Day 1 - Chamonix to Trient

Today I embarked alone for the start of the Haute Route. With all my travels, this may be the first time I am backpacking alone. Given the hard pace that we set out for the Tour de Mont Blanc, we decided it would be best for Jennifer to take a day off, since the first day is really a repeat of the Tour in different direction from a slightly different trail. Also, tomorrows walk is the hardest and could have a lot of snow. I am going to walk that alone and then meet Jennifer in Champex where we will walk the next stage together. This will help us make up two days that we lost heading to Zermatt, which took 8 trains for the round trip. We did not expect it to be that difficult. So with that said on the Haute route.

The Haute route is from Chamonix to Zermatt with the first few stages overlapping the general area of the Tour de Mont Blanc. It's over 110 miles long, but the real pain is from the vertical climb. We climb over 12,000 meters, or 7.5 miles straight up that's like walking up and down the empire state building almost 32 times.

I left Jennifer at the train station, saddened that we were separating for a day, but with a lighter load (she took a lot of my weight for the day) I could make up ground without beating up my body. The directions from the book were pretty good, although there were two places I got really confused just getting out of Chamonix. I really was used to Jennifer being able to ask anyone for help.

Once I got out of Chamonix, the trail was gorgeous. No big mountain views, just a soft (hmmm soft) trail that meandered through the forest with moss covered rocks, a clear glacial stream, song birds chirping and it was almost totally void of people. I kept thinking that I might not have appreciated it much if I had not just walked the Tour de Mont Blanc and beat my body to a pulp.

I thought I was making good time, but the time estimates in the book and the trail weren't jiving, so I just plowed ahead. I got to the first town, Argentiere. Stopped for a quick drink and then headed to Le Tour. The trail continued to be quite pleasant and shaded most of the way there. Once I got to Le Tour I saw hordes of people hitting the trams to climb up to the col. Certainly an easier way to go.

I hit the trail being blanketed by the repeated shadows of the tram. It was as if it was mocking me. At the end of the tram was the halfway point of the climb. So I stopped and had a little lunch. Leftover sausage and day ole bread. The day old bread wasn't doing it for me. I then trekked up to Col de Baume, a stop we had been before and gotten lost. I was wiser now and looked at the sign carefully. Followed the marked path to Trient, where I would be staying the night. It was a nice gentle trail. After about 10 minutes I hit a sign, Trient in the opposite direction. Apparently there were multiple ways to get to Trient and I was on the long trail. Back I went and down the trail we had walked up to get to the col on the TMB. I flew down, since I had already seen the view and had a much lighter pack this time.

As I entered Le Peuty the town before Trient I was blown away by the wildflowers. They seem to have expanded since we last walked through. I met another couple as I walked from Leputy to Trient and they were totally lost looking for the campground. I can't imagine doing all this an camping. Importantly, they came from where I am going tomorrow and they said the way is clear. So I am psyched. It should be reminiscent of the glaciers in Torres del Paine. I got into Trient, which is a post card quaint town with an old church at the center. Almost no one was around. I got an eerie feeling I stepped into a B grade horror movie where the eat lone travelers. I walked around this tiny town for half an hour unable to locate the dormitory. I was totally frustrated. One woman gave me directions in French, that only helped a little. There was even a map of the town and a picture of the dorm. No help. I know I suck. I eventually found it. It was hidden behind another building and was the very last building in town. The dorm room is huge, although I am the first in it. As you can tell from my prompt report, they have internet and it is free.

The story continues...