What a day!
I woke at 7 and packed up in a hurry to snag some breakfast at the refuge, since I ate the last of my food last night ( 2 supermarkets I thought would be open yesterday for resupply were closed for the season, so I had to stretch rations a bit ).
Then a 5km hike down to the pretty ski-resort town, Tignes! The supermarket here was open (thank nature) and I got 3 days of food, plus some comfort items and sandwich supplies for lunch today (baguette, chicken, cheese).
I hung out by lac Tignes for a bit and then set out on the GR-55, an alternate high route of the GR5 that goes through the heart of Vanoise National Park.
The trail climbs up through a deserted ski area, eventually leading to a col around 2,700m, where things get really good. The views of the Grand Motte (3,700m) on the way up were already spectacular. Now, the glacial moraine valley I found myself in was nonstop breathtaking.
I stopped at a pristine lake surrounded by scree and massive glacial peaks to assemble and devour the sandwich that I had been dreaming of for the last two hours.
The trail wound on down the valley, passing a refuge and riding the left side of a snowmelt river.
Then, a small climb up to the Col du Vanoise. This area was especially scenic. The peaks were all around 4,000-5,000 feet higher than I was at the col, and many of them still had glacial remains and snow near their peaks. The gravely bouldery moraines were some of the biggest I’ve ever seen! There must have been 2,000 feet of just scree at the base of some of these peaks.
I stopped into the refuge du col du Vanoise, thinking I’d be able to bivouac there like I did last night. But nope! They don’t allow bivouacing! Unbelievable! They have all this grassland that they’re more than happy to have cows and sheep obliterate. But I as a backpacker cant pitch a tent for the night because of “environmental impact.” Whatever!
I carried on past the refuge and down a valley, where I got to walk across a cool ass lake on stepping stones! It was a super nice touch to the trail.
I was upset that I tried to follow the rules of the national park (bivuoac only near refuges) but that plan had obviously gone wrong. So I said, to hell with the rules, and their double standards, giving cattle the right to destroy they parkland, but usurping hikers’ right to pitch a tent for just long enough to sleep.
So I found a sweet cave to crash in, just beside a nice stream. Out of sight of all trails and such. My own little slice of paradise. Tomorrow, I’ll hike out of the national park and not have to worry about these stupid rules anymore.
But I cant blame them for wanting to protect this place. It is inordinately beautiful, and worthy of every bit of protection and more. Just get the damn cows out of here! Jeez! They’re seriously wrecking the place! It’s dejecting to see their massive impact at every turn of the trail.
Okay. Dinner time.
Good night!