Bonjour, Switzerland! After breakfast, we had a 20-minute private bus transfer across the border to Forclaz, which was the starting point for today’s hike.
Just like yesterday our hike began with a climb. The scenery was dramatically different though. We ascended through forests of pine and larch to the sounds of cowbells – yes, literally cows wearing huge bells around their necks.
As we climbed uphill, I realized that my strength is my strength. And, my fear is my weakness. I was perfectly content on the climb, but I was already anticipating the stress of the downhill because what goes up must come down.
We reached our high point for the day at the Forclaz pass, as we emerged to wide open pastures below us.
A mountain refuge was a short descent from the pass, so we stopped for drinks and pastries. With the city of Martigny nestled in the valley below and cows roaming around us, this was quintessentially Swiss scenery!
Rather than stop here for lunch, our group opted for a brief respite then continued on with the long descent. When our guide told us that the descent was technical (and, requested for me to briefly come up behind her for a quick lesson on going downhill – upright torso, flexible knees, short steps, feet pointed downhill, walk like a duck), I was imagining the worst after yesterday. While the trail was definitely rocky (more loose rock than large rocks) and steep in some sections, I managed the descent much better than yesterday (fewer step downs today), and Kurt also felt less pressure on his knees by taking shorter steps and digging his heels in to stay balanced on the scree.
We stopped for another picnic lunch after about an hour of descending, which helped to give our bodies a break from the unrelenting downhill. I cheered when we finally reached the point where our guide told me that we were done with the technical downhill.
From there, we had a mixture of short climbs through the forest, gravel roads, and, finally, road into the town of Champex-lac. We stopped at another refuge along the way for drinks (more “little red ambulances” for me).
Champex-lac is a lovely lakeside village that definitely has Swiss charm with the colorful buildings, red and white national flags, and mountain views.
Upon arriving at our hotel, we were greeted outside by the granddaughter of the man who built it in the style of the grand hotels on the French and Italian Rivieras. She directed us to the back entrance where we were instructed to remove our hiking boots and leave our trekking poles. With the way that I smelled, I wouldn’t want me coming in through the lobby either – ha, ha!
Kurt and I quickly changed into our swimsuits, and we walked back down the road to the lake. The cold water was rejuvenating for our tired feet and leg muscles (today’s hike was approximately 16k with an elevation gain/loss of +1,640 feet/-2,130 feet). Now, we’re ready to tackle day 3 tomorrow!
Cheers to a good day!
Hi!
The scenery has been absolutely incredible! Hope you had an awesome time with the hiking. I’m several days behind.
It’s great that you are pushing through the mental aspect of the downhills. It will make you stronger!
Hope you two had an extra special day on the 6th!