Col de la Forclaz, Switzerland Travel Journals & Blogs

TMB then Spain and Portugal
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- Sep 14, 2022, 4:00pm
- ☁️ 16 °C
- Altitude: 1,273 m
- Switzerland Valais Trient Col de la Forclaz 46.057721, 6.99420946°3’28” N 6°59’39” E
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Day 14
Still in Switzerland, at Triente
September 14, 2022 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Hiked a 16km day. Rained a bit just enough to get a bit of use of the waterproof gear we’ve been lugging everyday. These alps are so so high. We see some people trail running them which is astounding we feel. Walking up is tough enough. Height gain 850m, height loss 1040m. This means we’re down low in a valley and the only way out is up! 😩😬Read more
Enjoy, happy it's tough hahah [Kerrie May]
9/14/22Reply
Traveler Kids are enjoying looking at the photos of the toadstools and sheep
9/16/22Reply
Traveler That is so beautifully Swiss!
9/17/22Reply
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Tour du mont blanc
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- Aug 14, 2022
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 1,526 m
- Switzerland Valais Trient Col de la Forclaz 46.058333, 7.00166746°3’30” N 7°0’6” E
Day 7
Jour 6 : de Champex lac à Trient
August 14, 2022 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
On reste en Suisse pour cette 6eme étape ! Une longue montée dans les bois nous attend, récompensée par une chouette refuge et beau panorama. On évite la pluie de peu et arrivons au sec à Trient, pour une après midi de détente 😊.Read more
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Holly and Karl Baguette Bike Travels
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- Jun 9, 2023, 2:00pm
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 1,530 m
- Switzerland Valais Trient Col de la Forclaz 46.057714, 7.00141746°3’28” N 7°0’5” E
Day 66
New Heights
June 9, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
It was blues skies again in the morning, meaning fresh views of Mont Blanc. We packed up and visited Candice one last time for morning tea - what fun to have gotten to connect with her and Sebastien as we explored the area, after a chance meeting in the Gorges du Verdun many weeks earlier. We climbed up the valley beyond Chamonix, passing the village of Argentière before pushing up to the Col des Montets at a new high point of 1461 m. We were enchanted by the beautiful rocky alpine valley, and stopped for a deluxe picnic lunch - we've upped our picnic game since experiencing superbe French picnics with our friends! Then we rode down through Vallorcine and across the border to Switzerland. Our next climb took us even higher, to the Col de la Forclaz at 1527 m. Our first experience of Swiss alpine roads is that they are slightly steeper! It was a thrilling ride back down to Martigny, with the temperature rising as we dropped through the steep vine-filled hills. And then, we were back along the Rhône River, after so many kilometres travelled! Karl celebrated with rivella, a drink recommended to us by our Swiss-Canadian friends.Read more
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Traveler TMB, France & Spain
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- Sep 12, 2023, 8:15am
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Altitude: 1,528 m
- Switzerland Valais Trient Col de la Forclaz 46.058022, 7.00142846°3’29” N 7°0’5” E
Day 11
TMB to Col de Balme Tue 12 Sep 2023
September 12, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Up at 6.30am. Breakfast at 7am. First cloudy day. Started walking around 8.15am from Hotel Col de la Forclaz (1526 metres). Richard stayed and caught a bus at noon, then a train to our accommodation for the night. Walk initially followed a beautifully constructed path which was originally a tramway for shipping glacial ice to Paris and other places. There was a channel taking water down the hill beside the path as well as wooden aqueducts in places to keep the water slope constant. When the tramway path ended we crossed the river coming off the glacier above and began a steep lengthy climb up a rough foot track. Morning tea was about 10.20am. Rain sprinkles at a closed refuge Les Grands (2113 metres). Arrived at Col de Balme (2204 metres) which is the border between Switzerland and France around 1pm.Read more
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Traveler A&K Adventure 2019
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- Aug 1, 2019, 5:59pm
- ⛅ 24 °C
- Altitude: 1,270 m
- Switzerland Valais Trient Col de la Forclaz 46.058048, 6.994346°3’29” N 6°59’39” E
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Day 28
D28 - TMB Auberge LaBoerne to Auberge MB
August 1, 2019 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
TOP 3 Highlights:

1. L'Aiguillette des Posettes - We knew that today was going to go up, down, up, down, but we never anticipated how much we would love today’s walk. L’Aiguillette des Posettes was the second peak that we have summited by foot on this trip, and as promised by some friendly Americans we met at La Boerne, the views were fantastic. To make it even better, there was a mountainside full of wild blueberries to keep our energy levels up along the way!

2. Lost - after Col du Balme, we followed the sign towards a trail and began along it. After traversing a very dicey snow patch that would have sent us flying 40m down the side of the mountain had we slipped, I noted to Kate that we hadn’t seen many TMBers for some time. We carried on, also noting an alternative route with some hikers on it below us. After an hour or two of lovely walking just above the tree line with distant views down the valley towards or destination, we started curving our way around the mountain in the opposite direction. We stopped, checked the maps, and realised we’d been on the wrong trail for hours. We backtracked to the last junction we’d seen and headed down an overgrown and underused zig zag track that hugged a very sharp spine. After not too long, we pushed through waist deep grass to connect up with our intended route. What a lovely detour...

3. Fondue - we passed up on an opportunity for Raclette at the beginning of our hike and so tonight when we were presented with the choice of pork/rice or a massive bowl of melted cheese and bits to dip in it, we said yes.
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It was entertaining, but one communal vat of bubbling cheese for a table of 6 people to be ladled over boiled potatoes was not what we were expecting. Let the cheese sweats begin.

*Bonus* - Turns out there is a bloke staying here that has been carrying his bagpipes around TMB and during dessert we all got a quick performance! The Scottish couple we had been chatting to beside us were loving it- so would you Mum. Anthony covered his ears...

Oh, and today Kate’s stick broke. Sad moment.

Happy Swiss National Day!Read more
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Traveler Alpes 2023
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- Sep 1, 2023
- ☀️ 22 °C
- Altitude: 1,263 m
- Switzerland Valais Trient Col de la Forclaz 46.058658, 6.99398746°3’31” N 6°59’38” E
Day 4
Utmb J4 - trient
September 1, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Croiser des élites et ni plus ni moins que Emelie Forsberg !
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