Bruce, Mike, Warren
Start of the TMB Adventure; Geneva Train Station
Les Houches
Starting out with a side trip to Aiguille du Midi
Aiguille du Midi Cable Car travels from Chamonix at 3,396' elevation
to the Aiguille du Midi at 12,605' - a 9,209' lift in 20 minutes.
Spectacular
Dome du Gouter (13,969') - Aiguille du Midi (12,604')
Left to right: Mount Blanc de Tacul (13,736'), Mt. Maudit (14,649'), Mt. Blanc (15,777'),
Dome du Gouter (14,121')
Chamonix, France
Bruce & Warren
Warren & Mike
Aiguille Verte (13,524')
Aiguille de Blaitiere
Aiguille du Midi
1st Day [Les Houches - Tram Ride - Col de Tricot - Les Contamines]
Mike ready to go - First day trekking
Started with a tramway ride from Les Houches to Bellevue - 2,651' lift
River flowing out of Glacier de Bionnassay
Bruce on the Suspension Bridge
Photo by Warren Elliott
Mike on the Suspension Bridge
Col de Tricot (6,955')
Warren atop Col de Tricot
Bruce & Mike atop Col de Tricot
Photo by Warren Elliott
View from Col de Tricot
Refuge de Miage (5,085')
Warren, Mike, Bruce
at Refuge de Miage
My apologies for the blurred image
Leaving Refuge Miage
Photo by Warren Elliott
Trail to Les Contamines
Les Contamines Hotel
2nd Day [Les Contamines - Col de Bonhomme - Les Chapieux]
Notre Dame de la Gorge
Mike ready to go
Col de Bonhomme - 4 hours
Warren (new pack) heading up to Col de Bonhomme
River Gorge
Trail to Col de Bonhomme
Mike stepping out
Col de Bonhomme (7,640')
Mike & Warren at Col de Bonhomme (7,640')
Col de Bonhomme
Photo by Warren Elliott
Col du Bonhomme (7,640')
Photo by Warren Elliott
View from Col de Bonhomme
View from Col de Bonhomme
View from Col de Bonhomme
Trail to the French village of Les Chapieu
Trail to Les Chapieu
Les Chapieu is at the end of the canyon
and around the corner
Trail to Les Chapieu - a long way down
Mike & Warren on the trail down
Mike enjoying a beverage at Les Chapieu
3rd Day [Les Chapieux - Col de la Seigne - Refugio Elisabetta]
From this Les Chapieux hotel we took a van ride up the
Vallee de Glaciers to the trail head at Ville des Glaciers
View from above the trail head
Vallee de Glaciers
Aiguille de Bellaval
Col de la Seigne & Refuge Eiisabetta
Col de la Seigne ahead
Trail to Col de la Seigne
Petite Aiguille des Glaciers
Trail to Col de la Seigne
Aiguille de Bellaval
Dramatic landscape heading to Col de la Signe
Aiguille de Bellaval
Mike & Warren taking a break
Petite Aiguille des Glaciers
Trail to Col de la Signe
Trail to Col de la Signe
Warren & Mike approaching the top of Col de la Signe,
Petite Aiguille des Glaciers above
View from Col de la Signe
Warren & Bruce at Col de la Seigne
Petite Mt. Blanc on left (snow capped)
Les Pyramides Calcaires on right
Col de la Seigne (8,241')
Col de la Seigne
Rifugio Elisabetta ahead
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Warren & Mike on a rainy trail
Petite Mt. Blanc (snow capped)
Bruce heading down into the Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Photo by Warren Elliott
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
unnamed mountain
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Mike in the Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Glacier de la Lee Blanche
Aiguille de Tre la Tete (12,893')
unnamed peak
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Refuigo Elisabetta Soldini
Rifugio Elisabetta Soldini,
Aiguille de Tre la Tete behind rifugio
Photo by Warren Elliott
Afternoon Light
Glacier de la Lee Blanche
Aiguille d' Estelette on left, Aiguille de Tre la Tete in clouds
Local Marmot
4th Day [Refugio Elisabetta - Col Checrouit - Courmayeur]
Departing Refuigo Elisabetta Soldini
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
Mt. Rouge de Peuterey (pointed peak on right)
Vallon de la Lec Blanche
An Environmental Education Center
Photo by Warren Elliott
Cabane Combal (6,397')
Mt. Rouge de Peuterey
Val Veny below
Mt. Rouge de Peuterey (center)
Mt. Brouillard (upper left)
Toward Col Checroit
Mt. Brouillard (13,350')
Behind and out of sight is Mt. Blanc
A receding Glacier du Miage
unnamed peak
Glacier du Miage
Aiguille de Bionnassay (13,293') - snow capped triangular peak
Mike on the trail to Col Checrouit
Mt. Brouillard overhead
Aiguille de Bionnassay behind
Mt. Brouillard (13,349')
Dent du Giant
Mt. Brouillard
Mike & Warren above a receding Glacier du Miage
Val Veni
Trail to Courmayeur
Trail to Courmayeur
Mt. Brouillard above
Warren & Mike
Trail to Courmayeur
Trail to Courmayeur
Rifugio Maison Vielle
Drinks & Sandwiches available here
This location is a few paces away from Col Checroit
Italian Villages of Dolonne & Courmayeur
Village of Dolonne
Italian Village of Dolonne
Italian Village of Courmayeur
Glacier de la Brenva
Courmayeur Hotel - Italy (4,022')
This was a long & dry hike down from
Col Checrouit, which is a 3,664' descent.
