Sunday July 30, 2017

Cabane Bella Tola to Hotel Schwarzhorn

Miles: 10.33

Elevation: +3,065 / -4,802

Total miles: 61.35

We woke up naturally without alarms this morning. Actually Laurie did, but Andy slept without his earplugs and woke up around 5:30am to the sound of the floors creaking as other hikers walked down the hallway. 

Eventually both of us were up and at the breakfast table at 7:30am. Laurie had already put 2 pieces of bread in the toaster when one of the guys who ran the hut walked over with a little loaf of gluten free bread.

Without hesitation Andy offered to eat the pieces in the toaster and Laurie proceeded to cut and devour the entire gluten free loaf. 

Today we will walk over Meidpass, the lingustic border between the French and German speaking parts of Switzerland. In addition to having passes called “Pass” rather than “Col,” we have been offered ham and cheese for breakfast rather than just jam and butter. We are enjoying noticing these subtleties as we wander through this magnificent country.

Without a feeling of urgency we packed, payed and started walking around 8:30 am. Last night’s storm contributed to clear morning vistas including a nice view of the Matterhorn along with many other high snowy peaks.

We headed out on a grassy road. It was already warm and humid and we both immediately started sweating. 

There are many roads and small buildings, some for cows, some for people, scattered across this hillside. The multiple roads make path finding more challenging, but it allows access to these homes from the town of St Luc. 

We both dream of finding a little mountain hamlet someday where we can escape the hustle and bustle of city life and wake up staring at mountains and breathing clear fresh air.

We got the junction where the trail to the peak of Bella Tola veered steeply off to the left. It was 9 am. The sky was partly cloudy but the forecast for this afternoon called for thunderstorms yet again. “Afternoon” is vague so we had to rely on our inner barometers. 

It is hard for Laurie to pass up an opportunity to climb. Even as a little kid she liked to be “queen of the mountain” (a pose you have seen quite frequently in our PCT blog with her arms raised over her head.)

“Screw it, let’s do it” chimed in Andy. 

And we were off, steadily making our way up to our first Swiss peak.

By 10:00am we were at the top of Bella Tola. We shared the summit with 3 Swiss with whom we swapped pictures and Laurie practiced her Swiss German. They helped us identify each of the major peaks on the horizon.

They were each in their late 60’s or early 70’s.  We have been surprised and inspired by the age spectrum of hikers along the Haute Route.  The infrastructure supports this with punctual, efficient and convenient transportation and comfortable huts allowing families and older individuals to enjoy the wonders of the natural world.

“I think the secret to healthy aging is eating full fat yogurt, whole milk and cheese” said Laurie with a grin. “Perhaps if I eat that way too I will be climbing mountains into my 70’s!”

As we took in the 360 view from Bella Tola Laurie noticed a gazebo looking thing across the ridge. The trail we had planned on taking down looked rocky and sketchy so we decided to backtrack. 

This took us closer to the ridge with the gazebo and  Laurie couldn’t resist the temptation to go there also. We both looked at the sky, the clouds were gathering over the peaks but were not yet dark. So we chanced it. It is unlike Laurie to gamble but here in the mountains she has a different type of confidence than she does in everyday life. 

In about 20 minutes we made it to Rothorn Peak. The 360 view from both peaks were definitely worth the effort.

At 11:15 we were back on the trail heading for Meidpass. We knew the storm was coming and with our detour we were resolved to get wet but hoped to be over the pass before the thunder and lightening started. 

The trail to the pass was a combination of grass covered roads, smooth sailing dirt curving through green meadows and a rock scramble.

We got water 20 minutes from the top of the pass. The clear and crisp water was flowing under some rocks. It still feels like we are doing something wrong when drinking straight from steams without filtering. We try to choose steams whose source is above where cows graze and so far, so good…

On our descent from the pass we skirted around a lake. “I have never swam in a Swiss lake…” said Laurie. One could hear the temptation in her voice. “As long as it isn’t as cold as the water we drank right before the pass, I’m doing it.”

We joined the 2 other groups of people near the lake and Laurie jumped in. Surprisingly it wasn’t as cold as many of the lakes she swam in on the PCT.

We didn’t dilly dally after that. It was a long downhill and the sky darkened by the moment. But then we saw blueberries.

