So many excuses were received for this first hike in September that it seemed for a while that only Stephen and David would participate. Admittedly, Stephen had indicated a drive to Morgins would be required and that first indications of the weather were not favourable. In the event, a final call resulted in a 50% improvement in numbers, Mark2Ts being happy to be transported by David on the way there and return via CFF.
The day dawned bright. SwissMeteo kindly readjusted its forecast to rain-free. The allotted meeting time of 09.30 at Stephen`s chalet came and went and by 09.40, the walk leader was becoming anxious. Thanks to mobile communication, he was reassured that Mark and David were indeed only 6 minutes away. They duly arrived, sheepishly admitting that David’s satnav had led him on a detour heading towards his usual destination of Villars, happily realised before his arrived there.
There was some possibility that we could have had a female participant (would this have been a first?) but Kate, with inside knowledge of the leader, decided for a less strenuous day. The intrepid 3 set off through Morgins village, up to the pas de Morgins and into France. So far gentle. From there a recently found track could have led for a near vertical ascent to above Chatel had the designer not decided to insert a few tight bends as a less arduous route. Even so this rivalled some of the usual GIN Hiking leader’s steeper routes. As it was, the GIN men were tested and reached the heights, sweated but not broken.
As we climbed about the tree line the panorama opened out with views down the valley to Abondance and across the valley to the ski areas of the Linga and Pré la Joux.
From this vantage point, a slight descent and then renewed climb within close proximity of the Super Chatel cable car station. Cable car and chair lifts were operating but seemingly with little custom. Stephen artfully cut a corner to prevent the other two hikers taking the short detour to the restaurant, having already phoned ahead to the intended hostellerie a little further up the track. Chalet Neuf was reached shortly before 13h, ahead of schedule.
The restaurant was busy. Many of the alpine work force having decided that this was a suitable location to re-fortify themselves over a long lunch break. Unfortunately, there was a lack of waitresses….one in total to be exact….who had to serve both outside and inside clients. An immediate order of beer and panache managed to fill time before the fondue and viande sechée (and the essential carafe of fendant) order was placed and eventually delivered. The sun disappeared behind cloud, the new freshness in the air requiring additional clothing layers, allowing fondue to seem a more appropriate choice for this time of year.
We eventually left the restaurant at 14.40h, not before the GIN Hikers traditional Scottish digestive was consumed, courtesy of Mark, with the coffee. A short, but steep climb especially as blood was not focused on leg muscles, took us to the Portes de Culet, with its splendid view of the Dents du Midi.
There was a possibility there for the short, 40 minute climb to the Belleview. Rejected. However, due to the later time than anticipated, modification was needed to the planned itinerary even though Mark said his next commitment was not until the following Tuesday. The leader took an executive decision for a direct decent on the road. This was rapidly vetoed by David, who suggested an alternative unknown grass track, albeit marked at frequent intervals with red “Swiss Peaks” flags, indicating that it probably lead somewhere. Several fit looking individuals passed us at speed going uphill in the opposite direction. It did indeed lead us down to Morgins village eventually joining with a route more familiar to the local resident. There’s a moral here….something about being open to new ideas and not being too blinkered.
Kate was waiting for us, after her relaxed day, with welcoming tea, fruit and biscuits. Farewells were said and David and Mark drove off down the valley after what we all agreed was another excellent day’s hike in the Alps. Just as Stephen was settling in for his post-hike siesta, Kate discovered unclaimed supplies that David had left in the fridge to keep cool during the day. New farewells were exchanged half-way down the road to Monthey as David’s evening’s rations were returned in a layby.
Statistics: ca. 14.2k, 3h20m moving time, 3h eating and resting time, min. elevation 1305m, max 1784m, 647m total ascent/descent.