blanc' by Cicerone Press. I decided before leaving that my pack was too heavy, so left my binoculars, stove, gas cannister, headlamp (I had a little solar keychain light), ground cover, uV light water purifier, aluminum pot, polypad, diary (bringing loose pages to write on), book; this got my pack closer to 20 pounds than 30.

The first day was cloudy and foggy, 11 miles starting downhill, 1400 feet of elevation loss and 2000 feet of elevation gain, and starting off my ankle really hurt. I was thus in a foul mood. Each step downhill was like a shin splint, I knew I would not make the trek feeling like this. It was unusual but on the uphills there was almost no pain, so maybe i could make it 3 days to courmayeur in italy and take the gondola or bus to chamonix... After limping all day I finally made it finally to Ferret, the last town up an enchanted valley before Italy, and got a dorm room in a hotel for 23$. I slept 11 hours each the next 2 nights, 33 hours in 3 nights from 7:30 to 6:30AM, making up for weeks of not sleeping much in dorm rooms with snorers. Rain was predicted for the next day, which hapened to be the day of the annual désalp festival, where they de-alp the cows for the winter; they take the cows down from the pastures to a festival in la fouly about a mile down the road. So it was not hard to decide to rest day 2 and participate in the festival.

This was a very interesting day. Happily, i figured out how to solve the ankle problem. Can you guess what i did? hint: 2 words, a verb and a noun, not "drink schnappes" or "take painkillers". answer below. So at 9AM the first troupeau of cows to de-alp was from ferret where i was staying. at 9:45AM I joined about 50 cows all dressed up in flowers led by women and men, some in traditional swiss alp costumes. We were walking down the street all together and i was definitely the only tourist. I turned my red jacket inside out so the cows would not think I was a matador. Some had big horns. Im walking down the street with the cows and the loud clanging bells and i felt discombobulated. I cant believe I am walking in a frickin' cow parade in the alps somewhere. Amber, know what I mean? What do you think I said to the cow next to me? (His name was toto). I said to the cow: "Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore", and he replied "Mooooo". Anyway, soon we came to the village of La Fouly where there was a crowd of about 300 cheering us in. I melted in to the crowd to watch the next 4 troupeaus march through town, including goats, with lots of cow bells clanging. Then, and I am not making this up, a group of 12 men in traditional costumes walked up and down the streets carrying huge 30 to 50 pound cow bells, ringing them in unison as they marched. (see movie page of blog). They marched in a line, in a circle, ringing faster and faster until they stopped and everyone cheered. Then there were alp horn blowers and singers.

Then came the combat de genisses, which as far as I can tell, meant cow pushing contests between 2 to 3 year old female cows with big horns who are genetically related to past cow war champions. There were 12 cows lined up next to eachother, calmly chewing grass, and they brought them into a ring surrounded by 300 people and kids 2 at a time for a single elimination tournament. First the cows would ignore eachother munching on the grass. Then one of them would start pawing the ground with a hoof. This would piss off the other cow, who would paw the ground too. Eventually they would ram their heads together and push. The first bout was one of the best - the cow uphill pushed the other cow downhill who slid backwards (without its legs moving) into the barriers into the crowd (with little kids) who scattered and screamed to get out of the way. When one cow turned around to run away, the other cow was the winner. No blood, no gore. There was a man in the ring, a rabateur, which as far as I can tell, means `farmer with a stick who gently pushes the cows towards eachother when the cows just stand around doing nothing`. There was eventually a winner cow, the owner of which was very proud and everyone cheered while the alp horns played. There was also a raclette for 3 swiss francs, or 3 dollars, with 2 tiny onions, a tiny pickle, and the worlds smallest potatoe with some melted cheese. you were supposed to buy a 13 swiss franc bottle of fendant white wine with it, but i walked in to the store across the street and got a 6 swiss franc bottle to drink with my 2 raclettes, all accompanied by a singer who sang 70s and 80s american music. it was all pretty fun, especially after the bottle of wine.

so the secret to stopping my ankle pain was "loosen boot", sure enough it was my boot causing the pain by rubbing against a sore spot, and by loosening it i have been mostly ankle pain free the rest of the trip.

