Went back to le Tour for a hike this time past Albert 1er hut (see the “Refuge Albert 1er” post on 9/25) and onwards an upwards to Crête des Grands (10,148). This is a 6,000 feet hike with a heinous last 2.000 feet in interminable steep and unstable rock fields. There is absolutely no trail and just for the fun of it, every once in a while the sub ridge will take you to some spectacular cliff out just so you have to down climb back and start over till you get a rout that actually works. By the time you’re on top and if you miss enough times first, like I did, then you’re wiped out just in time for a never ending 6,000 feet down. I did this one on this day because it was the last day in a closing weather window that would probably push this back, at least as a solo job, till next year. It worked out remarkably well as I had sun till noon (time I summitted). Then the clouds started moving in as I was going back down, and by the time I got gas in Chamonix it started raining (snowing on top)! I was expecting that to start the next day not within 30 min. of me being back, so sometimes the weather forecasting does work out pretty darn well.
Here are the pictures (click to enlarge).
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| On the way up towards glacier du Tour |
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| You think they saw me? |
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| It is getting good now... |
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| From the top: View into Switzerland (see Matterhorn far left) |
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| From the top: View of the lake d'Emosson |
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| On the way back: Albert 1er with the glacier for backdrop |
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| Company for lunch at the hut (he/she is tagged) |
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| Glacier and Aiguille du Tour on the way back |
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