Day 9: Champex-Lac to Trient Via Fenetre d'Arpette

Distance Walked: 15 K
Height Gained: +1184 m
Height Lost: -1360 m
Height Change: -176 m
Total Distance: 136.5 k
Total Ascent: 7261 m
Total Descent: -8506 m

Where the dots cluster, in the middle? That's some of the toughest ascent on the whole tour.





That U-shaped bite on the left is the Fenetre d'Arpette.

Nearly at the top...

Celebration time at 2,665m.







Well all one can say is WOW. The day was a toughie. The initial walk out of Champex-Lac was pleasant - then began the long ascent to the col Fenetre D'Arpette at 2665m, through lots of zig zags to gain height. This included some interesting scrambles over boulder fields and steep loose scree, until we finally reached the col where the panoramic views can only be described as spectacular. Celebration over, we began the even longer descent. Views over the glacier got better as we got lower where we could see the blue tint to the body of the glacier under the grey/black dusting overlying the surface. Spectacular waterfalls lower down the valley from the glacial melt water. Also spectacular knee strain from heavy, awkward descent...
A short refreshment break at a small Buvette/cafe and then onwards.
A slight routefinding glitch when deciding to take 50 min option over 1 hour route resulted in us finding the route barred due to forestry work. We had to return which meant a 1 hour 10 descent in total.
Now relaxing in Auberge Mont-Blanc in Trient with a lot of very friendly, lovely folks with their own tales of the tour - plus food and beer, of course.


Night Night...

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