Chamonix Activity Report: 12th October 2009
Autumn is well and truly on us now and the trees are a blaze of russet and golden hues. With the exception of a couple of fairly miserable days at the end of last week, we're still enjoying some pretty beautiful weather. Whilst the temperature has noticeably dropped in the morning, I haven't had to scrape my car windscreen yet but you can tell that it won't be long. It's currently about 4 degrees first thing but then it was still getting up to a very pleasant 25 degrees down the valley last week if the temperature reading in Passy is to be believed. It certainly felt very warm and humid as we popped down for a quick trot around the lake last Wednesday evening.
Well poor old Kieran, your regular Chamonet reporter, has been having real computer nightmares this week, so I thought I'd butt in briefly and let you know what I've been up to recently. Alas my Monday to Friday day job does not permit me as much fun time on the hill as I would like, but I do still make sure I'm out and about at the weekends making the most of this lovely autumnal weather while it lasts. One of the main things I wanted to tick off before the snow comes this year was the walk up to La Jonction, the first part of the route that Balmat & Pacard took on their pioneering ascent of Mont Blanc back in August, 1786.
If you're not sure where the Jonction is, it is the ridge of land that juts up directly above the village of Les Bossons, in between the Bossons and Taconnaz glaciers. I have always heard fabulous things about the views up there as the viewpoint is literally where the two glaciers split and you can get so close to the ice that you can stick your tongue on it if you so desire. I've also heard that it's a 4 hour relentless uphill slog to get there which is why I've never quite managed to tick it off my list in the last 7 years...... Still, a week ago, the day dawned beautifully bright and clear and I decided it was now or never! Well, bit dramatic, now or next year at least. As it turns out, both of the rumours about the Jonction are true – it is absolutely take your breath away beautiful up there......but it's also a complete bitch of hike!
If you tackle this walk in the summer then you can cheat a little and take the Bossons chairlift which will save you about 45 minutes (or up to an hour and a half on the round trip if you get back in time to take it down as well!) The Bossons chair is not covered on the valley lift pass so you have to buy a separate ticket at the cash desk at the base of the lift. Unfortunately for me, the lift closed in September so I resorted to driving up as far up as I possibly could before starting out. Not owning a 4x4 – I got as far as Le Mont (1150m), just at the top of the ski jump. From here, the route to La Jonction is very well signposted and takes you past a couple of mountain huts – Chalet des Bossons (1425m) and Chalet des Pyramids (1850m) – both of which are well worth a visit and make pleasant walks in their own right if you don't want to slog all the way to the top. You'll need to take your own refreshments at this time of year though as they are now both closed, but they still have amazing viewpoints over the icy seracs of the Bossons glacier.
Setting off about 9am in fleece, windproof jacket and gloves, it was cold and I was walking in the shade for about the first hour and a half until I reached the Chalet des Pyramides. Having said that, the trail is pretty steep and remains consistently so, that it wasn't long before the layers were being peeled off and certainly long before I finally stepped into the sunshine. This trail criss-crosses from one side of the ridge to the other so you are treated to constantly changing views of both the Bossons and Taconnaz glaciers. Once you get higher up above the chalet and the tree line, the terrain becomes much more rugged and barren and for the last 30-45 minutes it is necessary to follow the paint splashes and cairns that mark your way through the rocky landscape. I was so intently focussed on my feet and not tripping (there are some pretty impressive drop aways en route!) that I missed the markers at one point and my trail petered out at the base of a rock face. Knowing that I had to come back down the same way, I realised that this could not be right so I back tracked and found the correct way in a couple of minutes. Bearing this in mind, I wouldn't like to do this walk if there were even a few wisps of cloud or fog around as the markers are sometimes quite hard to spot.
Shortly before the top you'll pass by the Gite Balmat (2560m), the rocky outcrop where Balmat & Pacard bivvied on their way up Mont Blanc. Rather them than me, even if it was August when they were climbing - it can't have been a comfortable night! Once at the Jonction itself though (2589m), the relentless slog up was forgotten as it was warm and sunny and has some of the best naturally formed picnicking rocks that I've come across anywhere in the valley – flat bit to sit on, comfortable rocky back support to lean on and all south facing! My cheese and Marmite sandwich has never tasted so good! The photos will give you a taster of what to expect up there but they don't do justice to the sheer immensity of the landscape. Suddenly my 3.5 hour trek up there seemed nothing when balanced with the awe inspiring vista before me.
This is definitely a view to savour, but it is a pretty tough walk to get there and you should allow at least 7 hours for the round trip (plus a bit extra to enjoy your picnic!) The walk down is via the same route and still takes a good couple of hours - poles would be recommended as the descent can really take it out of your legs. Whilst I'm delighted to have finally knocked this one off my “Must Do” list, I'm not sure I'll be dragging myself up there again in a hurry, or at least not without a couple of walking buddies next time and a plentiful supply of Haribo jelly crocodiles! Don't leave home without them!