5th Day [Courmayeur - Col Sapin - Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts - Rifugio Bonatti]
Departing Courmayeur
Charming Village of Courmayeur, Italy
Mountain Climbing Guides Building
Couemayeur, Italy
Scenes above Courmayeur
Engineered Waterfalls above Courmayeur
Village of Courmayeur below
The climb out of Courmayeur up to
Col Sapin is a climb of 3,977 feet
Mont de la Saxe Alternative Trail Route
Mt. Blanc ahead
Rifugio Bertone (6,525')
Tough & steep hike out of Courmayeur which is seen below
Photo by Warren Elliott
Mont de la Saxe Alternative Trail Route
Mt. Blanc behind
Mont de la Saxe Alternative Trail Route
Mont de la Saxe Alternative Trail Route
Photo by Warren Elliott
Trail to Col Sapin
Photo by Warren Elliott
Mt. Blanc (15,770'), Glacier de la Brenva
Mont de la Saxe Alternative Trail Route
Mont Chetif on left
Mont de la Saxe Alternative Trail Route
Col Sapin (7,988')
Val Ferret
Mike atop Col Sapin
Col Sapin
Bruce & Mike
Photo by Warren Elliott
Bruce atop Col Sapin
Mt. Blanc behind
Upward to Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
Mt. Blanc
Mt. Blanc
Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (12,375')
Val Ferret - Mt. Blanc
Photo by Warren Elliott
Trail to Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
Photo by Warren Elliott
The trail to Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
The trail to Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts from Courmayeur
Photo by Warren Elliott
The trail to Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
The trail to Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
Val Ferret
Warren & Mike coming down to Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
Down from Pas Entre-Deux-Sauts
Warren checking out the trail marker
Trail to Rifugio Bonatti
Trail to Rifugio Bonatti
heading into the Vallon de Malatra
Mt Blanc above Vallon de Malatra
Rifugio Bonatti
Rifugio Bonatti Vista
Grandes Jorasses on left, Pointes de Frebouze, Petites Jorasses in center, Aiguille de Leschaux on right
Fading light on Grand Jorasses (13,806')
Pointes de Frebouze behind on right skyline
Grand Jorasses
Rifugio Bonatti Dining
6th Day [Rifugio Bonatti - La Fouly]
Morning light on the Grand Jorasses from Rifugio Bonatti
Bruce ready to head out
Col Grand Ferret to La Fouly
Italy to Switzerland
Val Ferret below
Trail to Col Grand Ferret
Bruce on the bridge to Col Grand Ferret
Abandoned Structure
Petiets Jorasses (left), Aiguille de Leschaux overhead (right)
Trail to Grand Col Ferret
Val Ferret - Italy
Mt. Blanc overhead
Grand Col Ferret Trail
Grand Col Ferret Trail
Mt. Noir de Peuterey on left skyline
Grand Col Ferret Trail
Grand Col Ferret Trail
Waterfall heading into Val Ferret
Bridge & trail leading up to Rifugio Elena
Mike, taking a break at Rifugio Elena (6,765')
Val Ferret view - Italy
Aiguille de Triolet (12,696') on left, Point du Domino (11,968') center,
Pointe de Pre de Bar (11,853') behind & on right
Bruce at Grand Col Ferret (7,999') - border of Italy & Switzerland
Photo by Warren Elliott
Mike & Warren taking a break atop Grand Col Ferret
Grand Col Ferret
Aiguille de Triolet (12,696') on left, Point du Domino (11,968') center,
Pointe de Pre de Bar (11,853') behind & on right
Val Ferret view back into Italy
