Sorry for the long delay in blogging! Life is never simple. We began our hike from Les Contamines to Les Chapieux via the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (total distance 18 - 20 km) around 8am on Tuesday morning. The first four kilometres were perfect - along beside the roaring, raging, glacial run-off river to the beautiful pilgrimage chapel of Notre-Dame de la Gorge. This Baroque chapel at the head of the Val Montjoie road-head is the scene of a pilgrimage that takes place on the Feast of Assumption (August 15th) every year. The interior is filled with Renaissance frescoes and an ornate altar-piece - incredible.
Next came a very steep climb on an old Roman road that went up and up and up until we found a welcome cafe where we stopped for refreshments. Just before the cafe, the trail crossed a small bridge over an amazing gorge - with water surging through to create a veritable spectacle. After a most welcome break, we continued up and up until we came to a lovely waterfall rushing down the mountain side. A bit more up and suddenly we were on the snow - not too much of it but enough to give us the feeling of being high, high - and indeed we were no longer looking up at the peaks around us but straight out at them.
Once we had crossed the snow it was more steep climbing until we had reached the Col de Bonhomme at 2329m. Were we at the top, though? Not at all! We still had 50 minutes of very difficult, and I would say dangerous, climbing to reach the summit of the day - the amazing Col de la Croix du Bonhomme at almost 3000 m. We finally made it after a day-long climb. Whew!
Next it was all down hill, as they say - but what a down hill! Steep, steep, steep and often unstable underfoot - certainly the most difficult hiking I have ever done and that includes the Himalaya! Unfortunately, to make a long story short, I almost lost a toenail on this treacherous descent (75% damaged).
Next day - because of my toenail (which was excrutiatingly painful) we took a two-hour cab ride into Courmayeur (our next destination) so that I could see a doctor. He put me on anti-biotics right away, told me I should not do any more hiking and instructed me to go to a hospital in four days to get it (the toenail) surgically removed. So, no more hiking for me! Unless ...
Stay tuned for more on the errant toenail!
Next came a very steep climb on an old Roman road that went up and up and up until we found a welcome cafe where we stopped for refreshments. Just before the cafe, the trail crossed a small bridge over an amazing gorge - with water surging through to create a veritable spectacle. After a most welcome break, we continued up and up until we came to a lovely waterfall rushing down the mountain side. A bit more up and suddenly we were on the snow - not too much of it but enough to give us the feeling of being high, high - and indeed we were no longer looking up at the peaks around us but straight out at them.
Once we had crossed the snow it was more steep climbing until we had reached the Col de Bonhomme at 2329m. Were we at the top, though? Not at all! We still had 50 minutes of very difficult, and I would say dangerous, climbing to reach the summit of the day - the amazing Col de la Croix du Bonhomme at almost 3000 m. We finally made it after a day-long climb. Whew!
Next it was all down hill, as they say - but what a down hill! Steep, steep, steep and often unstable underfoot - certainly the most difficult hiking I have ever done and that includes the Himalaya! Unfortunately, to make a long story short, I almost lost a toenail on this treacherous descent (75% damaged).
Next day - because of my toenail (which was excrutiatingly painful) we took a two-hour cab ride into Courmayeur (our next destination) so that I could see a doctor. He put me on anti-biotics right away, told me I should not do any more hiking and instructed me to go to a hospital in four days to get it (the toenail) surgically removed. So, no more hiking for me! Unless ...
Stay tuned for more on the errant toenail!
Hello Wendy, Sorry to hear about your toenail. At least you could see the doctor and got some antibiotic cream. Waiting for further news from you. All the best!!! Vera
ReplyDeleteYes I was lucky to see the doctor so quickly here in Courmayeur. I am actually taking oral anti-biotics to prevent infection. I will need to find someone else to remove the toenail in about three days as I am leaving here on Saturday to go La Feuly in Switzerland (by bus). I will keep up my blog, nonetheless. Tomorrow I will spend sometime trying to post photos.
ReplyDeleteHello Wendy, I hope that you find someone soon to fix your toenail. Are your friends continuing with TMB? Your bus ride to Switzerland, probably long, should be interesting. Keep up with the blog. Cloudy and 20+ C in Ottawa. I am taking a new road bike for test ride on Saturday @ Greg Christie's. Hugs, Vera
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