Just returned from TMB I stated 1st of July. I only had 5 days, had to cut the majority of Swiss Part and Chamonix Valley. Ive started from Les Huches, did variant through Col De Tricot and Col des Four, took the bus from La Fouly to Champex Lac and and did variant Fenetre d' Arpette, Le Chalet and col de Balme and finally Le Tour, where I took bus to Chamonix, and few hours later arrived into Geneva airport.
I went with tents/spleeping bags etc, my backpack weight without food and water was about 7kg. Its was pretty challenging for me, as I did not have any acclimatization, and could not sleep properly first 3 days. But still enjoyed what i think best places on the planet, lots of glaciers and Mont Blanc itself, looked really epic.
@ed48, Nice one, one of my favourite areas, i'll look forward to watching your video.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@ed48, good hike. I reckon you skipped the right bits. To me, the half from Les Contamines to La Fouly is far better than the Swiss and Chamonix segments. Quieter, prettier and a bit more remote.
Where did you camp?
P.S. Your clip of the mule in the video reminded me of how sorry I felt for those poor animals. It looked like a pretty miserable experience for them.
Thank you for positive response, its been an epic adventure for sure, sadly not much left of holidays for me this year, already planning something similar for next one
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ed48 wrote:
Thank you for positive response, its been an epic adventure for sure, sadly not much left of holidays for me this year, already planning something similar for next one
The nicest French walk we did was the GR from Evian down to Chamonix; beautiful alpine meadows with increasingly impressive mountain scenery. Glorioius, and pretty empty!
If you're looking for a particularly exciting British one, try doing a Scottish Coast to Coast from Evanton north of Inverness past Ben Wyvis to across the Fannichs, past Loch a Bhraoin and Loch Maree to Poolewe on the west coast. 88 miles, 35000' of ascent, few actual paths but absolutely glorious. We carried a tent and food for a week - but there is a pub on the A835 (only inland road you'll cross!) and a bothy on Loch a Bhraoin.
After all it is free
After all it is free
2 Leonard Smalls
Thanks for the different options. the GR5 looks amazing. Actually I wanted to do GR54 before the covid. Also Walkers Haute Route, Tour de Monte Rosa. So many good options and not much holidays.
I did West Highland Way (Glasgow - Fort William), really enjoyed the Highland part.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@ed48, impressive to do all that in just 5 days. Looking at the table of estimated times in the Kingsley Jones book your speed is that of what he calls a "fastpacker", someone who would average 8 km/hr on a decent flat path with a mixture of walking and runing.
As it happens we did a couple of bits of the TMB last week. That was in preparation for an incomplete circuit we have booked refuges for in September, we will be doing Les Contamines to Tré le Champ. This time we did a couple of the missing sections: Bellevue (Les Houches) to Les Contamines via Col de Tricot, and Tré le Champ to Flegere. I wouldn't have wanted to do much more than the first of those in a day; the second might have been extended to Planpraz if we had had an earlier start (the train to Montroc didn't allow us to be on the path much before 11).
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
my son and I did Les C to Les Mottets one day and Les Mottets to Courmayeur the next last summer. We planned to get the bus to Chamonix then do two days back to Les C (only had four days) but his feet were really badly blistered.
TBH - both days were a bit too long given that we weren't trail conditioned. I should have known better - always better to pace yourself into a multi-day hike.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I can also recommend the GR4 in the Massif Central. That was our first French long walk; we did the section from Saint Ours to Saint Flour in 6 days after lots of training. People look at you very strangely when you're walking about in the Kent countryside with full mountain gear and a huge pack!
The following year we did the GR5, then the year after, the TMB (in 5 days too, though we didn't bus any of it - however, we were very fit in those days, with 30+ mile training walks)
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And it's a rather obvious thing to say but the GR20 is absolutely wonderful. The variety of scenery, flora and fauna in a relatively small area is amazing. The combination of dramatic mountains, beautiful valleys and the sea in the distance is lovely.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Only done half on foot from Courmayeur to Trient via Champex Lac over 3 days. It’s a good end point ans easy anccess to Geneva airport by public transport via Martigny. Always been meaning to go back to complete the loop from where we stopped but not had the chance to do so.
I have however completed the road cycling route, firstly in 3 days, and then in a day (17 hours for 330 kms / 9000 elevation) which was an incredible experience which criss-crossed some of the villages passed by the trail. Well recommended route if you like to climb on the bike in big alpine scenery.
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