Hiking The Tour du Mont Blanc, GR5 and Haute Route: Our Alpine Adventure

When we set off, in July 2016, to hike for a month through the French and Swiss Alps we had no real plan in mind. In early 2014 we'd been due to get married, leave our jobs and set off on a 2300km honeymoon-hike. It was supposed to be a career break, a relationship boost and a much needed big life reset all rolled into one...and then Dan nearly died. Two years later and we were back and ready to try life in the mountains, living out of rucksacks and sleeping under the stars. This is the adventure that followed.

Alpine Adventure Day 29 - Farewell Val d'Anniviers

Our last day waking up in the Val d'Anniviers (for at least a while, we definitely want to come back again) and we both had the same idea how we wanted to spend our time. With a mid-afternoon bus to catch, bags to pack and an apartment to clean we knew we had some free time in hand, but not so much we could go off hiking again. So instead we both formed the plan of a morning jaunt up to the Corne de Sorebois instead.

Alpine Adventure Day 28 - Running Up Scex de Marenda In The Clouds

I know many adjectives but I doubt that any if them can truly do justice to the magic, mystery and marvel of our hike this morning. Stepping off the early bus from Grimentz to the Moiry Dam just after 9 we were struck, as always by the brilliant blue of the water and the crispness of the air but it was just a shadow of what was to come later.

Alpine Adventure Day 27 - Chair Lifts, Funicular's, Mini Golf & Movies

Today started with a bit of uncertainty. After a slightly unsettled night following our late night planning (and arguing) about our Egypt trip we both felt a little tired but at the same time sharing an urge to get out and release some of the nervous energy that had built up. The internal question we both faced was "Should we stay in and relax this morning, or just hop on a bus and walk up a hill"?

Alpine Adventure Day 26 - A Fell Run For Breakfast?

Today began with an early start and a quick, fell running ascent to the Roc d'Orzival at 2816m. Granted we started at 2133m having caught the first cable car to the Bendolla ski station just after 8 am, but for our first uphill run in....well ever really...we were quite pleased at 700m in 45 minutes.

Alpine Adventure Day 25 - A Swim And A Putt In Beautiful Zinal

When we stayed in the Val d'Anniviers during our second visit in September 2014, one of our absolute favourite things to do was our evening visits to the Zinal swimming pool. Granted these also served a practical purpose in allowing us to get a warm shower during 2 weeks living in gas preservation mode in Homer at the time. However, the joy we felt on each visit went dar beyond having a good wash.

Alpine Adventure Day 24 - Up Close With The Moiry Glacier

Waking up feeling a lot better this morning we decided to get out of the apartment and make some further use of the wonderful Liberte pass that came with the rental. When we visited in 2014 we did a lot of hiking in the area, but one place we never visited was the Cabane du Moiry, a mountain refuge overlooking the impressive Moiry Glacier. We'd tried to visit during our first time here in June but when we saw deep snow on the path, being much less experienced hikers at the time, we went back along the Moiry Lake Balcony route at 2500m instead which had been stunning in it's own way.

Alpine Adventure Day 23 - Cable Cars, Mini Golf and Sacks of Potatoes

No matter how many times we seem to catch ourselves having done too much, there is still a part of us that seems ever willing and able to 'push on' that little bit more. We felt grateful today, therefore, that we did manage to catch ourselves a little sooner before we overdid it once more.

Alpine Adventure Day 22 - Returning to Val d'Anniviers

Sitting here writing this evening my overwhelming feeling is one of gratitude. Not only because of the way our journey to Val d'Anniviers from the Chamonix valley went so smoothly with train and bus connections coming seamlessly together, or the way the train times allowed us to make a swift visit to Argentiere to find some last minute essentials before we left, or the fact all of those essentials were available at great prices. Sure, all of these contributed to a great day. But the main part of the day I am grateful for is the wonderful apartment I am now sitting in.

Alpine Hiking Adventure Day 21 - Lac Chesery and Lac Blanc to Vallorcine

Oh what a beautiful morning.... Followed by a beautiful day. Waking up for the second time at the peaceful and remote Lac Chesery was a real treat as we sat quietly, this time with nowhere to rush off to,  and ate breakfast watching the clouds slowly lift from the awesome peaks and glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif across the valley. Not to mention the fact that during the night Esther had been successfully spotting meteors from the Perseids meteor shower our friend Hayley had tipped us to look out for.

