Let me tell you about my sock solution: orange is interior, when in boots, and sole, when in trainers (which is usually; I even did Ref Ecrins in trainers). Red is exterior in boots, and evening wear. Purple is for best.
L leg: still a bit injured: doesn't want to bend fully due to pain/pull in upper outer thigh.
9: to C-H for coffee. 10: still there. Reading Sherman on Kindle so look at Grant article on wiki. I should know more about the US civil war. Confirms Clauzwitz / US-Japan: war more about industrial resources and weight, given moderate competence, than any individual actions or plans. Once the North had decided to fight it was doomed to win; therefore the South, having lost its one hope, should have surrendered.
Enjoying peace and quiet and rest at Ailefroide, propped against a large pine in the shade in the campsite. Note re climbs: as we found last time, the trees make it v hard to see bases of climbs. Note also there's a bouldering guide. We should come back! Of course I say this in the sun.
1:30 finish lunch, pack, pay (€16, worth it for the warm showers alone), to… Engilberge. Trout in stream. The scene in good/bad/ugly where they shake off grey dust to show blue uniforms is (effectively) in Sherman.
3:05: having lingered over cafe, go over bridge to beyond Ailechaude to sit by house in shade to watch folk on the walls. By happy chance the non-road path starts here. 4:10: well I suppose I should get going, having watched the slow progress of a pair up the cliff; see pix. Below: view back to Le Sarret / Pelvoux from "the corner" heading into Chambran valley. Hydro works.
6:10: Chambran, buvette. Biere. Stop in little church just before, bare bar a little stained glass and a copy of St Jerome. Sign time here was 2:20 and I made 2 without great effort but that still exceeds my 1h "quick glance at map" time. I'm glad I went by path not road: it mostly contours, is mostly good, and offers fine views back to Ailefroide hidden in trees then later across Le Sarret / Pelvoux. Pic: just before "the last village", we will grind up to the L after the forested shoulder. Actually, I now realise that's a variant, somewhat harder: the voie normale goes pretty well straight, towards the L of the point on the skyline.
I think I have about 800m to climb now, won't take long… Off 6:25. Parapentists. A pre full of colchique. It looks an awful long way and it is most of 800m but I grind through it, checking height every 10 mins at the end for encouragement. Arrive 8:15. View back:
There's a group camped on the W side where the nice sheltered grass is; there's some breeze so I pick a beautiful and sheltered spot just by the lake with the downside that its earth / stones so don't dare put out Thermarest. Trusting the night, skip tarp. Quick dip in lake. Dinner, sleep.
Tues 15th: [pix, GPS]: as expected ground was hard and I tossed and turned somewhat. My spot. But I did see the night stars more clearly than I have since the Ecrins hut. Up 7:30 for wee and quick look down then back inside bag to await sun crawling down rocks.
9:off. 9:30: col.
Looking up to glacier its snowless, poor thing.
Panos: back:
and forwards. We head down the obvious valley in the center; the lowish ridge to the R can also be crossed, but there is ski-resort-stuff on the far side.
Descent is yukky - I actually use the cables - and slow. And as it turns out quite long… Views back; and then off West. Pleasantly green as we get lower. Le Monetier is 1500 ish, get there noon, now in pizza Nono on the main drag; I've finally decided to have a proper meal. LeM is quite a large place, we've driven through it a few times. Correspondence with M re baby Marbles.
10-11 it got quite cloudy and I wondered if the wx was changing but we're back to sun so I'm not moving till 3-4 ish.
Eglise: woody old place. Has a spare power point so I'm charging. Struggle to find a cafe/bar I actually like… L'Alpen Bar will do. Biere. LeM does have a useful Sherpa superette.
le M to le Casset quite pleasant stroll on field paths. Initially I'm a bit bloated by 1L of juice and some yoghurt but it walks off. The one cafe in le C is full so don't stop. Uphill to lac de la Douche 1900 6:00. Says 1:45 to col and I was expecting 1, we'll see. First 15 mins rest. Lac is of course well on tourist trail so path up quite peopled.
