Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) Day 2

Woke up the next day in our sleeping bag liners and found ourselves thankfully free of any bed bug infestations.

Organized our bags, caught the pastel sunrise, packed our lunch tins and consumed our breakfast of cheese, meat and bread.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed or something close to it.

Leaving the campsite as we saw other hikers breaking down their tents to get ready for another day on the trail.

We crossed the bridge to start our hike for the day.

Chico using the trail telescope to make sure we were going in the right direction.

This Catholic Church as we know it today was rebuilt in 1699 and also serves as a place of prayer for safe passage to the Col du Bonhomme mountain pass.

Yielding to vehicular traffic on the trail. You mean we can ride instead of walk?

Mari using her “magic hiking sticks” on the trail. This part of the route was supposedly taken by Hannibal of Carthage who traversed the Alps, once thought impossible; with 30,000 soldiers, 15,000 horse mounted cavalry and 37 war elephants in 218 BC against his war with Rome.

We briefly stopped at the bridge to watch the stream flowing below us and then rain made its thankfully brief appearance.

Looking at a 16-point buck mounted on the outside of the cabin we were passing. I’m sure that was the buck of a life time for whatever hunter that bagged him.

“Deb, tell me why this is fun?” I don’t think I ever heard the answer the whole time on the trail. Enquiring minds want to know.

Headed up the trail with the 8,818′ summit of Aiguilles de la Penaz to our right.

Watching a cow get its mineral nutrients from a salt lick. Much like how hikers need electrolytes.

Passing the Refuge de la Balme, no iced coffee?

Hiking next to a river fed by glacier melt.

Pushing up the trail with the alpine forest behind us.

We waited for the rest of the group to catch up, so Chico decided to climb the nearby power line tower. There were no trees around to climb, so he had to make do with what he had.

Perhaps it would be prudent not to sit next to a sign that says falling rocks. But then again, the risk can’t be any more than being electrocuted or falling from a tower.

What do you call a sheepdog without sheep to herd or guard? Just a dog.

Hikers coming up separate paths which will eventually merge together. Just like in life.

Group photo with our alter ego characters.

Standing in front of Tumulus Plan des Dames which it turned out is a burial mound containing two English ladies who perished in a terrible storm sometime in the last century. Custom is to throw a pebble at the site to ward off bad luck, not an apple.

Mari treading carefully.

Some took it slow and steady on the trail.

Others elected for fast and furious.

Having our lunch of sandwich and applesauce. Somebody had a kanak attack. Sylvia suggested we not dawdle too much as the weather forecast was predicting thunderstorms this afternoon.

Partial group photo at our second mountain pass at an elevation of 7,641′, which resulted in the largest ascent gain of 4,300′ in one day.

Leaving the pass behind us to go climb another pass.

Following the trail as it wrapped around the rocky flanks of the Rocher du Bonhomme.

Taking the high and lower trails where the clouds soon erased any visibility.

Robin standing in place of a tree. Organic tree.

Sylvia said the trail was going to get technical and to stay together. Technical as in Kalihi Saddle technical?

Technical as in uneven terrain and wayfinding. Throw in a little rain for good measure. Sylvia directed some other hikers on the correct path as they were about to go “exploring.”

Standing next to the cairn which marks the 7,900′ mountain pass. No views to be had.

It was a hop, skip and a jump towards the next mountain hut, but the stench from the outhouse hit me before the actual standalone structure. Hard pass.

The refuge was originally built in 1922, destroyed and looted during WW2, rebuilt in 1965 and expanded in 1992.

Leaving the hut behind us along with the clouds and rain as we made the long and gradual descent into Les Chapieux.

Coming down from the mountain. No metaphorical transition here, just a literal descent.

Deborah crossing over one of multiple streams cascading down from the mountains.

Soaking in the views of the beautiful Alps.

Traversing over a short boardwalk over the uneven slope.

Passing another mountain hut on our way down, they didn’t seem open for business.

Is that our ride down there? Wishful thinking.

The predicted thunderstorm finally made its appearance several hours later but thankfully only 15-20 minutes before our exit.

Leave no man behind. Where’s Patrick? We got to our shuttles just as the storm in thunderstorm turned on the faucets full blast or as the French say “Il pleut des hallebardes.” Somebody didn’t appreciate the “rough” drive to the lodge as they got motion sickness. Better to be nauseated than soaking wet.

Perfect timing. Arriving at our modern lodge for the night just as the storm passed. Clean rooms. Clean bathrooms. Clean everything. First world problems.

Dinner was served in the form of bigger than your eye portions of Caesar chicken salad, sausage and pizza and sorbet for dessert.

Our second day on the Tour du Mont Blanc trail covered 10.33 miles through more beautiful scenery and terrain. Somebody else wanted to take a zero day on the third day. Is this catching? Economic and language motivation won out again.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Chico Cantu, Deborah Tom, Ferlino Carinio, Mari Saito, Patrick Tom, Robin Farr, Roger Schiffman, and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.

Tagged as: aguilles de la penaz, col de la croix bonhomme, col du bonhomme, le pontet, notre dame de la gorge, refuge de la balme, refuge de la croix du bonhomme, rocher du bonhomme, tmb, tour du mont blanc, tumulus plan des dames