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Snowshoe outing

Written by Mark Warren (only posted by PT)

The highest point in the Jura, the Crêt de la Neige (1718m) provides on a good day some of the best views of the Alps as well as the Jura and despite a slight haze Tuesday 1 March was a good day. Just as important it was windless. 

Taking the télécabine from Lelex up to the Catheline, six of us set off on the well-marked trail. There was still enough snow to warrant the use of snowshoes but if it does not snow again, this may well be our last outing using them. 

The going was relatively easy with slight slopes to begin with and then there was a steeper climb up to the top. Half way up, David had a snowshoe catastrophe as the rivet holding the strap onto the shoe came out, making the shoe useless.

Thankfully Nicolas had the ingenuity to think of and implement a solution – he used his key ring to join the two parts together which enabled David to continue with no further incidents. 

To quote Hilary Sharp from her guide to snowshoeing in the Alps: “There are many reasons to toil uphill, but one of the most satisfying is to see the ever-widening vista”, and we weren’t disappointed as we first saw the Alps from a relatively narrow viewpoint and then the full skyline once we reached the top.

These views from the top were well worth our efforts and we stopped for our picnic just short of the summit gazing at the panorama, with Richard and Drew offering the aperitives. 

The summit team went on to that objective while Philip and Mark ambled on the return route. Understandably, the return was more rapid than going, so it wasn’t too long before we reached Franck (and Laos) at the Refuge la Loge for beers.

Conversation covered many subjects, including of course independence – but this time, Rob please note, we were talking about Ukraine.

The total hike was 9km with a height difference of 410m. A lovely day out on a classic hike. Thank you the drivers.

Participants: RichardS, DavidC, DrewM, PhilipJ, NicolasU and Mark2R  

Some of Drew’s shots  (reduced in size for this site)  :-

             

Richard and Mark 2rrs led this fine excursion (9km and just over 300m) on a perfect day from La Givrine (1207m) to Cabane Rochefort (1385m) for lunch and La Genolière (1348m) for coffee and tart. Conditions were pretty much perfect. A crisp, cold morning blessed us with blue skies and warming sun, with plenty of snow in similar excellent condition.

Six punters including Mark 2tts, Mervyn, Philip and me, set out with a large hairy blighter called Kobie. Generally throughout the day in my opinion the dog was as well behaved as the punters. The SS trail meandered up eastwards to Combe Grasse in two large snow-crystal bowls.

There were few folk about and spirits were high. Kobie could not wander too far from the trail as he would otherwise sink into the slightly crusty snow.

We ascended the easy ridge with alpine views up the the Cabane Rochefort in time to establish ourselves on the only clear table in the sun, with a fabulous view out over the lake to Mt Blanc. The Cabane being closed, we were free to picnic with our own beverages, and Guatemalan rum quickly made its presence felt again. We are now into stylish Stanley shot-cup technology as initiated by Rob, but they don’t work well with hot coffee..

Very soon the quiet of our day was somewhat disturbed by a band of 40 or more teenagers out on a school snow-shoe expedition and who had chosen to lunch at the same Cabane. Somehow this disturbed our quiet, but not us, and indeed Kobie had much fun trying to beg for additional nutrients.

White and red wines, coffee and some sausage sticks, cherry tomatoes and crisps, sandwiches and fruit, with plenty of treats for the hound.

Having covered rugby, cricket, the Winter Olympics, Boris and partygate, Brexit, COVID pandemic, Scottish independence, the coming economic crunch, Ukraine, gardening and a toast to absent friends, it was time to leave. Happily the crowd of students had departed and we were quickly on our way over to La Genolière for coffee and promised tarts. It was busy but we waited a few minutes for a table. Kobie played with his chum the resident hut doodle resuming their play from several previous visits, the first a year ago.

We spent a pleasant further hour or so outside at La Genolière over coffee and fine apple tart, albeit Mervyn’s chosen vin cuit tarte was admittedly somewhat diminutive.

There remained a pleasant amble back through the forest avoiding the main walking trail, albeit it was a tad unpleasant for me as my (already troubled and overused) knee-tendons gave way just before the cars. The pain was worth it for the great day we had had. I am now in recovery mode. Kobie is fine. With thanks to those who put up with him, especially Mervyn who had a neck wash on the drive up.

PS For those who heard it, the impenetrable Monty Python RAF banter goes like this:-

Idle : “Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right into the howsyourfather; Hairy Blighter, dicky birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over onto his Betty Harpers, and caught his can in the Bertie”.

Palin inter alia : “Sausage Squad up the blue end ?” and “Bunch of monkeys on the ceiling, sir! Grab your egg-and-fours and let’s get the bacon delivered” and “Cabbage crates coming over the briny?” etc..

A motley crew of 5 assembled on a sky-blue and sunny but windy morning at the carpark at La Givrine to attempt a circuit to Chez Mamac for lunch at La Cure, anticlockwise. Good snow, not very recent but deep enough for snow shoes to be needed. Attending Mark2Ws, Richard, David, Nicolas and PeterT.

Apologies were received from various characters, some of dubious merit. They missed another good one.

We set off (after a quick tot of rum in Stanley cups) on our raquettes following a trail up into the forest, turning up onto a smaller one-raquette-wide path into the ever denser woods.

