TMB Day 7 (Fini!)

The room I was in last night was shared with a family of three children, none of whom cared to be laying down, motionless in the dark.  For some reason I found it funny, reminding me of my sisters and brother and was able to initially fall asleep.  What I hadn't accounted for was all the body heat being put off and I ended up laying in bed most of the night waiting for breakfast.  Once the family was awake and out the door, I was able to sleep...right through breakfast being served.  Normally not an issue, but as a result of all the non TMB hikers what was left on the tables were crumbs.  Crumbs that I gladly scooped up, even snagging the last banana and some bread for the trail.

Set out with no clear destination in mind, with the only objective of exploring Lac Blanc and finding the spot where the picture that sparked my interest several years ago was taken.  As a result of numerous chairlifts being open from Chamonix to the side of the valley where the TMB resides, the trails were crowded with families day hiking and what seemed like half the town.  With the perfect weather, I couldn't blame them.

With the potential of this being my last day of hiking I loittered around Lac Blanc and toyed with the idea of staying the night at the Refuge.  Having snacked and explored the trails surrounding these glacier colored mountain lakes, the overwhelming feeling of having accomplished the hike hit me.  I then decided to make for Les Houchea at the other end of the valley, the equivalent of another full days hike.  Completing the trail this night allowed me the opportunity to experience the tourist rides from the valley that had been recommended to me along the trail, such as the train ride to a glacier cave and the chairlift ride near the summit of Mount Blanc.  More interestingly, I'd have time to visit the CERN facility in Geneva while I was in the area.

The guide book I'd been following for this trail referes to today's hike as the most beautiful and I certainly thought the stretch leading up to Brevent had some of the best views of Mont Blanc and its surrounding cast of peaks.  Having reached the end of the alpine mileage, the best scenery or so I felt was near Refuge Elisabetta at the Val Veni on the way to Courmayer.

Video of Lac Blanc

The rest of the hike beyond Brevent was uneventful and as can be expected had to bring me back to reality with the trail leading through parking lots, along industrial fences and across highway overpasses.

Hang Gliders near Plan Praz

Video of Aiguilles Rouges

Arriving in Les Houches for the first time seven days ago, it felt like completing the circle by finishing the trail on a Sunday.

I arrived where I had originally stayed, stepping foot from the same doorway and starting the trail, Hotel Slalom only to find that the place was closed.  The thought of clean clothes and falling onto a bed after a shower is what kept me going for the last three hours.  Wanting to get off my feet I made my way to the next closest hotel.  Having been exhausted from the days hike and slightly frustrated at not having access to my clean clothes, the conversation with the non English speaking hostess at the new hotel and my non French speaking self ended with me saying, "I don't care, I just want a shower."  A low moment, but I attempted and felt that I made up for my rudeness when I returned after a shower and made a full hearted try at speaking the language.

As luck would have it, on my way to dinner I passed hotel slalom along the way and noticed a light on inside.  Coincidently, an employee had stopped by for a moment to do an errand.  I was allowed to get my bag and was informed that the back door access code I was given when I first arrived and then immediately forgot was for this reason.  Otherwise, the hotel was to remain closed for the week.

With my property now in hand and capable of continuing on with this trip, I sat down for one last meal in the cold mountain air.  Tonight, it was roasted lamb and a beer.  The last line in my guide book reads something along the lines of congratulations, you've completed the hike.  As my friend Bohannon would say, indeed guide book, indeed!

I'll have one last short post to sum up the hike and possibly a second, although I'm not planning to write anything about Oktoberfest.  Pictures to come, please forgive the grammatical errors.  It's embarrassing how much of a crutch Windows spell check and a boon Apples autocorrect is for me.

Before leaving Les Houches for Chamoix, I found a couple friends along the road.

Link to TMB Day 7 photos, via Picasa.