Indeed quieter above (view back). Some camping below the Cabane Pastoral; see shepherd with barky dogs and crook. Higher up, get to col 7:30 which is a bit too far because we're past the water. Drop back a bit and find a nice slow stream by / in a dry lakebed which is perfect. Sky is pure blue and there's another 15 mins of sun while I wash myself. Marmot. I seem to be a bit short of pix of the afternoon; I think I may have been quite tired; here (you can tell from the light) is a pic taken in the morning, looking back from the col.
So here I lie in the cirque of Arsine, which holds memories: M & my "great adventure" of so many years ago; other camping here, alone and with D&E; and les Agneaux above, with E. So, I feel a little lonely. And of course with the glaciers melting back it all feels... sad, end-of-era.
Wed 16th: [pix, GPS]: sleep well on nice soft Thermarest. Up for a wee in small hours: the stars! And what looks like flashes of lightening way down in the valley.
Wake 7 up 7:45 slowly. Blue skies, quiet. Splash face in stream b'fast last yoghurt and an abricot and some biscuit. Off 8:45. Here's the view ahead:
10: to Alpe de Villar d'Arene. What to do with today? I vacillate. First, a cafe. Now it's late enough that I really don't want to walk up before noon. But, there's net. So perhaps I sit here all day? 50 m away, and slightly higher (and weirdly signed 15 mins when its less than 5) is the Chalet-Refuge de Chamoissiere. So go up for a look and a cafe. Sadly the only table in shade turns out to be the Guardienne's (but I've now worked out how to put up a sun-shade). I think you can "bivouac" here in tiny huts. But there's a lack of dox. At one end a newly tarted up mini-dortoir, with generous boot-room, nice woodwork but floor of unset stones.
Pano: private Ref to R, CAF R-center; valley behind CAF heads down to Villar d'Arene and La Grave; valley L-center is tomorrow, to Pave and Planchard; central massif is the spine containing Meije.
There are two lovely brown horses which have just submitted to having anti-mouche masks fitted by the young ladies of the place.
Back to the CAF refuge. Slowly: sit around reading; get a lunchtime omelette aux fromage v nice; inscrire; ask folk to put battery pack on charge which they do; put sac-a-v onto bed in dort viii.l; read Roman de Renart for the good of my soul a bit. Children play cards.
The relentless sun has affected the back of my R hand (pic). Its only a little but I take it as a hint that I need to be more careful. Outside, even in shade it feels absurdly hot with refl light so I'm in. 3: decide to take my (warm!) shower before evening crowd turn up. Wash inner socks and pants. Abstract with iron chair. Pied du Chat.
Had turned off phone to conserve battery but now battery on charge I go back to profligacy. Maybe I should get a solar charger? Would be nice to be free of battery-anxiety.
Sherman: slavery: he is anti, but hardly regards negroes / blacks as equals. Various incidents make slavery seem less horrible than generally painted but all blacks quoted are desperate to escape it. Also, the memoir re war is absolutely full of supply-trains etc, far more than battles.
View up the Pave-Planchard valley; irresistible. The monunment is to Spartacus Paysio (inscription).
Clouds somewhat afternoon so some relief. But also windy so realise I can retreat to comfy dortoir and do so. Light meal. And after main dinner retrieve charger (70%) and order my verre de vin rouge. I wonder if I should do so at home. Another lovely clear evening. There are a lot of families here, which is nice.
Thurs 17th: [pix, GPS]: up 6. Something of a disturbed night: kids; then it got v warm: no wind and someone had half shut the window. They're a bit close with b'fast: tiny pot of honey among three, one jam. But enough bread and coffee. I and my two fellow 6-am-ers sit in silence mostly.
Head out. No stops en route, thin rain after a bit. Nice to climb with a light sac. Rainbow! View back from higher up. You can see the Ref Alpe Villar d'Arene in the center.
10: Ref Adele Planchard. 3:10, decent (I swear Rebuffat told me it was much further). View of Ref from outside. Ref is 3169, so 1 m lower than Ecrins. I may just walk up a few m to get a record… Lots of people in this small hut when I arrive but they're overnighters in the process of leaving. Wx: blustery perhaps but quite tolerable esp for ascent. This is a nice place to just be, with excellent views from deep-set windows, but nonetheless I'll be off after an hour, I have the Pave to do too since I'm feeling good (I can soon beat that out of myself…). Peruse Oisans Nouveau, Oisans Sauvage and dream. Route wall. Wx vacillates, currently sun+cloud. Also plus wind but I think the Ref exaggerates the noise.