Trail from Grand Col Ferret to Switzerland's Val Ferret
Val Ferret Trail - Switzerland
Break Time - Alpage de la Peule, Switzerland
Trail/Road to La Fouly, Switzerland
To La Fouly
Between Ferret & La Fouly, Switzerland​
Between Ferret & La Fouly, Switzerland
Between Ferret & La Fouly, Switzerland
La Fouly, Switzerland
Hotel Lodgings
La Fouly, Switzerland
7th Day [La Fouly - Champex]
Waiting at the Bus Stop for a ride to Champex
Rain day - no hiking
La Fouly to Champex
Champex lodging
Champex Hotel
Photo by Warren Elliott
Lac Champex
Lac Champex
Lac Champex & the Combine Massif in clouds
from the Flore-Alpe Alpine Botanical Garden
Combine Massif - afternoon
Combine Massif - morning
Grand Combine (14,154') snow capped
8th Day [Champex - Col de la Forclaz]
Mike starting out to Fenetre d' Arpette. This day said to be the hardest day of the trek,
but hiking out of Courmayeur was harder. This day had an elevation gain of 3,934'
Val d' Arpette stream
Mike pointing out the climb - Fenetre d' Arpette (8,743')
Val d' Arpette
Mike hiking up to Fenetre d' Arpette - up and to the right
Aiguilles d' Arpette on the skyline
Fenetre d' Arpette ahead
View back down the Val d' Arpette toward Champex
Fenetre d' Arpette
Le Genepi (9,455')
Val d' Arpette from the Col
Glacier du Trient on far left
French Alps on horizon
unnamed
Bruce atop Fenetre d' Arpette
Bruce & Mike atop Fenetre d' Arpette
Le Genepi behind
Glacier du Trient
Highest peak: Aiguille du Tour (11,614'),
Trail to Col de la Forclaz
Glacier du Trient
Mike heading down
Pointe d' Orny (10,732') - large center peak
Le Genepi (9,462') - on left of Orny
The col of Fenetre d' Arpette is the notch between the two peaks
Glacier de Trient
Trail to Col de la Forclaz
Le Genepi on left, Pointe d' Orny on right
Fenetre d' Appette Col is the low point between the two peaks
Glacier du Trient below
Hotel at Col de la Forclaz
Photo by Warren Elliott
Mike & Warren at Hotel Forclaz
Col de la Forclaz (5,010')
9th Day [ Col de la Forclaz - Tre-Le-Champ]
Elevated walkway leaving Col de la Forclaz,
Swiss village of Trient below
Mike on the elevated walkway
Glacier du Trient, Petite Pointe d' Orny (10,456'), & Pointe d' Orny behind (10,732')
Glacier de Trient, Pointe d' Orny
Trail to Col de Balme
Village of Trient behind
Col de Balme
Col de Balme & Refugio Col de Balme ahead
View from Col de Balme
Aiguilles des Grand Montent's & Mt. Blanc
Mt. Blanc from Col de Balme
Aiguilles Rouges from Col de Balme
Bruce at Col de Balme
Swiss - French Border
Col de Balme
Mt. Blanc on left, Aiguilles Rouges on right
Chamonix below
Aiguille des Grand Charmoz (center), Aiguille Verte (left and behind)
Mt. Blanc
Aiguilles des Grand Montent's
Wildflowers
Mike on the trail to Tre-Le-Champ
Trail to Tre-Le-Champ
Hero's
Hikers pulling a disabled person up the hill
unnamed peaks
unnamed peaks
Tre-Le-Champ (4,648')
Photo by Warren Elliott
Tre-Le-Champ Lodging
Tre-Le-Champ
Aiguille des Gds Montets (10,810')
From Tre-Le-Champ
10th Day [Tre-Le-Champ - Lac Blanc]
Morning light above Grand Balcon Sud
Glacier d Argentiere - Mt. Dolent (12,533')
Warren & Mike Heading toward the ladders leading to the Grand Balcon Sud
Aiguille ou Dent du Geant (13,166')
Trail to the Grand Balcon Sud
Village of Argentiere below
