SSLeader Mark2rs had set up a nice snow shoe hike to begin activities in 2024.
Having set us up he pulled out of the event citing child care duties. Unperturbed 8 punters showed up on time just after 9.30 am at the parking at the Col de La Faucille which was busy being filled up with skiers and others.
Attending : Richard S, Mervyn, Nicolas, Nathan, Mark2ts, Larry, Mike H and Peter T.
The plan was fairly basic – ascent to Grand Mont Rond then traverse back across to Petit Mont Rond and have lunch there, descending on the bubble lift to the Col. (Sadly the Florimont Restaurant did not have space for us, so we would have to make do with the Petit Mond Rond (PMR)).
This sportsplan was indeed followed and achieved, not without some struggle and effort, since the ascent to Mt Rond is 260 metres, the parcours “traverse” back across back to Petit Mont Rond increased our total ascent to 460m. And 6.7 Km.
We set off carrying our snow shoes on our packs, beginning in slightly slushy snow but which soon became cold and perfectly frozen. We emerged from the pleasantly wooded section onto the piste and elected to put on our raquettes, not everyone knew how their kit could be adjusted to fit their boots.
The weather had been grey and cold with slight spindrifting, but there was a hint of sun in the sky. Snow conditions were now excellent and spirits were high. Only one party was ahead of us, an Italian couple whom we met again on the summit, after they stopped at the farm building on the ascent.
By the time we had reached the summit ridge the sun had gone and we were left with the murk.
Somehow the lead raquetter (PT) diverged right at the top away from the true Grand Mont Rond (GMR) and those that followed must have cursed as they descended crusty snow to rhe short rise back up to the true GMR summit.
However it was not long before we reached our true goal where Larry proceeded to extract a bottle of his own-label chasselas from his sack. Sadly he had lost his nuts, they had fallen out, but the wine blessed our summit.
Our Italian friends were pleased to be offered some LF wine and we chatted, partly in Italian, partly French. They were from the Dolomites. Richard brought out his famed bottle of many spirits, this time the latest uncrossed-out label was something like “Manzana Ice”, but I only glimpsed it before mentally rejecting the opportunity to taste something new, and potentially hazardous. Richard indeed bagan to feel dizzy after this, I hope that he is fully recoverd.
A descent is necessary to commence the traverse back across to The PMR, which is lower, but the parcours is Nepali-flat, i.e. much up and down. The down sections proved somewhat tricky, especially where the snow had a hard crust, our SSLeader would have found them undoubtedly so. Edging techniques were tested. So were my knees.
Eventually the final slope to the PMR reared up and no more painful descents were needed. My knees, already in a poor state, had taken a hammering.
We soon were ensconced in the corner table of the PMR restaurant, with the finest views, but were soon to find that the self-service system was at best, mediocre. It took quite some while for all to return and to start their meal, in my case luke warm chicken and relevantly mediocre chips. However Larry enlivened us all with his kind purchase of a bottle of Côtes du Rhone, his second bottle of the day. The level of banter altered accordingly.
We toasted absent friends, in particular Mark2rs. It had been a fine outing. Larry had excelled himself in hiking and in wine. Mark2ts provided us with his strong black, hot coffee. Nicolas generously paid for us all to descend on the bubble back to the cars, saving our knees in the process, and allowing for early baths.
Thanks to all for another fun outing.