Off 11. Quick look towards Col des Neiges: much less glacier but choose not to explore. Views back to Ref.
12: 2680: there's a little bivvi circle. Wx: tending sun. 12:30: 2430: meet slightly nervous party at base of cables and reassure them that you don't need them and that it's a bonne sentier. Which it is.
1:15: brief pause back at Pave-Planchard junction to rest and consider.
Wx: mi-cloudy. Brook: babbling. Well, maybe a bit bigger than that. I washed my feet. 2:35: 25xx. Go me. Trogging up the moraine.
3:40: Ref Pave (vue generale). Which is still the pile of rusty corrugated iron I remember affectionately (though much less snowy: after AGU in April we had to dig it out). But the path now (oh: looks at map: and before) goes waaay round after you're level, and the new hut is well under construction nearby (2024/07: new hut is now open; they have a how-to-get-there). Cafe and cake: chataigne, I think. Route up is a lot of moraine crest which is nice.
4:05: off. Brief rain. Admire cirque. 5:05: Down to "itinere d'alpinism" split 2585 (view up; you can see Ref). 6:10: down to river lovely pool tempted to swim. Get in to waist but it is cooold and can't go further. Ah well. Then gentle rain starts but all today's rain barely settles the dust. Ref 6:40 I think there's 100 m pull up to it from the "Serengeti". Pay €8 for the omelette that was omitted and buy un verre vin rouge for my meal. Sneak in for quick shower while others a table. 7:25: off.
9 ish: to col du Lautaret or nearly: on little knoll just off path. Lovely evening lovely path but exciting in parts. Trail of tears? Trail of marmottes.
Note added in arrears: I now notice that most follow the valley down to Villar d'Arene, rather than going via col du Lauteret. I don't think I even considered this, I cannot recall why not. I doubt I thought deeply about it.
Fri 18th: [pix, GPS]: up 7:35 off 7:50 having waited for the sun. Some road noise eve and morn but quiet in deep night. Again stars. Another beautiful day. To col which is clearly the place for b'fast. Cafe and excellent croissant, best I've had this hol. Sit and look out at glaciers of, I think, la Meije. Hand still peeling a bit; put on thin gloves. 9: off after a second alongé.
2024 note: I realise that I could, had I wished, perhaps visit Goleon on the way "down" though it is quite a diversion; see here.
Tiptoe past a bloke sleeping late on the path. 10:35: Villar d'Arene: cafe Melezes. They still haven't finished the church but the roof looks done. Path down here a trifle eccentric lead by Strava which shows some little tracks. Through fields mostly. Vd'A is a pleasant little village with an excellent graveyard, chambres, and alimentation.
To la Grave by river. Nice camping avec piscine. But a word to the wise: the track saying "Voie sans issue" is telling the truth, as I discovered trying to force a way through; you can get nearly to the end, perhaps only 20m short of the road, but you can't get through.
12:30: after church, to la Cantina for lunch. Quiet off main road. Good! Biere. Samosas, and carpaccio de tomates avec mozzarella. Wander: don't find public power which was a bit hopeful. Avoid danger of aimless wander with heavy pack in excess heat: to Castillan which looks best and is. 2 x fresh-pressed juice and a croissant and some recharge. 4:30: off… to epicerie (I can never resist a good Farto). Melon and fromage blanc outside bureau des guides. Which has le meteo: more hot. Early starts and long mid-days then I guess. I'm feeling a bit full but I have to get through the melon.
Off 4:55 after The Poo From Hell. 6:30: les Terrasses. Streets all dug up to replace water so unprepossessing. Just above, looking back. Views opposite to glaciers and probably la Meije. 7: le Chazelet 1760. Seems nice but breezed through; I still have 400 m to go up. Decent hazy cloud despite meteo.