Jardin Alpin dormitory, Champex Switzerland, start of the tour du Mont Blanc

Cow troupeau and I arriving in La Fouly, Switzerland

The crowd cheers and stares at the arriving cows, goats and sheep

Swiss Alp Horn Blowers

I stayed away from these greasy meats from various animals like deer, horse, cow, etc

I did partake in the raclette, buying a bottle of fendant white wine with it.

One of the queen cows, all dressed up

this is the view from the town of La Fouly

The 'rabateur' is gently encouraging the cows to bump heads and push eachother until one turns away, losing the match.

DAY 2 hiking 10.5 miles, 8 hours (includes rest stops), 4000 feet up and 2000 feet down. I left Ferret and walked up valley until the road ended and there was nothing but wilderness and green pastures, leading up to col Ferret into Italy, near col st. bernard. It took 1:10 like the book said to climb the 1000 feet to La Peule, where a Czech couple was staying in a yurt. Then a lovely trail up 1500 feet to Col Ferret (8400`), where a Swiss mountain biker took some pictures of me with my camera. A big dog was guarding sheep near the top. i went over col ferret and when i got to this pass, which was the border of italy, I got a view of the whole Italian side of the Mt. Blanc range, including mt. blanc and mt. Dolent and hanging glaciers and aiguilles (pointed rocks typical of the area). I then descended 2600 feet to the bottom of the valley, where i must admit my ankle hurt a little. I took my first rest after 5 hours (not counting picture breaks) and put my foot in a stream and ate my bread, veal paté and jelly. Then it was a 1000 foot climb to a shelf with exquisite views of the Grandes Jorasses, Aiguille Noire and Mont Blanc to get to the wonderful Rifugio Bonnatti. Built in 1998, it features "one of the nicest and best kept huts on the TMB" (tour du mont blanc) with views from my bedroom window and the dining room of the awesome glaciers and mountains across the valley from us. (see movie of it on my movie page). They had hot showers, and a huge dinner and breakfast for 40 euros, or 52$. We sat around a big table (people from Australia, Venice, California, Denmark, etc) while they served us a 5 course meal - pasta, antipasta, meat, potatoes, salad, dessert. (Im trying to lose some weight so if I have the half pension at a hut one night I try to feed myself the next night using soups and freeze dried food I carry). There were pictures on all the walls of the great Italian climber Bonnati, and an english book dad has probably read, called "the great days", 1961. Bonnati was the first to climb K2, the matterhorn north face solo in winter, he tried to be the first to solo the eiger north face but rockfall broke a couple ribs and he rapelled down, he was one of only 2 survivors in a group of 6 stuck in a storm for 6 days, etc etc, he retired before he killed himself to become a world explorer and adventurer.

Day 3 Rifugio Bonatti to Courmayeur to Rifugio Maison Vielle, AM 7 miles in 3.5 hours up 400 feet and down 2800 feet, PM was 4 miles in 1.5 hours up 2500 feet and down 500 feet, total 11.5 miles up 2880 feet and down 3330 feet in 5 hours. The morning I was hiking along a "delightful balcony path" with more great views on a sunny day, then a 2500 foot drop to Courmayeur, italy. Courmayeur closes from 12:30 to 4PM every day, it is a nice town with mostly expensive hotels though, but I met Olivier from France, and we shared a pizza and beer at a restaurant. He had been to many of the place I had - Argentina and Chile, Annapurna, Everest, Thailand... At 4PM I left Courmayeur for the 2500 foot climb to the refuge. The sign said 2 hours to the hut, and it was like a starting gun went off. I went charging up the hill like it was a race between me and the sign. Lame, huh? I arrived in 1.5 hours drenched in sweat, then thought, I hope they have showers. They did. I slept in a drafty tiny room 100 yards from the refuge, perfect for not hearing snorers.

The trails are great, well marked, surrounded by beauty, unlike the stark stubai alps in austria which was all shattered rock and scree. It is fun in the huts, speaking with the people all of whom are going the other way, they give me advice on the trail. I usually arrive and first take a shower, then make myself a cup of coffee and write in my diary.

View from day 2 in the italian alps near courmayeur

3 shots stitched together from my camera which eats batteries. The camera weighs 2 pounds then I need 48 pounds of batteries...

