The next morning I slept right through breakfast and got a late start on the trail. That overnight was the best stop on the whole trail. The others were fine, but this one had the perfect blend of cool hikers, great hosts, and top level accommodations and food.
“The hike begins easily enough, leaving Les Contamines on a wide path before passing the lovely chapel at Notre Dame de la Gorge as well as Refuge Nant Borrant and Refuge de la Balme. We find this section of trail to be one of the more difficult on the entire TMB, as top of the climb always feels just out of reach, and isn’t helped by the fact that the high point of the day, at the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme remains out of view for most of the hike! Continuing past the refuge most hikers will opt to take the straightforward, but long, descent into the small hamlet of Les Chapieux.”
This morning was a gradual incliner up to the next pass. I walked most of the way alongside a woman from England who I shared lodging with last night. She talks a lot, so at some point I had to cut her loose.
A video from the trail of the cows and their enormous neck bells.
What I thought was the final mountain pass in the above picture, was just a teaser as the incline continued for another hour off to the left, but eventually I got there.
It was time to start back downhill towards the next refuge of Bonhomme.
I stopped here for a couple beers. Many people stay here and then take a short cut to avoid continuing all the way down into Les Chapieux, but my lodging for the night was down there, and I did not know until now that the shortcut was an option, or I probably would have used it.
Not a bad walk down towards Les Chambres du Soleil
I am not sure how I secured this lodging as there were only 2 refuges in this valley. Most people were either camping or taking a bus into a neighboring town and returning to continue the following morning, but who wants to get on a bus in the middle of a 10 day hike.
Once I checked into my dorm room I walked to the only bar in the area to have drinks with the New Zealanders and a few of the people from last night.
When I walked back to the refuge, all my stuff was gone, including all my smelly clothes hanging across the room. Who would steal my crappy clothes? I walked out of the room and back in a couple times in case I accidentally entered through a Stargate, but no luck. I went to the owner and he said, “I moved your stuff to another room so a group could have the dorm to themselves.” Ok, not a big deal, even though all my stuff was just thrown in a pile on the floor of another dorm. It became a little more annoying the next morning when that same group kicked me out of the breakfast area so they could share the room as they were all part of the same group. This clique is tight! You see, most people do this trail either self-guided or guided, with self-guided meaning they reserve all the lodging through a company and also have their bags forwarded each night to the next refuge. Ok, I can understand that, it is a logistical mess to reserve all the refuges on your own if you don’t have the skill or time. The other group does the same but also has a guide walk with them for the 10 days. I mean, it is a well-marked trail, with no chance of getting lost or falling into a crevasse. So, these mindless clowns just follow this one person like sheep and they bulldoze their way through the rest of us in an effort to ensure a healthy tip at the end. But, it does makes sense for the refuges to primarily deal with the tour companies who book up 90% of their inventory. Who wants to answer the same emails from solo people like me constantly?
Here is the self-serve kiosk where you reserve shuttles from the bar/camping area to the neighboring town and even the shuttle in the am to skip the road section of the trail.
I was too late to get a reservation for the 20 min shuttle that cut out 2 hours of the morning walk tomorrow. Which actually worked out well for me in the long run.
That evening at dinner I met another group of solid individuals. One family was impressive. The father and son carried a mini parachute and instead of doing the downhills, would just run off the cliffs and float down. The mom and daughter were pissed at them, not causer they were jumping off cliffs risking their lives, but that they were cheating when then promised, during the trip planning phase, they would hike the entire trail together.
As I mentioned, the next morning I did not catch the bus and walked up the road towards the next incline. It turned out to be one of the best moments of the hike. The quiet peacefulness of morning, alone, listening to the surroundings come to life.
“Stage 3 takes hikers across their first international border, crossing from France into Italy at the stunning Col de la Seigne. The walk up to the top of the Col de la Seigne begins with a bit of road walking to La Ville des Glaciers, where the path then leaves the road, crosses a river and heads toward Refuge des Mottets at the base of the climb for the day. The climb to the top of the Col de la Seigne is fairly straightforward and easier than the climb on the previous stage. The Col is reached about 11 kilometers after leaving Les Chapieux and here you’ll be treated to expansive views down the Val Veny along with the rugged Italian face of Mont Blanc. From the top of the Col the trail winds its way along braided paths into the Val Veny before Rifugio Elisabetta comes into view perched high above the trail with a dramatic glacial backdrop. The main route of the TMB begins another climb at the end of Lac Combal. The trail begins its ascent through forested slopes before coming into a clearing with excellent views back across the valley. At the top of the climb the trail turns and becomes a balcony trail traversing the slopes high above the Val Veny – the views on this section of trail are some of the best on the entire Tour du Mont Blanc! The trail continues towards Courmayeur and eventually enters the slopes of a ski area and the bright yellow umbrellas of the lovely Rifugio Maison Vieille.”
Finally got up and over the top in record time. I think I did it in 3 hours, when the guidebook said it should take 5. I then took a nap by a river at the Elisabetta Refuge as I ate the Take-Away Lunch provide by last night’s lodging.
Once I descended to Cabane Combal refuge I decided to take the “high route” for some of the best views on the trail. It was rough getting up there but indeed well worth the effort.
I ran into some friends from stage 1 as I descended into my lodging for the night at Rifugio Maison Vieille
Honestly, this place was rough. It was surrounded my construction crews and the accommodations at the top of a ski lift were less than ideal. I think there was 1 toilet (seatless) for 30 people and we were packed into the dorm room like sardines. But it’s hiking, so you deal with it, as you already smell and feel awful.
The next morning I was woken up at 4am by guys who were running the entire trail in 3 days. I don’t mind you getting up early to get it done, but can you take your shit outside and sort through your gear there instead of 5 feet from my face? I will say that I slept pretty well on this hike, aided by sleeping pills, an eye mask and ear plugs.
This was a really short day. I was only hiking down the ski run into the town of Courmayeur and then back up to the Refuge Bertone on the other side of town. You don’t need a trail description as this is basically a rest day.
Once in town I raided the convenience store and took a nap in a city park until the lunch restaurants opened where I had one the best pizzas, of course aided by the fact that I was tired and famished.
I probably should not have had 2 large beers before tackling the uphill that awaited me, but live and learn I guess. I took a picture of this fallen tree, as the root system looked like some evil creature from a Lord of The Rings movie.
It only took about 1 hour to reach Refuge Bertone.
Somehow I ended up in a 2-person room that night…score! The event of the night was when I tried to wash my clothes and hang them on the railing to dry. I came back and they had blown down the cliff and I had to hang off the bottom of the railing to hook my underwear with my toes, while getting thrashed by these nettles that itched liked crazy for the next 3 hours. 2 days later I would learn that the day after I left, a guy got bit by a viper at Bertone and had to get airlifted out to get anti-venom.
Until Tomorrow Darren
