FINAL DAY, TOUR DU MONT BLANC

Mont Blanc from the Lac de Cheserys 

On the Ladders above Argentiere 

Mont Blanc and Chamonix 

Aiguillete de Argentiere & Mont Blanc 

Louise & Andrew at Lac Blanc 

Queues at the Ladders 

Refuge Lac Blanc open this season 

Aiguille Rouge 

Lac Blanc snow

Looking down to Le Tour 

The finish!

10 days of trekking across The Alps finished today. The final stage of the TMB has an exciting section just above the treeline,  direct from Argentiere. A hood area for ibex too, but None today. Maybe it was because of the amount of folk on the trail? TMBers and the annual Chamonix Marathon that came through. Our high point today is Lac Blanc.  Good to see the refuge at the Lac is open again this season. The final climb over and then  a long, hot descent all the way back to Chamonix.  The Flegere cablecar is getting a complete replacement so no easy lift back down this summer.
Well done to Louise, Lucy, Geoff & Andrew. 10 days of trekking,  tackling the high options on all days in very hot conditions throughout. We we're finished between an hour and two hours earlier than the 'normal' every day. Not a single blister and fun group to be with. Just goes to show you don't need to live near mountains to complete the Tour du Mont Blanc. Fabulous effort. Well done.

BACK IN THE MOUNTAINS

The team on Aiguillete de Posettes 

Mont Blanc from Col de Balme 

Aiguille de Verte

Trient Glacier from Tseppes Alp

St. Brunos Lilly 

Mont Blanc & Aiguille Rouge 

Stunning views again

Alpenrose 

Good to get out of the valleys and trees today. The Swiss bit of the TMB isn't my favourite to be honest. We we're back over the border and into France again. A far more interesting route to gain Col de Balme is via the Tseppes Alp and traverse around the Croix de Ferr summit.  Apart from giving spectacular views of the Trient Glacier it is very, very quiet.  Tseppes Alp always reminds me of how the Alps used to be. A remote, high alp with no road or track access. The Refuge at Col de Balme is getting a face lift with a new roof being constructed at the moment. Great to see new guardians here since last summer.  After lunch the team and I wondered over the Aiguillete de Posettes ridge for more stunning views.  Highlight here was a beautiful Snow Finch on the crags. Another scorcher of a day. Wall to wall sun and temperatures into the 30's for the 8th day of this trek.

LA FOULY TO TRIENT

Even too hot for these guys

Some exciting moments

Waterfalls

Grand Combin sunset

Champex Lac

Bovine Route 

High above Martigny 

Bovine Alp & Grand Combin 

The new walking above Trient 

The blue skies and scorching heat just keeps on coming. Some welcome relief over the last  two days as the TMB winds its way through the wooded valleys. The two sections from La Fouly to Trient are my least favourite days on the Tour du Mont Blanc. The shade was very welcome this time round.

SIZZLING SWITZERLAND, GRAND COL FERRET

Grand Jorasses views

Grand Col Ferret, Swiss side

Italian side 

Grand Jorasses from Bonatti Refugio 

A snowy Swiss side 

The Col

Above the Elena Refuge 

Val Ferret & Grand Jorasses 

Pasque Flower 

Another sizzling hot sun day on the TMB. Today's section from Bonatti Refugio to La Fouly takes us over the highest col on the trek, the Grand Col Ferret. The team were on good form and a cracking pace again, despite the heat. We had an early start to avoid the worse of the heat. Nice temperatures in the shame. Elevenses on the col and lunch on the Swiss meadows. There is still a fair amount of soft snow on the Swiss side of the col but not as much as a week or so ago.

FINEST DAY OF THE TMB

Reflections of Monte Bianco 

Summit views

Final ridge 

Lunch time views 

Swallow Tail

Eidelweiss in June!

Some Corries snowier than others 

Grandes Jorasses, top to bottom 

The TMB has a few 'varients' along it's 170km journey. These alternative trails usually involve more work and time but are always the most spectacular routes, often much finer views. The Monte de la Saxe ridgeline above the Val Ferret is one of these. It is arguably the finest day of the entire Tour du Mont Blanc. Today the group were completely up for this. It was another scorching hot day so we took our time and savoured the trail. Plenty of fabulous photography spots along the high level promanade. Brilliant day.

ITALY!

Monte Bianco! 

Crossing into Italy

Col de la Seigne approach

Alpine Pansy's

Below the Elisabeta Refugio

Pasque Flower 

Monte Bianco 

High above Val Veny 

Marmot!

Heading up to Col de la Seigne 

Trumpet Gentian

The team on the Col!

Val Veny

Reflections 

Grand Jorasses ahead

Another scorcher of a day. Blue skies and hot sun. A big day over the Col de la Seigne and then the high level traverse above Val Veny into Courmayeur.
 One of the finest days of the TMB. The best day is tomorrow!