The bohemian interior of the hippy-run Rifugio Maison Vielle in Italy. They closed the day after I slept here. Hot water was free so I saved some money and calories by making my own soup and coffee. They had a sign "Heaven is where the police are British, the cooks French, the mechanics German, the lovers Italian, and its all organized by the Swiss. Hell is where the cooks are British, the mechanics French, the lovers Swiss, the police German, and its all organized by the Italians"

The rifugio Mainson Vielle in Italy had their own ponies and great views

TUESDAY, SEPT 21, to FRANCE! 6.5 hours of hiking, 17 miles, 1700` up and 3260` down, nice weather. I was up at 7AM then sprung for the all you can eat breakfast for 13 dollars, 2 yogurt bowls with canned fruit, 2 bowls of cereal, 2 breads with cheese and jelly, coffee. I left at 8:30AM and didnt stop except to take pictures for 5.5 hours at 2PM 13 miles later. The morning was mostly flat with views "that threaten all forward progress". I got a crick in my neck looking right at Mont Blanc, Dent du Geant and the Grand Jorasses. I first rose 1650 feet to a flat balcony trail, then down 1650 feet to the Val Veni to views of a blue green glacial lake and a huge moraine left by the retreating glacier. Then a 1000 foot climb to the Col de la Seigne, (Col of the bleeding), windy and barren, which has been "breached, guarded, fought over and defended since the Romans". It was a further 4 miles in one hour to LES CHAPIEUX at 5800 feet where I met Emmanuel from Evian. I bought some goat cheese for 4 dollars and paid 41 dollars for a dorm bed, dinner and breakfast.

Val Veni looking down into France

Les Chapieux refuge

SEPT. 22, CHAPIEUX TO BIONNASAY, 17 MILES IN 10.5 HOURS (9 hours hiking), up 3600` and down 4200`. The next 2 days were long and hard but beautiful. If I have the choice between walking less but staying alone in the dark in a cold winter room of a closed hut, versus walking longer to get to a hot shower, great meal with wine and a warm bed, I will walk longer. I first rose to the Col du Bonhomme, up 3100 feet in 3 miles in 2.5 hours, where I met an Israeli Father and son hiking before the son went 3 years into the military.

Col du Bonhomme, France

Forward progress was slowed all day because I kept stopping to talk with all the interesting people I met on the trail. Very few are hiking solo. Cols are usually barren and windy and rocky, where I have to be extra careful not to sprain an ankle. It was 3 hours and 8 miles downhill 4200 feet to the town of Les Contamines, going over a Roman bridge and visiting a Baroque church with Rennaissance frescoes called Notre Dame de la Gorge.

The 8 miles downhill from Col du Bonhomme to Les Contamines, France

Notre Dame de la Gorge

Interior of the church

In the town of Les Contamines I could restock some food supplies (guzzling a liter of cold soup to get some vegies in my system) nd do some internet. The trail then went along a river through a forest:

before rising towards Bionnasay where I could look back on the Col du Bonhomme, the low point in this picture:

It was evening as I rose up a side valley through small french alpine villages (La Gruvaz, La Villette, Le Champel) surrounded by cows and green pastures. I was glad to be in the shaded forest and evening cool-ness. There were signs telling of the history of the area, ancient Celtic peoples lived here called the Ceutrons and Allorges. I remember feeling there was no place else I would rather be. In the forest I saw a couple of Steinbocks race past, with huge horns. At 7PM I got to the lovely town of Bionnasay, where for 52 dollars I got my own room, dinner with wine, and breakfast (and a hot shower). Sweet!

The village of Bionnasay

Casse croute with salad and 2 glasses of red wine after a long day hiking: alpine bliss!

SEPTEMBER 22, BIONNASAY TO LA FLEGERE, 7:30AM to 8:30PM, 16 miles in 13 hours, 10.5 hours hiking, up 7000 feet and down 5400 feet. This was my hardest day. I first climbed 1100 feet to Col de Voza in one hour, then dropped 2100` to Les Houches. I had scheduled one hour here but stayed 2 hours, one on the internet. This was my second biggest mistake of the trip (and the first biggest was coming up). I filled up my 2.5 liters of water and started the 5000 foot climb to Brevent.