We stopped to pick, once again wishing we had our talenti containers to save some for later.

Two British women we have leap frogged the last few days passed us as we picked. They referred to the blue berries as “bilberries”

“Blueberries, bilberries, huckleberries…I don’t care what they are called as long as they are edible and delicious!” proclaimed Laurie.

As we got close to tree line the drops began to fall. We could see the town of Gruben down in the valley below. The trees protected us for the most part but we still stopped to put on our pack covers – our rainpants and raincoats stayed in the pack since we wanted to do laundry anyway.
We got to the Hotel Schwarzhorn, wet but not soaked. As we showered loud thunder clapped overhead and the rain pounded on the roof. We were quite happy to be inside.
Prior to dinner we went down to get a stronger internet signal and ran into many familiar faces. The Haute Route, like the PCT, is a traveling community. We spread out during the day and convene in town. It is wonderful to share stories and hear other’s experiences.

The rain continued most of the evening and it was nice to be cozy under down comforters watching the storm from the comforts of a bed.

Today we hiked 10 miles. On the PCT that would be considered a nero but here it is a full day’s effort. It is amazing what a difference trail grade and elevation gain/loss can do to one’s legs.

Tonight we are grateful for surprise peak bagging opportunities and clean communal showers.

Saturday July 29, 2017

Cabane de Moiry to Cabane Bella Tola

Miles: 17.8

Elevation: +5,003 ft/ 3,769 ft

Total miles: 51.02 miles

The alarm went off at 5:10 am. We tried to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake our roommates but that attempt didn’t last long as Laurie failed to stifle her laughter as Andy looked high and low for his boxers.

Laurie continued to laugh harder and harder – it was one of those moments when you know you shouldn’t be laughing and that almost makes you laugh more. Eventually Laurie controlled herself enough to remind Andy they were hanging on the bunk bed ladder.

This always happens. When Laurie puts something away or reorganizes, Andy doesn’t know where to find anything. Sometimes it’s frustrating, other times it’s funny. 

We enjoyed breakfast while waiting for the sun to rise and light up the trail. With full bellies and a pink sky, we hit the trail at 6:15am.

It was refreshing to be walking in the morning air, watching the sun kiss the tops of the surrounding mountains and glaciers.

We carefully made our way down the slick rocks, taking a high traversing trail around the Lac de Moiry. Near the dam the trail widened to a disused road and we were met by a bunch of cows. 

Some stared at us as we walked past, others walked toward us. Not sure if they were curious or defensive we talked to them with our poles on guard in case they charged.

Eventually we had a clear, grass covered path ahead. Shortly after, a small trail branched off the road and we switchbacked our way up toward the Col de Sorebois. The cloud cover kept us cool but the uphill was unrelenting and we were both drenched in sweat after less than 5 minutes. 

Andy distracted himself by looking for ibex and chamois and eventually saw two groups of chamois. They are graceful animals that from afar look similar to ibex but have much smaller horns and are slightly smaller in stature. 

At the col, we paused for a moment to take in the views before heading down toward Zinal. This side of the pass was covered in ski lifts. Andy, who has only skied once in his life, wants to come back here some winter to ski with views of the Glacier de Vinal.

At Sorebois we opted to take the gondola down to Zinal. It was a long descent and taking motorized transport saved our knees and a lot of time. It was a win/win!

Once in Zinal we walked 100 meters to a public water fountain. It is wonderful how each town, even the small ones, have potable water running for everyone to enjoy.

We wandered through the streets of Zinal following the yellow markers and whenever in doubt we walked uphill.

Eventually we found the path that wound up and up through the forest. The trails and routes in this country put other trails to shame when it comes to steepness. 

“I feel silly for complaining about how steep the trail was at times in Washington State and Northern Yosemite. These trails make the PCT seem like a piece of cake” Andy commented while wiping sweat from his brow.

The mountains and glaciers above Zinal provided a nice backdrop when glimpsed through the trees.

Mercifully the trail leveled out 5 minutes later and we traversed the green hill sides for miles. The mountains ahead and behind us were absolutely beautiful. 

We were attempting to outrun an incoming storm on our longest hiking day yet but couldn’t help stopping and gazing at the jaw dropping scenery.

