backcountry journal
April 06
Lunch on the col. The cornice didn't over hand much and was very stable. In fact, it was still there 8 weeks later in June, although somewhat melted. In mid June I got a good view of the col from Mont Tondu which you can see in the background. I was attempting to climb that peak but stopped 700m below the summit as I was on my own and had a timely reality check.
After dropping in over the cornice, stopping briefly to assess the situation (and tighten bindings, no doubt)
Heading over to access some untouched powder. A few people had been down before us, but there was plenty left to enjoy.
After completing the descent part of the decent you are left with about 4km's of terrain to cover along a mostly narrow and gently sloping track along side a valley stream. The path is in fact an ancient Roman road used centuries earlier to access Italy by cutting around the south west end of the Mont Blanc massif, which is where we are in this report.
Back to our campervan in the warm spring valley
And a relaxing early evening snack of French red wine and salami. The salami on the right has mushrooms in it and the one on the left was chosen by me a few days earlier: it is made with donkey meat.
After a few days of snowy weather I selfishly interrupted our re-commencement of daily touring for a successful ascent and snowboard descent of Mont Blanc. But after that we resumed our touring in the area, planning and completing several more great days out together around les Contamines, along the Argentiere Glacier and doing the hike to col de Berad. Later in spring as the 2500m Swiss alpine passes started to open we would get out our topographic maps and plan a tour then drive to the top, and check out what we had planned. On a few occasions this gave us fantastic tours together, often requiring 6 hours of hiking miles away from the nearest person or ski resort.
I couldn't have given a better Christmas present nor have a better girlfriend and backcountry touring partner.
I couldn't have given a better Christmas present nor have a better girlfriend and backcountry touring partner.