Above the Chamonix Valley

For this 5000 foot climb I tried 1-1 breathing, one breath in per step then 1 breath out the next step, on the flats, but on the uphills I was double breathing - breathing in and out per each single step. It was a hot day and I was worried about having enough water. "You can do this" I thought, using mental techniques learned from running. It was noon - 7.5 hours to go. I took some notes of what I was thinking: "Stop complaining, you could do the Tour du De la Guerra Plaza if you didnt want to breath hard. Im breathing too slow - speed up! Breathing too fast - slow down! 7:20 to go. Are we there yet? Is that a monkey sound? Im by a zoo. When will the traffic noise from the valley stop? This is flat part of the trail, what nice guy made it? This part is way steep, what masochist designed this? Do I look like a Billy Goat? I must be 500 feet above the valley floor now, only 9 times that to go. Please dont tell me the path goes down now. That cold soup made me nauseous, or its the effort. Legs: more arms. Arms: more legs. Quit arguing - work together. Whats a Houches? I wonder how much sweat this shirt can absorb before Im swimming in it. Id go faster if I didnt stop to write my thoughts all the time. These hiking poles keep slipping and getting shorter. I make them longer about 15 times a day. My ankle almost rolled on that little rock. Pay attention A-hole! No, think positive. Sweet glacier photo stop. I can see the whole Mt Blanc range from the French side now, except the clouds are starting to roll in. It is so hot and Im running out of water. Hikers say there is no water ahead except a suspect small stream. Cola mentos yum. Its exposed here, but there is a cable to hold on to. If I fell here noone would find me. Theres the frickin summit of Mt. Blanc! Been there. Check out that glacier! Maybe I better pay attention to this rocky trail. Only 1.2 liters of water left and 6 hours to go. Theres a puddle in that rock - John Wayne would drink out of it. My pants keep falling down. That is good Im losing weight, but my arms, legs, chest, face and brain are skinnier and I still have this pot belly...." As you can see, not a lot of of the worlds problems get solved in my head while I am hiking.

3 photos stitched together of the Mont Blanc range from the French side

Glaciers coming down from Mont Blanc, looking down to the Chamonix Valley. I watched a jet buzz the valley below me.

I reached the suspect stream luckily right when 2 Canadians were there refilling their canteens - and they had chlorine tablets. I traded some chocolate for some chlorine and refilled my canteen, but had to wait 2 hours to drink it. They were finishing the tour du mont blanc then planned to climb and sleep on the summit of Mt. Blanc. That was their specialty - they had slept on Whitney, Kilimanjaro, both Everest base camps, etc.

Racing the storm trying to reach Lac Blanc by dark.

Montenvers hotel on the ridge, with the Mer de Glace behind it, there are 3 or 4 huts you can hike to from Montenvers up the glacier then up ladders to the huts, perched above the glacier in fantastic places.

At 5PM I got to Plan Praz, where a sign said 2 hours to La Flegere, then I had a 2 hour climb to Lac Blanc refuge. It was like a starting gun of a road race went off! Since the trail was flat I was going to do it in one hour, and I started jogging along the trail, making it in 1:06, where I wolfed down a tuna salad and bread, and found a hose to get some water. Now came my biggest mistake of the trip. The sign pointed along a trail to Lac Blanc, but my book said take this other trail. It had never been wrong before so I thought it was a short cut, so I ignored the sign and took the mystery trail, under threatening skies and with dusk approaching. The trail rose steeply and dead ended at these cliffs. I went cross country to the right looking for the trail and found some more cliffs, not so high. I thought the lake was just above me. I put my poles away and put one hand on the rocks to climb them, then froze. This did not feel right. I was not climbing up there by myself in the approaching darkness. I saw below me another trail and walked down steep grass, hiding holes and rocks, and fell on my butt, my poles flying through the air down the hill. This sucked. I reached the trail, not knowing where I was, and decided to look at my map using my solar power light which had been at the bottom of my pack for 5 days. No light. I turned right and walked 10 minutes as it got dark and found the Lac Blanc sign again, pointing back the way I had just come.