Aiguillette d' Argentiere
Ladders leading to the Grand Balcon Sud
Mike on the ladders
Bruce on the ladders - Grand Balcon Sud
Photo by Warren Elliott
More ladders
Aiguillette d' Argentiere & Le Tour below
Warren on the ladders
Ladders to the Grand Balcon Sud
Wood stairwell on the Grand Balcon Sud
Bruce, out of gas on the Grand Balcon Sud
Aiguille Verte, Les Drus behind
Dominating skyline on the Grand Balcon Sud
Warren on the Grand Balcon Sud
Arete de Rochefort, Aiguille ou Dent du Geant
Aiguille Verte, Les Drus
Photo by Warren Elliott
Bruce on the Grand Balcon Sud
Photo by Warren Elliott
Lac des Cheserys, Lac Blanc directly ahead
Lac des Cheserys
Bruce on the Grand Balcon Sud
Lac Cheseyrs
Photo by Warren Elliott
Lac des Cheserys
Refugio Lac Blanc
Lac Blanc
Refuge Lac Blanc (7,716')
Refuge Lac Blanc
Warren & Bruce at Lac Blanc
Aiguille Verte, Les Drus (behind clouds), Grandes Jorasses
Grandes Jorasses, Arete de Rochefort, Aiguille ou Dent du Geant
Mere de Glace below
Mt Blanc - from Lac Blanc
Aiguille du Midi directly above the hikers
Photo by Warren Elliott
Lac Blanc panorama
Aiguille du Chardonnet (12,073') on left,
Aiguille d' Argentier (12,723') on right
Lac Blanc
Grandes Jorasses on left, Aiguille ou Dent du Geant - spire on right
Lac Blanc outfall
Mere de Glace
A receeding Mere de Glace
Arete de la Brenva, Mt. Blanc
Aiguille ou Dent du Geant (far left), Aiguilles des Grands Charmoz (center to right),
Mt. Dolent (12,533')
Aiguille ou Dent du Geant (13,166')
Paraglider in center of photo
Mere de Glace
Cloud cover over Dome du Gouter
Paraglider
Ibex
Lac Blanc
11th Day [Lac Blanc - Planpraz - Chamonix]
Packing up/Heading out to a cable car at Planpraz
First light from left to right: Mount Blanc de Tacul (13,736'), Mt. Maudit (14,649'), Mt. Blanc (15,777'),
Dome du Gouter (14,121'), Aiguille du Gouter (12,674'), Aiguille de Bionnassay in background (13,294')
Early Morning - Last Day at Lac Blanc
Lac Blanc - Mt. Blanc
Left to Right: Arete de Rochefort, Aiguille ou Dent du Geant , Aiguille Marbree Nord,
Aiguille Marbree Sud, Aiguille de Toule, Aiguille d' Entreves, Arete de la Brenva, Mt. Blanc du Tacul
Grandes Jorasses (13,805') on the left
Morning Light; Arete de la Brenva, Mt. Blanc du Tacul,
Mt. Maudit, Mt. Blanc, Dome du Gouter
Morning Light;
Arete de Rochefort, Aiguille du Geant, Arete de la Brenva
Grandes Jorasses (13,805'), Arete de Rochefort, Aiguille ou Dent du Geant (13,166'), Aiguille du Grepon (11,424')
Aiguille Verte (13,524'), Les Drus (12,316'), Grandes Jorasses (13,806'), Arete de Rochefort
Mt. Blanc - Early Morning
Sunrise on Mt. Blanc
Mt. Blanc
Les Drus, Grandes Jorasses, Arete de Rochefort
Leaving Lac Blanc
Found out later Warren was hiking with a stress fracture in his leg
Grand Balcon Sud signage - Mt. Blanc in distance
Warren on the Grand Balcon Sud
Aiguille des Grands Montets? behind (10,810')
Warren on the Grand Balcon Sud
Aiguille Verte, Les Drus, & Grand Jorasses behind
Trail markers painted on the rock
Warren on the Grand Balcon Sud - service road
Grand Balcon Sud Trail Marker
Grand Balcon Sud Trail
Grand Balcon Sud Trail
Aiguille Verte
Cime de L Est (10,247')
Aiguille du Midi
Cable Car at Planpraz - Chamonix
Bossoms Glacier
Chamonix
Bruce, Warren, Mike
Completion of the TMB in Chamonix
