166km long with about 10,000m of both ascent and descent, through France, Italy and Switzerland, rugged cols up to 2800m over 10 days of hiking.
A couple of the locals appear in the pics if you look closely - a marmot and an ibex sitting on their rocks and surveying their territory.
This is one you need to be well prepared for. I had spent a month exercising at altitude in Colorado and had run the Boston marathon (albeit at a very slow pace) in the months prior to the hike but a bout of bronchitis unraveled all that.
It took until day 5 to get right. And by day 10 I was fitter than I’ve been in a long while.
Another thing to keep in mind is that 10 days of slog, and a few beers at the end of the day, brings people close. I was lucky enough to have an incredibly diverse, interesting and welcoming group to hike with and we became friends.
One of those awe inspiring trips that will take a while to digest.
Where I slept: Hotel Heliopic: A great place to start and finish in Chamonix.
Where I ate: Mumma: Cool vibe. Asian fusion makes for a good change from the usual mountain food.
Guides: Cloud 9 Adventure: Consulted with the group to ensure optional routes were considered at each stage to optimise the experience. Incredibly knowledgeable of the terrain.
