GRAND BALCON NORD

Les Drus

Aiguilles Rouge

Grandes Jorasses & Mer de Glaces

Aiguille des Charmoz

I like the heat

Early evening light on Les Drus

Primroses

Mer de Glaces

A glorious clear skies dawn over the Chamonix Valley. It was already very warm by 8am today. There are many wonderful day walks from the town that you could easily have a week to 10 day walking holiday based out of Cham. One of my favourite trails is the Grand Balcon Nord which runs underneath the Mont Blanc massif. The highlight being the superb view of Les Drus. This rock spire piercing the sky as been the scene of many climbing adventures and misadventures over the decades. No cable cars or trains for me today. Sometimes you have to earn your views! Most folk take the rack and pinion train up to Montenvers, overlooking the snout of the Mer de Glaces. This leaves the uphill approach trails to here very quiet! The viewpoint at 'Signal' is amazing. For me an even better view can be had by heading further up hill toward Aiguille des Charmoz. Pathless so deserted. I had an Golden Eagle soaring above me for a while as I watched the afternoon cloud shrouding the Drus. Great stuff.