“They say this trail will make you want to hike walking backwards; I now know what they mean” Laurie commented. 

With dark storm clouds closing in, we picked up our pace and for the first time this trip beat the projected times from point to point.

We were on a mission. But then it all went wrong. Cabane de Bella Tola is not very well marked. It’s not on any of the signs except one, much closer to its actual location. So we followed the directions from our guidebook but ended up climbing a steep road only to backtrack after asking a few locals who responded with facial expressions indicating that we were way off.

Andy was annoyed, tired and ready to be done. But he kept walking. Laurie tried to stay upbeat and focus on the positive which was that it wasn’t raining yet, although the sky was getting darker and darker. 

Eventually we came across the one sign that mentioned our cabane for the night. It pointed in the direction of a road which forked 10 seconds later. We choose the high road because everything seems to be located uphill. Unfortunately this road dead-ended at a ski lift.

Damn!

We quickly made a plan and walked through grass and rocks to connect with the lower road. By now the dark clouds were overhead and we could feel raindrops. Thankfully this time we were on the right trail and made it to the hut 30 minutes later.

“The trails are really well marked and easy to follow until they aren’t” Laurie said unbuckling the straps of her backpack. 

We were happy to finally be “home” but the last hour of wandering was a bitter end to a delightful day of hiking.

Laurie ate an apple on the deck of the cabane, choosing to cool off outside before we checked in. 

With our body temperatures stable and feeling calm and happy to be done for the day, we walked in.

The rain began about 20 minutes after we arrived. It was nice to hear it pitter patter on the roof of the cabane rather than the hoods of our raincoats.

While giving us a tour, a staff member informed us that the showers were free. Most cabanes charge 5 Swiss Francs for this privilege.

Even better was when he showed us to our empty dorm room. As it turned out, no one else joined us in this room so we had it all to ourselves.

After a lasagna dinner we retired to our room to find that we had free wifi too! It just kept getting better and better.

While the dorm wasn’t as clean as we’d like, the free amenities more than made up for this.

We attempted to watch the sunset but Laurie was too tired to stand and wait. She went upstairs to go to sleep while Andy stayed to watch the show, which once again, did not dissapoint.

By 930 Andy returned to the room to find Laurie half asleep reading the guidebook. We snuggled for less than a minute and Laurie was fast asleep. Andy blogged for about 15 minutes until his eyes too became very heavy.

Tonight we are grateful for friendly locals and a cheesy dinner.

Friday July 28, 2017

Arolla – Cabane de Moiry

Miles: 8.39

Elevation: +6,032 / -1,596 ft

Total miles: 33.22 miles

When we get to the top of a summit or pass we often joke about wanting a bat suit or hanglider for the descent. This time we had a bus!

Given our time constraints, when planning our Haute Route hike we combined some shorter days making for long, but what we felt to be doable, days. 

Now that we are here and have experienced how unknown trail conditions like boulder fields greatly slow us down, we were a little skeptical about being able to achieve today what we had originally planned.

The Haute Route is similar to off trail hiking, you go a lot slower than you would on a bonafide trail.

Initially we were going to hike from Arolla to La Sage and then to Cabane de Moiry. For most, this is done in 2 days but a combined 9.5 hours of total hiking seemed doable. 

Over the last 3 days we have been tracking our timing with that on the signs. We have consistently been 1 – 2 hours slower. Our potential 9.5 hour day would could likely be a 12 hour day depending on conditions, and with dinner at 6:30pm we didn’t think we could swing it. 

Although the weather was decent (cloudy wth patches of sunshine) we wanted to be able to take our time and enjoy ourselves. Particularly since this may be the only day with decent views as rain is in the forecast again starting tomorrow.

So… we cheated. Actually, Laurie thinks we cheated. Andy feels we made a smart decision. 

We took the bus from Arolla to Les Hauderes. This 20 minute bus ride saved us at least 2 hours of hiking. Because most of that section’s hike would have been downhill, it made the bus ride seem even more worthwhile.

We were the only people on the bus and the driver recognized Andy from the day before when he had stopped the bus to clarify the pickup time and cost. He waved as he slowed the bus to let us embark.

