On the trail again - Tour de la Grande Casse - PN Vanoise

grazing with Doina, 

we had to get down to business because it's high time I begin training for the trail I'll have in aaaammm...1 month and a half...I feel the same story reapeting itself...me not training...means at one point in the race ending it before the finish line...and I wouldn't like that, not for this one at least

The track

- 70km;

- 4500 D+;

- 18h ~

Saturday 7/07

 Tignes, by 7:30

 To much snow for my taste

 La Grande Casse

 I need some help with this one

Refuge du Grand Bec, by 4 p.m.

 Refuge du Laisonnay, which in fact is a restaurant, and they had a barbecue going on and some stuff roasting, and me drooling...

 Lilium martagon

 what the french would call un montagne à vaches

 Refuge de la Glière

oh, well, ok...I'll see you tomorrow

 20 minutes since 40 minutes ago...

Yessss! we still have some time for a beer or two:)

in Tignes, my buddy cared to come and pick up me bones:), happy to share the emotion of the day and know there is someone I can lean on

Ecrins Massif - Le Râteau - Sommet E (3809m) : Arête S

     
this weekend the Grenoblois were sizzeling and browning on both sides in the 36°C temperatures, all except us:).
we rather chose to climb to Le Rateau - Pic Est . They say an easy climb, aaahmmm

The Glen of Selle, full of plants of all shapes and sizes

 
some curly bobs:)

at the break of day

l'antecime

the last steps at around 8:30 in the morning

and a stunning view towards La Meije

and further in the back a lovely glacier where another bunch of guys from town were sharing a moment on the Ruies

  
yet another bright souvenir to keep in the back of our minds

Les Grandes Rousses - Le Grand Sauvage

23-24 Juin - Col du Grand Sauvage (3163m)/par Couloir NW et Crête Nord du Grand Sauvage

 

let's pay him a visit:)

Aiguilles de l'Argentière to think about

 sunset over Belledonne, he's again hiding in town:)

 Grand Sauvage et son col

 is it...one of the smallest trees in the world, Gilles?

someone of the family Salix (maybe Retusa)

Eritrichium nanum 

 yet another game

3 days, 3 massifs, 3 peaks, a bunch of buddies

15/06 - Chamechaude (2082m) - Chartreuse Massif

After 2 months of daily storms, there is finally a weather window. And what do we do? We run to the mountains.

An afterwork bet, Nils tells me we can go up to the top of the Chartreuse Massif, and be back in time for dinner:). As I've never been up there, I seize the chance...you're on...

and you've got me :)

1 hour's time walking later 

Polygala 

16/06 - Pic de la Grave (3667m/ 400m D+) - Ecrins Massif

And because somebody is a mind reader...and cared to bring me along

Thanks to Damien, Arnaud and Nico

later in the evening the guys kindly dropped me off at Le Chazelet (1800m). I just couldn't stay indoors while a weather like this.

Mix and match 1

you know what this means...a chilly night in my billion star hotel (500m D+ higher, somewhere near la Petite Buffe)

behind the Grand Rousses Massif, makes me think the sun has found a hidding place in Grenoble

17/06 - Arves Massif - Pics de la Buffe d'en haut (2933m)

a chosen view at around 2400m

in the morning light, thinking about the roped partys upthere, I'm happy for you, enjoy

The big plan:)).
So I said I'll do a day walk, if the weather is good and clear.
But where I was heading...I would have my head in the clouds.

the last stretch towards Pics de la Buffe d'en haut, and the descent I did not want to do to the left

I wanted to do a circuit as: Rivet du Pied - La Petite Buffe - Pics de la Buffe d'en haut - Col de l'Infernet - Pic du Mas de la Grave (3020m). But somehow, there was no visibility by 10 a.m when I got to the Pics de la Buffe d'en haut, felt a bit overwhelmed by the descent on the ridge, did not trust my scrambling skills and wobbly feet on the last patches of snow of this winter...aammm...

this means heading back to safer grounds...and keep it until next time.

Yeah, I agree, I was planning a long stretch to find some wilderness...ok, maybe too long, but I see it only as dreaming big:). That's what keeps us going!

Mix, match and offer