August 2003
The team: Colin Stump, Richard Pratt, Hayden Measham and Rod Shaw.
Recommended guide book: stages described below refer to those in Tour of Mont Blanc by Andrew Harper (Cicerone)
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| Ridge route to Mont Joly from Aig. Croche |
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| View west from Aig. Croche |
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| View to Lac de la Girotte from Aig. Croche |
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| View down from ridge to Megeve airstrip |
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| View back to Aiguille Croche 2487m |
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| View to La Frasse from Mt Joly with Domes de Miage above |
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| On the ridge to Mt Joly |
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| Mt Joly summit with Chamonix valley in background |
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| Stumpy on Mt Joly summit 2525m |
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| Mountains above les Contamines, Domes de Miage just right of centre |
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| View to Chamonix valley from Mt Joly |
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| Les Contamines from Mt Joly |
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| Descent from Mt Joly, looking towards Aiguille de Bionnassay |
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| Descent from Mt Joly looking towards St Gervais |
26 August
Early start with drive to Courmayeur, Italy via the Mt Blanc Tunnel. Walk ‘Stage 5’ Courmayeur to la Vachey (approx 5 hours). Hotel in la Vachey overnight : Hotel Lavachey, la Vachey, Italy (0039 0165 869 723). An excellent hotel and great ice cream!
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| Ascent to Refuge Bertone from Courmayeur |
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Refuge Bertone 1991m
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| Towards Courmayeur from Tete de la Tronche |
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| Towards Tete de la Tronche 2584m |
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| Val Ferret from Mont de la Saxe |
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| Val Veni with Mont Chetif in foreground |
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| Mont Blanc from above Courmayeur |
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| View to Col Sapin from Mont de la Saxe |
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| Mont Blanc from Mont de la Saxe |
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| Mont Blanc on approach to Tete de la Tronche |
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| View to Grand Golliat 3238m |
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| Descent to Col Sapin |
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| Grandes Jorasses from Armina Valley |
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| Les Alpinistes 2003, on descent to la Vachey |
27 August
Walk ‘Stage 6’ la Vachey to la Fouly (approx 5 hours). Overnight in Hotel Des Glaciers, la Fouly, Switzerland (0041 27 783 1171). Weird hotel run by a transvestite!
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| Sunrise on the Peuterey ridge to Mont Blanc, from la Fouly |
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| Glacier de Pre de Bar from above the Refuge Elena |
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| Aig. de l'Eveque and Aig. de Leshaux |
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| Italian Val Ferret with Val Veny in the distance |
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| TMB to la Fouly, Mt Dolent to left |
28 August
Walk ‘Stage 7’ la Fouly to Champex (approx 4.5 hours). Overnight in Hotel Belvedere, Champex, Switzerland (0041 27 783 1114). Very good hotel with superb views.
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| On the Swiss section of the TMB |
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| View from hotel down to Orsieres |
29 August
Walk ‘Stage 8’ Champex to Col de la Forclaz via the ‘Bovine’ route, then bus 75070 to Le Chatelard (border) followed by 1528 train RX 18934 from Le Chatelard to Chamonix. Collect car and return to Les Contamines having collected other car from Courmayeur.
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| View to Martigny from the Bovine section of the TMB |
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| The weather finally breaks...a wet walk back into France |
