Waltz with crampons 2

June 25th

Start:  Refuge de la Vogealle; finish: refuge/bivouac Vallon de Tenneverge
Distance: 17,0 km (10 km along the frontier)
Time taken:  11 hours (plus 2 hours 30 minutes for the stops)
Vertical distance: 1590 m uphill, 1660 m downhill

Main summit:  Mont Ruan, 3044 m

This was the day we put on crampons and took them off again at least a dozen times!

Good breakfast in the hut at 3 a.m., off at 4 a.m.  A beautiful morning, but with clouds and cold wind on the ridges later in the day.  It was over 1100 m up to the top of Mont Ruan, the route-finding in the upper part was tricky and we had to retrace our steps once or twice, but we were rewarded by a beautiful 360° view.  Later, snow fields and low visibility caused us to avoid some minor summits on the French side, also Pic de Tenneverge, whose summit lies entirely in France.  The alternation of steep snow fields and scree meant we were continually putting on and removing our crampons.  We had intended to sleep out near the Col de Tenneverge but the cold wind would have made this very uncomfortable.  Victor, who has climbed Mount Everest 6 times, suggested descending to a small bivouac hut some 600 m down on the French side, where there might be some blankets.  Indeed, this was the case – we found some thin mattresses, a sleeping bag and 3 blankets!

Photos:
1. Rupert on top of Mont Ruan, with Mont Blanc and Emosson (lakes and dam wall) behind
2.  Refuge/bivouac Vallon de Tenneverge
3.  Inside