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DeutschJune 22nd
Start: St-Gingolph; finish: Col de Recon
Distance: 23,8 km
Walking time: 8 hours 50 minutes (and 40 minutes for the stops)
Vertical distance: 2610 m uphill, 1250 m downhill
It was a big climb from Lake Geneva to the summit of Les Cornettes de Bise (2432 m), a height difference of 2050 m over some 15 km. I took it slowly and finished in 6 1/2 hours (including rests). The weather was reasonable, but very windy. The rucksack was heavier than usual – Sally had provided a huge picnic and I carried more water than I needed. Good for training!
Less text, more photos today!
1. “Improving” a nice forest path In France, just above St-Gingolph
2. Dent de Vélan. The frontier runs right through the middle of these pinnacles
3. Les Cornettes de Bise. Summit cross and boundary stone
4. Young ibex
Congratulations that’s another very big day!
For those who dont know what 2610 m climb is, its 30% more than Sierre-Zinal, Jungfrau Marathon or the small Patrouille des Glaciers!!!
And 1250 m downhill enough to kill anybody’s knees.
But just another day in the office for Rupert!
All the best and lots of love
Rupert,
‘Path’? With all that heavy plant, looks more like a road they’re creating! Reminds me of a similar one I took beyond Debark, the ‘jumping off’ village for the Simiens Ras Deschen hike in ’96, where the Chinese were ploughing a west-east road thru’ the southern foothills, which probably changed the area economically for good.
Keep it up!
D
Hello Rupert,
I’ve become an addict to your geo-tracking. Your two weeks footwork (other modes of locomotion excluded) are the type of preparation 19th century British alpine climbers took upon themselves before attacking the High Alps (Ref. Whymper in “Scrambles Amongst the Alps”. Cross fingers. Daniel