We wandered through the narrow streets of Les Hauderes following yellow blazes and signs with a hiker on them. The trail wound between wooden chalets with brightly colored flowers in flower boxes outside each window.

Once near the outskirts of town the trail led us straight up the green hillside. We had been warned that the trails were steep but it always different to be told something and experience it yourself. 

We continued to climb up the grassy slope filled with wildflowers, next to a babbling brook. There were many cow patties but we didn’t see any cows. The trail was steep and the air quite humid but we appreciated having a dirt trail to follow. 

We also love to climb, which is why we went to Les Hauderes rather than La Sage. 

The incline leveled off a few times as we passed very small alpine villages, but soonafter it was business as usual. In the main towns many of the older structures have been remodeled but the further we got the more rustic the buildings became, many of which had stone roofs.

We were hiking along, huffing and puffing, both in our own heads, when all of a sudden…”Blueberries!” squealed Laurie with delight.

This was a wonderful surprise for Laurie. There, along the trail were little blueberry bushes. We stopped to fill our palms and then our stomachs before continuing on. “I knew we should have brought out Talenti containers!” Laurie exclaimed to Andy.

We crested the top of the first hill only to see a continuation of the grassy slopes, but this time we could see the Col in the distance. We could barely make out the outline of a signpost on the horizon, but it was there. We like seeing where we’re going and how much more effort it will involve to get there.

The view behind us was breathtaking. Multiple snow capped mountains and glaciers. “Man, this never gets old” stated a grinning Andy.

We stopped for a little break to enjoy the view and air out our sweaty feet. We were making good time and were in no rush.

Once refreshed, we completed the remaining climb up to the Col de Tsaté. The trail was well marked and we climbed from the grass lined trail to one consisting of shale. Unlike other Cols this one had a trail leading up and over. Most Cols prior have been rocky and we followed blazes to get to them, so it was nice to hike up to a Col on a trail.

In total we climbed up 4500 feet from the valley floor to the top of the Col. Some may consider this suffering but we both enjoy a good physical challenge. And the feeling of our hearts pounding in our chests never gets old. Our sweat soaked shirt and pants leaves much to be desired but it is a small price to pay.

Once at the Col de Tsaté we ate an apple and took some pictures, saying goodbye to the mountains and glaciers around the valley of Arolla and excited to see what lay ahead.

As we descended the views kept improving. The turquoise Lac de Moiry glistened in the sun and the Glacier de Moiry grew in stature. The Cabane de Moiry – our home for the night – stood prominently on a hill next to the glacier. It seemed to good to be true. Like something you’d find in a Bond movie.

But there it was, waiting for us to hike up to it and enjoy its views.

We wound our way back down through wildflower ladden meadows toward the lac. Here lay a parking lot and a LOT of day hikers. 

Once at the bottom we began our final 1500 foot ascent to the Cabane. The beginning of the climb was gradual but the last 500 feet felt like a vertical wall. This was made more challenging by the frequent stops to let descending day hikers pass. 

At 3:45 we finally reached the Cabane. And for Laurie this place felt very fancy. It was renovated in 2010 and still feels new. The dining hall has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the glacier. We ate a snack and took in the views.

There were at least 80 people staying here tonight. We ate another delicious 4 course meal while conversing with a couple who live outside Zurich but spent some years living in Vancouver. 

It was fun to trade travel tales and be tempted by all the wonderful outdoor opportunities in Switzerland and Europe in general.

They recommended we try the more technical blue and white route to Zinal (as compared to the red and white one we had been following). This is typically the mountaineers route but there was no snow so crampons and ice axes were not needed. 

We were tempted by the added adventure but once we admitted to having trail runners- Markus- the husband, changed his mind saying it may not be safe. He was right. The loose shale on the descent would have been quite the challenge, especially since Andy’s shoes have over 500 miles on them. Next time!

We watched an amazing sunset before settling into our dorm beds around 9:30. But right before the glaciers lit up in a golden color, an ibex came to visit. It was 10 feet away from us, just grazing without a care in the world.

Today was another beautiful day and we will try to get some sleep before an even longer day tomorrow. Our alarms are set for 5:10am for our longest day yet!

Tonight we are grateful for surprise blueberries and seriously cool cabanes.