Get to wherever I am - near head of drag lift but out of its sight, nearer "edge" about... 8:15? Not exactly weary but feet feeling walked on and R may have a blister. Possibly aim for rest day in Les2Alpes? Which I am hoping reach tomorrow. Quiet cowbells in the distance as the cows wend gently o'er the lea, I hope not in this direction I see no fresh pats.
Wash in 250 ml water using the new "sock as washtowel" theory that also cleans the sock. But I shall swap to Mr Red tomorrow. Sky is vaguely lovely and at one point vaguely threatening but I think it will be a good night. Ground a bit poky so no Therma but I hope its soft. Aim to get off early. Actually... behind me it does look rather grey. Will keep tarp well to hand.
Metta: having finished Sherman I'm back. But I find problems. Contra M, I find universality. I find "we are not isolated" with possible dubious meaning. I find it said that Me is no-self-interest, but meritorious to direct to a person unknowing: in which case who gains? If no-one, why merit? Also: why is Me good? Because it is good for you? For the world? Because experiment says so? Because B says so? And yet I feel a certain sympathy because the slightly mystical bits of Yoga Janet taught only made sense once you'd done the physical bits.
Waffer-thin crescent moon. Light meal.
Sat 19th: [pix, GPS]: wake 6:35 urgh up a bit later off 7 deferring b'fast. Here's the sunrise pano to complement yesterday's sunset. My bivvi.
Casually find some edelweiss. Sky cleared o'night but thin haze off E and anyway I'm in shadow to start. I think I'm not yet on the "actual" Emparis plateau, unsure. Note: people enthuse wildly about Emparis, possibly because it is flattish, has nice lakes, and good views over to the Meije massif. I'm not complaining, but it wasn't that great (also, from the morning sit-down, I rather suspected the lakes to be a bit fly-y; this blog suggests so too).
8'15 lac Noir. Nice, refl of mountains, bivvi spots being used but no inflow stream. And possible midges.
Ditto Lerie a little later where I stop for b'fast and air feet. No-one takes 7-to-7 seriously. What are the snowy mtns to the N? Etendard I suspect. Map says its a large area should look some day. 8:40: off.
9:50 rest at head of descent. Signposts. 10:05: off. Thin haze is back, good. Pic: the way down; Besse in the distance. Choices of paths and roads, if I recall correctly, and I wasn't too fussy.
Besse: nice. Cute, water taps, good cafe, tiny epicerie. Coffee. Off 12. Bee hives. Lower down we're in the trees, thank heavens.
Mizoen 1 cafe 1:05 biere. Nice little cafe / epicerie. My french accent is still bad enough that if I ask for glace, fraise+citron, she asks me citron yellow ou green, and I reply un boule jaune et un verte. Off 2:15 full sun. Dam at head of Lac du Chambon 2:30.
The cafe is still shut. I have 600m to grind up to Les2A. Looking back at Mizoen. 3:15: Mont de Lans on paths. It has a water tap.
4: to the lac de la Buissoniere which is the top of the telesiege I've been tracing under and at the start of Les2A. And… its a public swim zone! Woo. Change, swim. Just a couple of widths but I have magically changed from a hideous sweaty ugh into clean+fresh. Cafe to let my trousers try.
And so to Le Sherpa. Not the cheapest but cheap, and had a room for two nights. Now showered and unpacked and washed poor old towel, yellow top, neckwarmers, and leaving socks to soak. Whew. It is so nice to have a shower that is as hot, cold and long as you like, with soap, and not needing to hang clothes on various pegs. Civilisation, aah. OTOH, the fine view of the Muzelle is obscured by the Meijotel.
I feel the urge for yoghurt, so buy ?a pint? of brebis fromage blanc, and a new chapstick. I need to look after my lips a bit better. Then I want some pasta. Resto #1 doesn't want to serve a singleton so I shall blacklist them forever. But #2 seems promising at least I have un verre rouge, nibbles, and eau gazeuse. Linguini. Pavlova. Good. And well served. Chamois lodge.
Being able to see the Muzelle means I have just about completed my GR54 circuit; though the "true" circuit would have descended from Besse. But I feel no urge to do it properly. My future plan is to go over Les2A and traverse down then upvalley to la Berade, spiritual centre of the Ecrins. But that's part four.
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