The Mountain Gods Have Shined Down Upon Us

The end is near.  We have 2 more hikes left and the weather forecast is not looking so favourable.  In fact, all week the weather was not looking promising, and given the ride up through that wicked storm, none of us were all that optimistic.  However, to date the weather has been perfect.  Sun has been out, not too hot, but definitely not cold and no rain.  We have been blessed.  The hottest day so far was our day off which was also perfect.  But now, Thursday and Friday have high percentage of rain, all day and thunderstorms expected in the afternoons.  YAY!  

Our hikes are roughly 7 hours and there are some steep ascents and descents in very interesting terrain.  Rain would make for a very challenging and less pleasant day.  So every evening at dinner, Egle joins us and gives up a debrief on the next day.  She wants to start a little earlier in hopes of being off the peak by the time the storm starts.  Thursday is going to be our biggest hike yet - roughly 900 m up to a summit of 2300 m or so and back down about the same.  This one takes us to Aiguillette de les Houches, opposite side of the valley facing our first hike and looking out towards OUR glacier as we affectionately call it (or Les Bossons to the locals).  This is a very long ascent, basically non stop through forest path and out on to some very narrow ridge climbing.  ARE WE THERE YET?  So far the weather has been cooperating thankfully and although it's a bit cooler and the wind picks up on the higher parts of the climb, it's perfect hiking weather.  The clouds give the mountains more character.  On the way up we see these 2 people sitting way up on a ridge and they give us a big wave.  They look so small and high up.  As we round the next peak and come down a very scary and slippery rock path those two people come skipping down towards us - it's Zoe and Ben!  What a lovely surprise!  Did you bring lunch?  Turns out where they were sitting is where we were headed.  Not far now.  And still no rain.  A short while later we make it to the top for a spectacular view.  Egle sure knows how to pick good lunch spots.  The sky is opening up for us now and we can't believe how lucky we are to all be up here.  

The hike down as per usual is tough and tricky.  Every step matters.  Some people don't use polls and that is crazy to me.  I would have fallen so many times without them.  We make it down and Ben and Zoe pick us up to drive us home.  NO RAIN.  A long soak in the hot tub was just what the doctor ordered and as usual a delicious cake was awaiting us that was literally devoured by all of us tired and hungry hikers.  Dinner is always so much fun - not only is the food phenomenal, but the company is great too.  We're like a big family sharing each other's food (who wants my vegetables?), making fun of each other and laughing pretty much non stop for a good hour and a half.  It's always so amazing to me how a group of people who met only a few days ago can get to a place where it's like we've all known each other forever and treat each other like new best friends.  I guess when you pee together, you get close quick hahaha.

Friday has a similar forecast as Thursday and and even higher chance of rain and thunderstorms through most of the day.  Same as Thursday, we're going to try and head out a little earlier in hopes of minimizing our time in the rain.  Today though to everyone's delight - there is no descent!  Nope, just a hike up - and a cable car down!  WOOOHOOOO!!  Although our luck with cable cars earlier in the week wasn't so great (each one broken on the day they were available for us to take down).  This ascent is also around 800 m but over 10 km or so and peaking at about 2000 m which means for the most part it is much more gradual.  I of course broke my water bottle 30 min into the day and lost all my water but Trish stepped up and had brought a 2nd bottle so she saved the day.  In my opinion, the easiest day.  Until we hit the final push of course, a good solid 100+ m ascent up a gravel road.  It was neverending.  Who said this was the easiest day?  OH right me.  Today's walk started in Argentiere (a neighbouring town to Chamonix) and has us walking back towards Chamonix, finishing at Plan Pras and Brevent lifts (coincidentally the same lift we took up to go paragliding).  It all comes full circle.  This walk again up through forest path until once again Egle found us a breathtaking spot to have lunch and then across Grand Balcon Sud as very narrow, steep, jagged rock path around the ridge of the mountain.  Definitely need to focus on your steps on this one because it's a long LONG way down.  We slugged it out and rewarded ourselves with a drink at the top before riding all the way back to town in the cable car.  And did it rain?  IT DID NOT!  

So clearly we are a charmed group.  6 days of rain forecasted and not once did we get rained on.  Maybe because for once Murphy's Law was working in our favour?  Pack all your rain gear, lug it around all day and you'll never need to use it. And just like that we climb on the bus to head back home and it starts to POUR.  Buckets!  You can't make this shit up.  Peter started to put on his rain coat to walk from the bus station to the chalet and just as we get ready to get off, the rain tapers off.  NOT KIDDING.  Once we were all safely and snuggely tucked into our Chalet Chocolat, the rain continued on for the rest of the night.                                         

It's been a phenomenal week.  From the hikes, to the weather, to the food and the company.  I am so grateful for meeting such a fun, kind and inspirational group of people whom I will never forget: Trish, Nette, Rhonda, Peter, Penny, Michael, Susan, John, Anna, Angie, Cat, Zoe, Ben and of course Egle.  They are simply a beautiful group of people and I miss them already.  We became a family in a very short amount of time and saying goodbye was harder than expected.  And Sue noticed when we got dropped off at the airport (group shuttle) that the other Exodus group (there was another chalet doing the same thing with a different group) just got off and left whereas our little possy waited for everyone and proceeded with our heavy hearted goodbyes and of course a hug line.  You don't get to choose your chalet or the people you are with and so only fate plays a role in bringing us together.  Clearly Chalet Chocolat is a very special place. 

Exodus Travel is the company we booked through and after our first experience, I strongly recommend them.  In group vacations like these, you never know who you will get in your group, but I'm 2 for 2 now between Stromboli and Mt Blanc and hope to keep that trend going.