Ep 3: How did we end up on a high pass variant on the Tour du Mont Blanc?!

Team Gianni bumbles their way over a variant on the Tour du Mont Blanc and lives to tell the tale over drinks at the gorgeous Rifugio Elisabetta.

For a different POV, READ THE TRAVEL REPORT WITH PHOTOS AT:
https://someguywrites.substack.com/t/...

TMB Day 3 Refuge Bonhomme to Rifugio Elisabetta

This is one of those days that will live in Team Gianni infamy. Aka - we did a dumb thing. We were told that if the weather was good to do the high pass from Refuge Bonhomme over the Col des Fours and save a mile or two and see some good stuff. We should have talked to someone else. Tons and tons of snow and a descent of a couple of miles that took us four hours. So much snow. So steep.So stupid.We had to dig our heels in on every step to create a little ledge. In our trail running shoes. This was one of the sketchiest things I’ve ever been apart of - and that’s saying something. We got close to the bottom and were scared to death because you’d walk over a hole that looked like it went straight to hell. We could see a raging river off to the left and assumed there was water flowing under the snow, but who knows where. At dinner a hiker told us someone died on the trail last week. At breakfast he told us it was the variant we’d taken the day before. Lady was walking and fell through the snow into that raging river that spit her out at the bottom where the snow had melted and over a waterfall. She somehow survived all that but died of hypothermia before the rescue chopper arrived. Horrible. Suffice to say - that’s our last venture off the main trail. And I know what you’re thinking- but nope. This was Malena’s idea - I’m in the clear for once.

Once that was over we climbed 3,500 feet and crossed into Italy where quite a bit of Moretti and wine was dispensed with. The Refugio was beyond gorgeous. It’s like a European version of Zion NP every day…

But as we’ve learned over and over again- it’s the insane days of hell that stick in the ole memory banks. Of course you have to live long enough to remember…

We used Happy Tracks to help us book lodging. You tell them how many days you have and they’ll give you the best options. They give you lots of planning advice and are there if you need support during your hike. Highly recommend. It’s worth the money. They do much more than just book lodging too - luggage transfers, guided tours, and more…

Grant
Happy Tracks
https://happytracks.ch/
[email protected]
Tell him Angelo Gianni sent you!