“The mist, fog, and the alpenglow
create this aura that makes the Alps a
fantastic place to be,” Laura said. “But
weather at higher elevations changes
constantly and quite suddenly so you
learn to be prepared for anything when
hiking the Alps.”
The following morning’s thunder-
storms meant the group had to forego
the 8,760-foot Fenêtre d’Arpette, or
“Arpette’s window” and take an
alternate pass. It was another full day
of hiking, scrambling up a steep trail
of steps and boulders, lunching at the
top, then descending through forests of
fir and larch to the village of Champex
(4,890 feet). From there they were
transported to the famous ski resort,
Verbier, for a night’s rest.
Awake and refreshed, they started
the next day with a 3,300-foot ascent
to the picturesque Val de Bagnes with
its vast nature reserve. They saw ibex
and chamois foraging, then enjoyed
360-degree views while making their
92
way to the Col Termin (8,740 feet).
Unwavering concentration was required
to navigate the steep terrain.
“The great thing about it is, you have
to let go of all the work stuff and every-
thing else that fills up your thoughts
back home, and just immerse yourself
in the hike,” Laura said. “It absolutely
restores you.”
Carefully they made their way,
holding onto chains bolted into the
rocky slopes in order to maintain
balance and footing on narrow trails.
A steep descent brought them to a
stunning glacial lake known as Lac de
Louvie (7,300 feet). They lodged at the
lakeside Cabane de Louvie.
“Usually my hiking trips have
involved sleeping on the ground in a
tent and an absence of hot showers,”
Laura said. “This trip was really
comfortable and I started out fully
refreshed every morning.”
A bigger day of hiking followed.
Laura’s group traversed two mountain
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
december 2018-january 2019
passes, the Louvie (9,640 feet) and
the Prafleuri (9,785 feet). In order to
do that, they had to cross the Grand
Desert, a mineral-rich glacial area that
was not exactly a walk in the park.
“The guide called it a ‘lunar land-
scape’ because of the appearance cre-
ated by slopes of scree and fields of
boulders. Footing was always iffy so
you couldn’t just zone out like you
would on a flat, paved trail, or you’d
end up injuring yourself and having
to be helicoptered out.”
After about nine or ten hours of
Alpine conquest, the group arrived
at the foot of Le Grande Dixence, the
world’s tallest gravity dam (935 feet
high), and their destination hotel, Le
Ritz. Time to rest their weary feet and
recap the day’s hike over a hearty meal
followed by a good night’s sleep.
At sunrise, the group hiked to the
top of the dam and circumnavigated the
four-mile lake before setting their sights
on Pas du Chat or “pass of the cat”
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