Category: GR5 2018

Today’s trail continued through the Queyras Regional Park all day, and ended at the park’s south-west border, 27km later, on the beautiful, aquamarine Lac Saint Anne.

There was some really good ridge walking throughout the day, and the small village of Chateau-Queyras I passed early in the morning was very scenic and charming.

From the village, there was a 1,000m climb up to a ridge, and then over to the Col de Fromage (sil vous ple, pass the cheese?). From the col, a 600m descent to the town of Ceillac, where I had hoped to stop into the market. However, it wouldn’t open for another 2 hours, and I had enough food for another 3 days or so, so I carried on.

I walked a road up a scenic valley, eventually turning onto a trail and climbing another 700m, having dinner at the Lac de Miroir, and finally pitching the tent above the gorgeous Lac Saint Anne.

All in all, a solid day of hiking! Very scenic! There are at least ten times a day that I am in disbelief that anything could be as pretty as what I am seeing.

Ahh, so fresh. I love it. Okay, good night!

Today was pretty easygoing, although I still made 25km despite not leaving my Airbnb til 11am!

I woke around 7 and hung around drinking coffee and rejuvenating with some good food.

Then about 9, I went to the big supermarket down in the town, 15 minutes away. I bought and carried 4 days of food back up to the room to sort through, and made a couple sandwiches to take with me for lunch.

The first hour of hiking was mostly through urban areas, and then I made it out into the country, hiking up a valley on trails and dirt roads.

Eventually, I took today’s col at 2,500m, and descended into another gorgeous valley, although not quite what I’ve become used to after the Vanoise!

But I did enter the Queyras Regional Park, so that’s a big plus. It means the next couple days should continue to be beautiful and remote. And they actually have a reasonable bivouac rule in place here! You can bivouac pretty much wherever if you’re an hour from any towns and things. Not to mention I always bivouac at least 100m away from any walking trails, and especially roads, so there’s virtually zero chance that anyone would stumble upon the camp.

I found a great spot to make dinner at a picnic area next to Lac Roue, and then took a nice flat area in the nearby forest to camp for the night.

All in all a great day of hiking, although I forgot how heavy 5 days of food can be! Better get to eating it!

Good night!

Today’s 29km walk into Briançon crossed some seriously cool terrain, and rode a high, exposed ridge for half of the time, as I took the high level GR-5C alternate route.

Today was not Vanoise, but then again, few things could hold a candle to the grandiosity of the mountains in that national park.

Regardless, I still hiked through some gorgeous isolated valleys with nothing but mountains, grass, and streams to keep me company. My kinda day.

I woke up and went down to the village Modane, stopping at the supermarket to grab a day’s worth of comfort foods. Then, a long hike climbing 1,400m through a beautiful valley, to the col de Valle Etienne.

Then, another great walk down from the col through another valley.

The final challenge of the day was a 400m climb around 5pm, which led to a picturesque plateau with a lake and 360° mountain views.

I found a great pitch on the Tete Ronde, and was happy to call it home for the night.

Tomorrow, its 25km into the fortress town of Briançon! I booked an AirBnB, so I could properly recharge. I’ll have hiked a full week from my last lodging, and gone 200km, so I don’t mind spending a little on a nice place in a cool town.

Okay, goodnight!

Today, I hiked 29km, 400m down from my campsite, 1,300m up from the valley of Pralognon, over the col that leads out of Vanoise Parc Nacional, and then 1,300m down to a nice campsite in the woods just above the village of Modane, where I will resupply and calorie the hell up in the morning!

There was plenty to photograph as the environment went from dense pine forests, into grassy mountain valleys, and finally, a chaotic granite wilderness with glaciers all around, near the col at 2,800m elevation.

Cave camp!

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!

Today was a day of surprises! Both good and bad.

I hiked 800m down in the morning through vast grasslands and forests and the towns of Valezon and Bellentre. I was lucky to walk through an apple orchard, and made sure to snag a couple snacks for later.

Morning commute

Valezon

Then a 400m climb up to Montchevin, where I was hoping to resupply at a supermarket in town. But I got there and the doors were locked! I checked online and apparently they close it down for summer two weeks ago, August 31! Just my luck! And in fact, the whole town was closed down! The burger shop? Closed! The public bathroom? Locked! Uggggh.

I hike out of town and my hopes of a grand sandwich were quickly dashing away.. but I looked on the maps and there was another potential supermarket just a short 15 minute diversion from the trail, in Les Coches.

I figured it was worth a try, considering the alternative was starvation haha! So I get up there after climbing through a little forest, and of course… it’s closed as well. But the burger shop was open! So at least I could get a good lunch.

