megalungmtnfreaks: Tour Mont Blanc

Finally, we made it back and I have managed to get to some pictures. All in all a great trip with some great scenery. The weather was so-so in my opinion, as in chillier than I would have liked, but what can ya do!? We started just south of Chamonix in a town called Les Houches and began our hike around Mont Blanc in the usual counter-clockwise direction. The first two days were the longest with about 20k of hiking each day. Mostly flat on day one, but some climbing on day two up over one of the highest passes, Col du Fours. A little cold here, with some snow and walking over a snowfield, but the bottom part of the valley was one of the more lush green meadows with lots of flowers on the way down. Day 3 we hiked into Italy to Refugio Elizabeta. Overall a short day, but knowing the next day would be 6 hours, decided not to go on. Day 4 brought us into Courmayer, IT and an extended stay for me. Developed a little fever, so I stayed in the hotel for 2 days to sleep and recover. Karen and Libba went on to Rufugio Bonnatti to stay and then hike back to get me the next day. Took the late bus to Chamonix though the tunnel in the Mountain and stayed overnight here. Day 7 we went up to the top of Aiguille du Midi via the cable cars. An amazing engineering feat when you look at the pics. Later that day we took the bus to Argentiere just north of Chamonix to hike to Rufuge Les Grandes in Switzerland. A short hike, with some cable cars, but a good day. Day 9 we went from Les Grandes to Rufuge Lac Blanc to stay for the last night on the trail. Next day a short hike down to the cable car and back to Chamonix to end the trip. Some buses, planes, two countries airports and were back to SLC.