Our first day stared with a relatively easy 5 hour day, starting from the top of Grand Montets in Argentiere, France. A difficult icy traverse took us onto a steep slope down to the Argentiere glacier. Around 2 hours later in glorious sunshine, surrounded by the most amazing mountains & ice seracs we saw our accommodation for the night. The Argentiere Hut was perched up on the mountain & a long climb was finished with a steep, icy last section - there was a rope to hang onto & we were glad of it. Food was good & nourishing but facilities were very basic & cold. We were about 50 people that night, sleeping in 2 communal dormitories. You just grabbed a blanket & pillow, kept all your clothes on & climbed into the giant bunk bed. Lights only in the main room so it was necessary to use a head torch, no running water & toilet facilities were outside - quite the worst we encountered on the trip! Day 2 started at 6am. Steep icy climb followed by traverse around glacier to base of mountains where we put our skins on & started the long arduous climb up to the Col du Chardonnet at 3323m where we arrived at 12.30pm. Stunning views but a very steep descent down a narrow couloir for about 80m by abseil. I was nervous here getting roped up but actually really enjoyed this section. A traverse followed by more skinning & climbing took us over the Saleina glacier & up the Fenetre de Saleina. The last 30m was a steep climb on foot. From the top we skied in deep snow to the Plateau du Trient & then skinned across the Trient Glacier to the Trient Hut. This was perched on a rocky terrace so another climb saw us arrive here, exhausted about 5pm. A more modern hut, still no running water & the dormitories were very very cold so harly any sleep & glad to get up at 6am to start day 3 early. Day 3 up at 6.30am. A steeep first ski down followed by traverse around Trient glacier. Ski down steep section between ice boulders & with dramatic icefall to our left & rock boulders to our right. Sttep traverse below ricks of the Petite Pint d'Orny to foot of Col des Escandies. Skis off, crampons on & roped up for the steep 50m climb. Icy & shale at the top & large boulders to jump across. It was cold in the shade but at the top we were greeted with blus sky, sunshine and the most amazing views down the Val d' Arpette. Good weather & powder snow but as we both kept falling our guide renamed this "the valley of many falls". Mary pulled a leg muscle & was in some discomfort but able to ski down. Final icy section found us in the small hamlet of Champex where we had a very welcome lunch. Our original route would have been over the Plateau du Couloir but massive snowfalls & a forecast of further bad weather made that impossible. We therefore were committed to the Verbier variation. A short taxi ride took us to Verbier where we finally arrived at the Mont Fort hut around 4pm. Sheer luxury, running water, flushing toilets and clean bed linen - still basic but it felt like 4 star! Day 4 - up at 6am for breakfast. As forecast had predicted it was blowing a gale, snowing hard and a complete white out. Decision made to take this as our bad weather/rest day and this gave Mary a chance to rest her leg - swelling had gone down so looked promising. Slept, talked, read and generally recharged our batteries. Day 5 - breakfast 6am, still dark. Mary is able to carry on. A long steady climb ascending the Col de la Chaux. Skins off & skied down and traversed through wonderful terrain. Great views, soft powder snow, sunny conditions. A steady long long climb up Monte Rosa took us into another valley where we skied some fantastic powder down to our base for the night, the Praflurie hut. It looked like an army hospital - so many people had blisters & foot bandages. The hut was full & we had to sllep in an old derelict annex - but the fantastic sky full of bright twinkling stars more than compensated. Day 6 to follow next week.
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