Chamonix, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Being right at the base of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest
mountain, there are many superlatives in the area around Chamonix. One of those
is the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi (Needle of the South), a subpeak of
the Mont Blanc which at 3,842 meters is the highest cable car in Europe. From
what I understand, you can ski down from there on the Mer de Glace (Sea of
Ice), a trip which takes most of a day and requires a guide because of the
danger of crevasses on the glacier. If I understand correctly, my brother Doug
has done this trip. So I was very eager
to take the cable car (or telepherique or whatever they call it in France) to
the top. Unfortunately, though, it was closed indefinitely beyond the
mid-station because of a possible safety risk detected in a cable.
So, I only got to go as high as the Plan du Aiguille
mid-station at 2,310 meters. That was scary enough since it’s so high above the
ground level. I can only imagine what the next near vertical mile to the
Aiguille must be like since I suspect it’s at least the equivalent of an Empire
State Building above the ground at some points in its journey based on the look
of the cable.
What’s amazing about the height and steepness of the Mont
Blanc Massif is that it keeps Chamonix in shadow until well into the morning
even on a clear day. The town was
completely in shadow at 10:00 A.M. when I boarded the telepherique, and much of
it continued to be for a while longer from what I could see from above. And even
at my 2,310 meter altitude, I was in the shadow of the Aiguilles for a while as
I started hiking. I can only imagine what it’s like in winter!
The mid-station is the start of the relatively easy five-mile
hike along the Grand Balcon du Nord to Montenvers, the overlook to the Mer de
Glace. It felt good to be back in my hiking boots again, even if I was feeling
a little chubby. I suppose it was a good easy hike to break into things before
the challenge of the Haute Route trek begins. And pleasant it is; although
there are some significant ups and downs along the way, the trail is busy, mostly
in the open, and with constant stunning views over the Chamonix and the Valley
to the ridge on the other side.
Sunshine and temperatures were also ideal – not
too hot, not too cold.
The trail eventually rounds a bend to a spot called Signal
Forbes at 2,200 meters for the first knock-your-socks-off view over the Mer de
Glace. And stunning it is, even though the surface looks mostly gray from being
covered with rock. I haven’t looked into the statistics, but like most glaciers,
it’s probably receded over the years and definitely thinned in depth based on
old photos from a century ago. Sadly, in the decades ahead it will inevitably
recede and thin further.
From there it was a quite long but easy descent to
Montenvers with spectacular views of the Mer de Glace and the Aiguilles all
around it all the way. At one point I
met a trio of Chinese people who spoke no English but motioned to their camera.
I assumed they wanted me to take a picture of the three of them, but no – they wanted
pictures with me in them. Weird! That happened a lot to me when I was in China in
2006 and 2007 (not so much in 2014), but why they picked me out of hundreds on
a busy trail I do not know. I guess I must be especially photogenic. Ha!
Mont Envers is at 1,900 meters, so about a 300 meter (1,000
foot descent). There’s a nice hotel there with an outdoor terrace. But there
was fondue on the menu that could be ordered for one. Most of the places advertising
fondue or raclette, two Savoy region specialties, in Chamonix listed it as
being for two or more people only. Seize the opportunity! I had to sit inside,
but it was fantastic. And I also had a very handsome waiter who spoke almost
accentless English, French but with an American father who spent years of his
childhood living in Montclair, New Jersey. I was quite smitten.
From Monenvers it’s possible to descend to the ice caves in
the Mer de Glace either by trail or cable car, but by the time I finished my
late lunch things were shutting down. There’s a popular cog railway to
Chamonix, though, which I took back. I’m not sure of the engineering
technology, but apparently these cog railways like the one on Mount Washington
in New Hampshire use cables and allow for much steeper grades than normal
railways.
Anyways, this turned out to be a very fun day even if I
couldn’t make it all the way to the Aiguille du Midi – great weather, stunning
scenery, fantastic food, and not really that much hard work hiking.
deb
2018-09-27
Oh my goodness - I could hate you ...but I just be very jealous ! What incredible views and awesome experiences --- I can't believe all the trails up the sides of the Mountains, just incredible beauty
modernnomad67
2018-09-27
THe Alps are spectacular. THey are more rugged than the American Rockies and still have glaciers like up in the Canadian Rockies.