Category Archives: Travel

Maui – Kihei and Hana December 19-28, 2011 Here we sit under the shade of palm trees as the trade winds softly blow past from the northeast and the sun shines brilliant and harsh overhead. We made a last-minute booking to spend ten days in Kikei with our friend Beat. I’ll let the photos speak [...]

9. September 2011 – Day 9 Tour de Mont Blanc: Depart 09.00, 400 m Ascent, 1020 m Descent Arrive 16.15 La Peule 2071 – Ferret 1705 m – La Fouly 1610 m (0.40 h) – Praz de Fort 1151 (2 h) – Issert 1055 (0.30 h, Buvette) – Overnight Hotel du Glaciers, Champex-au-Lac 1456 m [...]

7. September 2011 – Day 7 Tour de Mont Blanc: Depart 10.00, 1350 m Ascent, 930 m Descent Arrive Ed and Claire at 15.40/Rest of Group at 17.10 Courmayeur 1223 m  - Rifugio Bertone 1970 m (1.45 h) – Le Pré 2125 m – Ed and I via the lower route to Lavachey 1642 (2.30 [...]

5. September 2011 – Day 5 Tour de Mont Blanc: Depart 09.20, 1310 m Ascent, 926 m Descent Arrive 16.45 Les Contamines 1180 m – Notre Dame de la Gorge 1210 m (bus) – Nant-Borrant 1460 m (0.40 h) – La Balme 1706 m (0.50 h)  – Col du Bonhomme 2329 m (2.40 h) – [...]

3. September 2011 – Day 3 Tour de Mont Blanc:  Depart 09.00, 820 m Ascent, 1720 m Descent Arrive 17.00 La Flégère 1877 m – Charlanan 1812 m (1 h) – Planpraz 2060 m (0.55 h) – Col de Brevent 2368 (0.50 h) – Highest Platform Col de Brevent 2525 (0.45 h) – Cabane Bel [...]

  1. September 2011 – Day 1 Tour du Mont Blanc: Depart 09.00, 930 m Ascent, 1100 m Descent Arrive 15.00 La Forclaz 1526 m – La Peuty (Trient) 1326 m (1.05 h) – Herbagères 2033 m (2 h) – Col de Balme 2191 m (0.30h) – Le Tour 1453 m (1.20) – Overnight in [...]

Many days – adding up to two months -­ have passed since Ed and I returned to Canada after our hike around Mont Blanc, the highest mountain range in Europe. When I think about our hike, I feel gratitude to our Swiss ‘hosts’ Karl and Anna, who worked many hours to put together a versatile [...]

31. August  2011 – Bern to Forclaz We woke before our alarm rang at 7:00. The day was bright and sunny – perfect for travelling to Col de la Forclaz, the starting point of our Tour de Mont Blanc. We took the bus to Kari and Anne’s and had coffee with Anne, Maggie and Ron. [...]

August 31, 2011 – Bern Now, my dear friends, I will write again in awhile – after we come back from our Tour de Mont Blanc. It is after midnight and we leave at 8:00 in the morning. We expect decent weather for the first few days – and then – who knows? Regardless, we [...]