It was nice going, out of the wind as sunlight filtered through the pines.

The trail meandered left and right, up and down.

We were shortly back on a ski loipe but veered off it towards the right with hills towards the Noiremont in view. No helicopters were seen. A greek fellow in orange called Adulostas? was spotted shadowing our progress so we invited him into our party.

This was fine easy going and we breasted a gentle col in fine powder with spindrift blowing across the crystal surface.

We sped downwind across and over into the valley leading to La Cure.

Other snowfolk were out enjoying the conditions as we approached Chez Mamac, where Richard had indicated the wind would be particularly strong. Happily conditions had eased and we were able to sit at a table outside in the full sun sheltered from the mild breeze.

A most convivial lunch indeed. Trifon fondû and rösti, followed by crème brûlée and tarte citron, washed down by suitable beers and wine, followed by coffee.

As I recall it, perhaps not well, we deferred any vote on Scottish independence to a later date when we could interview a main protagonist. There was some negative sentiment expressed on Boris’s chances of staying in his role. Nicolas seemed pleased when he was told he could come dogging without a dog, albeit he said he wanted to get one. Kobie would also be pleased in that case.

Our route back involved a crossing of the rail and road routes over the col, to a trail in the cold woods to the south. This was a pleasant and fairly uneventful march back to the car, enlivened by the odd antics of Richard who proceeded to prostrate himself on the snow twice within 10 metres. We wondered whether he was trying to express something to us about how much he loves the white stuff.

Richard said he never falls… and then did it again.

We arrived safely back at the cars 90 minutes after leaving the restaurant, still in the slanting rays of the January sun, albeit we could see low cloud hovering above St Cergue and threatening to spill up onto us. Lucky lads, fun outing with fine company. May there be many more. About 9km and 250m denivellation.

Mark promised 8km, 400m deniv, mixed weather but great food and a warm welcome at La Loge and we were not disappointed. Assembling at the Crozet lift at 9.45 am saw Leader Mark, Guido Richard, and punters Philip, Mervyn and me. We packed snow shoes, emergency gear and not a lot else. We wore our warm gear and sunglasses and after the Eu 9 tickets purchased by Philip we ascended the lift to the station at 1300m in bright sun and blue skies with a potential for a cold N wind higher up.

Recent snow and below freezing temperatures portended excellent conditions and indeed we immediately donned our raquettes to head off rightwards away from the ski pistes and up an icy track dusted with blown snow, heading for the Col at 1560m.

We made good progress in the bright sun and we soon in sight of the summit for the day enjoying magnificent views in the cold air.

This was a very pleasant and yet mildly strenuous ascent.

It was not long before we reached the viewpoint summit col.

At this point Richard brought out some strong liquid which he served in cracked cups – we need to invest in some Pashley goblets. Rum from Guatemala (sic) had us dancing in the wind.

From the viewpoint it was an easy descent down the other side past the Lelex lift and snow blowers across through snow laden firs to La Loge 140m below the col.

We received very warm welcome from Franck at his window from which he served us aperos outside on the banquettes.

Suitably revved we entered the Loge’s warm and welcoming saloon. Christmas lights and a large warm stove, a friendly smile from hostess Kate underneath her mask and we we soon tucking into sausage and Jurassien Croute washed down with some suitable red. We toasted absent friends – they were sadly missing a really great lunch, and outing, as we missed them. We also toasted to all of us still being the right side of the sod.

There were only a few other diners and we were treated right royally, taking our desert tartes around the stove, even playing a game of chess – Richard’s first in several years and he played a blinder.

Franck came over with a box of Genepi, mental note for shopping list. Right. We were ready for the off.

Which of course required an ascent back up to the col. Where had the sun gone? Instead of blue sky we were in cloud and a freezing wind. But we were suitably fortified and were soon back at the col and descending powdery slopes on the way home.

Altogether one of the best snow-shoe outings I have been on. La Loge is highly recommended and it is reachable with not a lot of effort. Thanks again to Mark. Here’s to many more.

It was grey when eight stalwarts (Richard S, Paul S, Mervyn P, Drew M, Philip J, Bill W and the two Marks) plus new boy (Nicolas Ulmer) set out in falling snow from the Givrine railway station on the well-marked, and familiar to most, trail to the Vermeilley Refuge. But that wasn’t how it started. It was sunny on the way up to St Cergue with the trees covered with the previous night’s fall of snow but soon after, into the clouds we went. There were hardly any other people, the fields were covered in smooth and untrammelled snow and even the path was free of the usual hundreds of footprints indicative of its popularity. Our leisurely ascent was disturbed by two motorised sledges carrying supplies to the refuges – the first, the Genolier, was closed but no doubt preparing for a weekend opening. Kobe’s friend from last year was running around happily. So, on we trudged leisurely to the Vermeilley which, as we knew, was open. Here Richard left us to return to meet his son for lunch in St Cergue (this was less leisurely as it only took him 50 minutes).

It was lovely being back in this Refuge; in fact, it was almost like being back home since we had it to ourselves until one and then a second individual arrived. The beers flowed, then the charcuterie, fondue (what else!) and apple tart. In the absence of Rob, Drew kindly offered the Scottish fluid.

The return was too easy for some, with one Gent doing the “angel” in the snow requiring help to get up which had his helper sprawling in the snow in his turn.