Day 2 Hiking
Contamines-Montjoie to Les Chapieux
11 Miles, 4300 ft Ascending, 3000 ft Descending

“This is the best tasting gum I’ve ever tasted” said Carolyn of Canada. These are the small delights one enjoys after having hiked for 8 hours, about 5 of which were up up up and the other 3 down down down. Who knew that a shot of Wrigley’s could do such wonders for an exhausted body, one that has survived what can only be described as an epically savage day?

To be fair, we were warned that this would be the hardest and longest day of the trip, in spite of the fact that our hiking legs are only one day in. The Col du Bonhomme lay ahead, at an elevation of over 7600 feet. But not to be deterred, up and up we hiked, through a picturesque valley speckled with wildflowers and the distant chimes of grazing cows, up to the Col, littered with cairns and fellow trekkers enjoying the accomplishment over picnic lunches and fantastical views.

Traversing the ridge before the down down down part began, we continued to be entertained by the sing-song Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour! greetings of fellow hikers passing by. So friendly up here in the mountains. It’s impossible not be taken in by the camaraderie of the trail, the beauty of Mother Nature, and the sheer joy of being out of the office, out of the city, out of the familiar and into the landscapes of the gods and goddesses.