Alpine Hiking Adventure Day 20 - Decisions, Decisions in the Chamonix Valley

Having gone to bed with a decision to make that would drastically change our hiking plans, we woke up and decided not to think about it for a while longer. Instead we decided to take as much advantage as we could of our hotel base, taking an hour to meditate (something we really had missed thru-hiking) and then having a swim and a sauna where I could have sat all morning.....but eventually it was time to leave.

Alpine Hiking Adventure Day 19 - Rest Day In Les Houches

Aaah, a rest day. We felt so pleased this morning that we made the decision yesterday to stay 2 nights in our room in Les Houches and so could wake up knowing we didn't have to relocate ourselves. Plus, with the Tour de Mont Blanc in our legs since the last one and an especially mammoth hike yesterday to take advantage of the good weather we really needed a day off, both physically and mentally. This rest day, just like our other rest over a week ago near Les Contamines, really has been an important part of our longer thru-hiking adventure in terms of sustainability.

Alpine Hiking Adventure TMB/Haute Route Day 18 - Lac Chesery to Les Houches

We slept in a cloud last night and awoke to drizzle tapping on our little tent. Packing up as best we could without venturing outside was a little cramped but we managed, even though the rain decided to stop just as we stepped out to still a very fine view, with the Mont Blanc massif looking moody and dark beneath the hanging clouds. It was still just so quiet and calm at Lac Chesery it was hard to leave.

Alpine Hiking Adventure TMB/Haute Route Day 17 - La Peuty to Lac Chesery

How do you top an awesome day of hiking like yesterday over the Fenetre d'Arpettaz? Well today's epic route is a good option. It was an ambitious plan from the start as we opted to stick 2 days of itinerary from the Cicerone Tour du Mont Blanc guide together into one monster stage.

Alpine Hiking Adventure TMB/Haute Route Day 16 - Champex to La Peuty Via Fenetre d'Arpette

Comparing days of hiking is not a habit I'm keen to get into. Every day on our hiking adventure so far has been different, challenging and good for different reasons....that said today was awesome! Choosing to leave the official TMB route and take the variant route over the Fenetre d'Arpette was not a decision we took lightly given the route profile but we're glad we did.

Alpine Hiking Adventure TMB Day 15 - La Fouly to Champex

Today has been a challenging day, but not due to the hiking this time. On paper today was one of the easier stages of the TMB. A 4-5 hour hike with just 500m of descending and an equal amount of ascent to travel between La Fouly and Champex. Yet once again we have had to catch ourselves as we drifted away from our self care and found ourselves at loggerheads with each other.

Alpine Hiking Adventure Day TMB Day 14 - Refuge Bonatti to La Fouly

Day 14 and our first very bad weather day. The forecast for overnight storms that had motivated us to try our first night in an alpine refuge had been correct so we had felt very grateful during the night to be in a warm room as thunder and lightening raged outside. Yes, there had been a snorer near our dormitory bed and yes it took some getting used to, but on the whole it had been a good night.

Alpine Hiking Adventure TMB Day 13 - Courmayeur to Refuge Bonatti

Waking to the sun shining on the green slopes around Courmayeur, we felt much better rested for a night in a real bed. After our morning meditation Esther went to the shops to fetch a fruity, soy yogurt breakfast and some further trail food while I packed up...and shortly after 9 we were off. An early start for us when not staying in the tent. A steep, hot 700m climb to Refuge Bertone at around 2000m came with the reward of incredible views of Mont Blanc Courmayeur.

Alpine Hiking Adventure TMB Day 12 - Val Veny to Courmayer

The business of today started with rejoining the Tour du Mont Blanc, having left it temporarily last night to head to a camping in Val Veny. Having woken up on the well appointed and comfortable Camping Aguille Noire we had taken our time packing up while the hot sun rose in the clear blue sky, allowing us to fully dry our tent and so I could irrigate for the day ahead having had an unsettled stomach in the night. It really was a very friendly, family camping and we felt grateful to have stayed here.

Alpine Hiking Adventure TMB Day 11 -Refuge Croix Due Bonhomme to Val Vent Campsite

So today started on a new high, literally, as we crossed the 2665m Col de Fours to seta new altitude maximum for our home so far. The air had been very cold when we woke in our tent 2400m at 6am, but thankfully the nearby refuge gave me a good place to irrigate for the day ahead and by the time we had sat and enjoyed our breakfast tomatoes and cucumber the sun was well up in the sky. We may be forgoing the coffee, bread and jam on offer in the refuge by choice, but we feel much better for it.