TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 4 September 02, 2024 Another pre-dawn start from the campsite at La Fouly, rising before any of the other TMB walkers. We eased into the day with 10 km of forest tracks, roads, and smooth trails, steadily descending the valley. Once the sun had risen and we had shaken off the lethargy of sleep and 3 days of walking, we stopped on a bench in the forest to make coffee—a bit of a ritual on days with early starts, a reward for the early miles. The climb to Champex took us up about 400 meters higher than where we started, weaving through shady woodland. We stopped in Champex for some food, spending far too much money in a posh Swiss shop on biscuits and crisps that tasted and looked remarkably similar to those from the cheap French shops. We experienced our only rain of the trip during our climb out of the Champex valley. Although the rain was heavy, it was a welcome break from the relentless heat of the day. We fell into the rhythm of the hill, raindrops bouncing off the hoods of our waterproof jackets. Throughout the walk so far, we had toyed with the idea of finishing in five days instead of the six we had originally planned. Today was probably our best chance to shave off a day. We could walk past our planned camp at Trient, wild camp on the Col du Balme, and then make it to Les Houches in one day rather than two. We continued to toy with the idea whilst we tracked along the side of the valley as it rose up to meet us at the Col du Forclaz. As we descended from the Col du Forclaz, we realized we had enough energy left to reach the Col du Balme that night. Ben sped down the hill, only to reappear at the Trient campsite with a big dirty grin on his face holding three cold beers. For a moment, I thought I was seeing a mirage from spending too much time in the sun. We took some time to sit on a bench at the campsite, drinking our beers and watching fellow walkers set up their tents for the night. The climb to the Col du Balme was hard; with 33 km already behind us, we dragged ourselves away from the campsite (and the temptation of an early bed) at Trient and started the steep ascent through the trees. We knew this would be a tough climb, coming right at the end of the day with around 900 meters of elevation gain, but it would put us in a much better position to finish the next day. We summited the Col du Balme just as the sun was setting on Mont Blanc, and the temperature quickly dropped. We hurriedly threw on all our spare layers, boiled water for our dehydrated meals, and then tucked them inside our coats as they rehydrated. The combination of altitude and strong gusts meant a chilly night in the tents, but after such a long day on our feet, sleep came easily. Stats for the day: Distance: 38.17 km Elevation: 2,177 m Steps: 64,990 Elapsed time: 14:04:57 Cumulative stats: Distance: 143.5 km Elevation: 8,436 m Steps: 232,822 Elapsed time: 49:41:30
TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 4 September 02, 2024 Another pre-dawn start from the campsite at La Fouly, rising before any of the other TMB walkers. We eased into the day with 10 km of forest tracks, roads, and smooth trails, steadily descending the valley. Once the sun had risen and we had shaken off the lethargy of sleep and 3 days of walking, we stopped on a bench in the forest to make coffee—a bit of a ritual on days with early starts, a reward for the early miles. The climb to Champex took us up about 400 meters higher than where we started, weaving through shady woodland. We stopped in Champex for some food, spending far too much money in a posh Swiss shop on biscuits and crisps that tasted and looked remarkably similar to those from the cheap French shops. We experienced our only rain of the trip during our climb out of the Champex valley. Although the rain was heavy, it was a welcome break from the relentless heat of the day. We fell into the rhythm of the hill, raindrops bouncing off the hoods of our waterproof jackets. Throughout the walk so far, we had toyed with the idea of finishing in five days instead of the six we had originally planned. Today was probably our best chance to shave off a day. We could walk past our planned camp at Trient, wild camp on the Col du Balme, and then make it to Les Houches in one day rather than two. We continued to toy with the idea whilst we tracked along the side of the valley as it rose up to meet us at the Col du Forclaz. As we descended from the Col du Forclaz, we realized we had enough energy left to reach the Col du Balme that night. Ben sped down the hill, only to reappear at the Trient campsite with a big dirty grin on his face holding three cold beers. For a moment, I thought I was seeing a mirage from spending too much time in the sun. We took some time to sit on a bench at the campsite, drinking our beers and watching fellow walkers set up their tents for the night. The climb to the Col du Balme was hard; with 33 km already behind us, we dragged ourselves away from the campsite (and the temptation of an early bed) at Trient and started the steep ascent through the trees. We knew this would be a tough climb, coming right at the end of the day with around 900 meters of elevation gain, but it would put us in a much better position to finish the next day. We summited the Col du Balme just as the sun was setting on Mont Blanc, and the temperature quickly dropped. We hurriedly threw on all our spare layers, boiled water for our dehydrated meals, and then tucked them inside our coats as they rehydrated. The combination of altitude and strong gusts meant a chilly night in the tents, but after such a long day on our feet, sleep came easily. Stats for the day: Distance: 38.17 km Elevation: 2,177 m Steps: 64,990 Elapsed time: 14:04:57 Cumulative stats: Distance: 143.5 km Elevation: 8,436 m Steps: 232,822 Elapsed time: 49:41:30