Then I followed a road to rejoin with the GR5 and followed on through a forested canyon with pretty steep slopes. At one point, I followed a road covered in logs and downed brush thinking it was the trail, until it just dead ended! Super steep slopes all around. I checked the map, and somehow the trail was like 30m below me! So glad to have GAIA GPS in times like those. I climbed down the slope in front of me and lo and behold, there’s the trail!

Finally, I came out on a road into a gorgeous valley. I had entered the Vanoise National Park! Joyous day.

You know you’re entering a national park when…

It doesn’t even look real!

I climbed up the valley in front of me, past tons of huge waterfalls cascading down the granite cliffs. On to the Valley of the Plagne, past the lake and refuge of the Plagne, and finally, up to the Refuge du col du Perset, where I asked to bivouac and have breakfast in the morning.

Waterfalls

A good spot for dinner

View from the refuge. I ran to that hill on the left to snag photos!

After pitching the tent, I walked on to a big hill just near the refuge and had awesome views of all the splendor of the national park, just as the sunset hues were at their most red. It was really a magical moment. Vanoise has proven beyond a doubt that it is a place of the utmost beauty and natural resplendence.

And the stars have been divine the last few nights! Like full on, you can see the white band of the milky way streaked across the sky, and just millions and billions of stars. You dont realize how many stars there really are until you come out here.. wish I could get a good photo. But you’ll have to see it for yourself anyways! Good night!

This morning, I had a 400m climb up to the Col du Bonhomme, and then a ridge walk over to the refuge of the same name.

From the refuge, there was a superb crest line walk for a few kilometers. I stopped and made coffee on the ridge, and enjoyed it along with my last Payday bar. Sad day! Europe seriously needs to get in on the paydays and skittles! They’re missing out.

The trail led down about 700m to a road with a couple refuges on it, and then led back up to another ridge with cool views of an artificial lake.

Then, a 700m climb up and over the Col de Presset. My hip joint kinda hurt a bit on this climb, probably because I jumped from a week in bed to doing 30km days. Oh well.

I made it up and over the col, and follow a river down this next valley to the refuge Balme, where I made dinner and enjoyed the dusk views.

Finally, another 5km through the valley and across farmlands to a sweet campsite just above the treeline (actually probably a patch they logged) with great sunset views.

Good night!

Today, I hiked out of Chamonix early, before the warm, reddish orange hues of the sunrise had touched the peaks around me.

I had a good breakfast at the hostel and set out on the GR5 for the first time in nearly a week.

The trail meandered beside the Arve river for the first 8km, and then curved through the village Les Houches, and finally up 600m through a ski area to the Col de Voza. I stopped halfway up to make a cup of coffee with an actual Payday bar! My favorite! I havent been able to find them since landing in Europe, but my dad mailed me a package with some American food. Mostly Mountain Houses, Paydays, and Skittles. Only the best!

The trail wound down from the Col Voza into the valley of the Contamines, and there was another pleasant walk for about 10km along the riverside up this valley. At one point, I found an apple tree right next to the trail! I smacked a few delishush fruits out of the higher reaches with ny trekking poles. That was a real treat to find, right when I really needed some sugar and calories!

I will say I wasn’t impressed with the amount of road walking today, and it really took a toll on my knees and the bottoms of my feet.

I found a nice park next to a cool lake with an island in the middle, and had a nice break around 2pm.

Then, a long climb up to just below the Col de Bonhomme, where I found a suitable place to pitch camp.

The trail was really crowded all day today! I guess because it’s a weekend in a touristy area and the GR5 shares a trail with the Tour du Mont Blanc, which everybody hikes if they’re in this area. It just got exhausting passing people like every 60 seconds. The “Bonjours” felt very forced, and to walk by without saying anything felt weird. Oh well. I’ll be in more remote lands soon enough. I knew this first day out of Chamonix would certainly be busy.

Okay, so I stay in Chamonix a bit longer than I was expecting. I blame the stomache flu! And the charmingly gorgeous and quaint hiker village feel! They have 20 outdoor stores here, and burgers! And the fabulous snow capped massif of Mont Blanc is always gazing out at you, wherever you are in town. What more could you ask for as a hiker!

I, like so many others, fell in love with Chamonix. Just look at this sunset view from the hostel:

Romantic AF.

I will do my best to get back to a longer writing format. I felt so out of it since getting sick that writing felt like a chore, and I did not want to bore you guys with details of how lame I felt.

After a week here in Chamonix, I feel 100% recovered and am ready to crank out the miles starting tomorrow morning!! I’ll have twenty days to make it to the Mediterranean, and then back to Paris in time for my train back to London. It’s go time.