Trip Report: Croix de Fer

Does a long day out with five Alpine summits in two countries sound good to you? If it does then this long set of loops is for you. Starting off at La Tour lake the path up between the chair lift buildings and follows the walkers signs up to the Col de Balme. Paths are typically broad but care is needed to stay off the VTT routes.

From the col a broad vista into the Bernese Oberland opens up along with the easy Brecon Beacon like tracks cutting under two outer summits to col below the Croix de fer. Pack away the poles here as hands are needed on the final pull up to the summit but unless you go off path and keep to the pure ridgeline then in summer at least the warning signs have more bark than their bite. Sadly the path ends at the summit so retrace then cut N to the track the curves below you and across to the lower summit of Pnte du Van to see the full grandeur of the ridge(below right) you have looked down upon. Return to the col then up and over two further summits (l'Arolette and Tete de Balme) both rounded tops with extensive views before returning to the local motorways that head for the Col de Posettes and the pull up to L'Aiguette des Posettes a nice twisty path over open rocky outcrops.

Continuing briefly SW it is then a sharp steep descent back to the start in La Tour