It was now obvious I was going to spend the night outside somewhere. I decided to hike back to La Flegere, the top of a closed telepherique, where there was water and maybe an overhang to sleep under in case it rained. But I could not find the place in the dark at first. I remember thinking "this really really sucks". I found the hut and saw an cement porch with an overhang with some rubber mats that skiers with ski boots walk on. There was also a bright light that went on automatically by a motion sensor. So I slept there, or tried to. After 2 days of hiking 33 miles, going up 10,600 feet and dropping 9600 feet, my legs were throbbing and my back hurt and I was lying on cement in a bag with hardly any feathers left. I could not get comfortable. Near midnight I heard a strange animal so got out my knife. I did not want to investigate. Then

I heard footsteps from a camper nearby which made me sit up scared again. I was under a big sign "No Camping". But you know, Bonatti lasted 6 days tied to a cliff with no food or water during a snow storm, and I was in my sleeping bag, warmish and hydrated. At 4AM I was freezing cold and put on all my clothes and jackets and just my nose and eyes were out of the sleeping bag. It was a long night but I survived!

Sleeping bivouac at La Flegere after getting lost in the dark going to Lac Blanc

FRIDAY SEPT 24 At 6:45AM I heard cars so quickly got out of there so I would not get caught illegally camping and possibly fined 500 euros. I was ready for an easy day, and read the following day`s hike description: "This is the longest stage of the whole route - both in terms of time and effort". But there was an open hut at Tre le Champ just 2.5 hours and 800 feet below me, a mere 4 miles away. YES! On the way there I saw a group coming towards me - it was the Summit for Danny group from Santa Barbara! I recognized Bob and Patty Bryant, and Peggy Lamb said she knew Mom, what a coincidence! They were raising money for drug rehab and were doing daily dispatches to the Santa Barbara News Press where the next day Mom read in the paper that they saw me in the Alps.

Dirction signs which I ignored to get lost near Lac Blanc above the Chamonix Valley

Trail above Chamonix near where I saw Santa Barbara hikers, racing the rain storm to reach Tre le Champ

Marsh near Lac Blanc

An fellow hiker took this shot of me before I dropped down to the Auberge la Berne http://www.la-boerne.fr/

Bob and Patty Bryant and their Summit for Danny team from Santa Barbara

Soon I was at the Auberge de la Boerne, a wonderfully restored barn from the 1700s, cute, authentic, with my own room and a roaring fireplace. It started raining just as I arrived. There was a little kitchen where I made coffee and hot chocolate and wolfed down bread, goat cheese and jelly. I was in alpine bliss, warm and toasty. I could not believe my good fortune. I was the only one there, it was about noon. I was not going anywhere! I took a hot shower then a 1.5 hour nap! Soon others arrived including a Danish couple I had seen at Refugio Bonatti. We had a great meal served to us. An American from New York walked in the rain 2 miles down the valley to Argentiere and brought us back beer, wine and chocolate. We played a rousing drunken game of 4 language scrabble, using only words appropriate to the tour du mont blanc we were all doing (snail, oeuf, dyke?), listening to Dire Straights on the CD player.

One night Im lost, freezing cold and sleeping outdoors on cement, and the next morning Im in a cozy refuge with a huge meal and friendly people - thats mountain travel and alpine bliss!

My cute dorm room at Refuge La Boerne, France.

Refuge La Boerne, Tre le Champ, France

SEPTEMBER 25, TRE LE CHAMP, FRANCE TO TRIENT, SWITZERLAND, 7 miles, 5 hours hiking, up 3300 feet and down 3300 feet, part in a snow storm. I left at 10AM in a drizzle and fog. I was not to have any far away views for the rest of the trip. The Danish couple were hiking to Lac Blanc, but started out the wrong way, also feeling the Lac Blanc curse. I hiked up into an enchanted, beautiful forest, followed by a dog that kept darting in and out of the forest, hunting something. There was moss, ferns, shrubs of red and green, conifers, fir and deciduous trees. Near the Col de Balme, the French - Swiss border, it was snowing, and the thermometer on the closed hut said 4 degrees Celsius. There was no wind, it was a winter wonderland. Out of the mist came 2 Czechs I had last seen in Italy. Down the other side of the col it stopped snowing and I entered another forest. I stopped for lunch at 2PM on a bench overlooking the verdant valley. I reached lovely Trient, Switzerland, the last village at the top of a valley, and found a hotel for 35 dollars, my own room and free internet. I was able to upload all my TMB photos, skipping dinner. One day to go!