Trip Report : La Tournette

Too many of the routes on this range require the painful description return the way you came up so with a simple drop off at Les Pres Ronds (or even better Chalet de l'Aulp the road is ok) it is pleasing to continue and cross the range to be picked up in Montmin.

The undertaking is not however to be underestimated. Even from this high start there is still 3000ft of unrelenting uphill in front of you, initially on steep eroded grass but as you reach the Refuge that marks the end of the first 1000ft climbing the going gets rougher and rock soon dominates.

The route is not for the faint hearted as there are several easy scrambles with chained support of required the highest being very wet and slippery, definitely one for ascent not descent. After the last the ground eases a little until you are left with the final climb on chains and ladders up to the higher summit.

The descent to Montmin is a piece of cake in contrast as a gentle sloping contour path cuts to the right of the summit rock and follows a steady route along beneath the summit ridges before cutting down the slope at the col before you climb to Pointe de la Becccaz. At this point the path steepens and makes for the river valley which it then follows into the village which your path enters right next to the church where there is able parking.

Trip report : Dent de Lanfon

One bonus of a non walking spouse is the drop off and walk back to the campsite option. and this is a case in point. Starting above the village of Villards dessus not at the car park marked on IGN maps but about three quarters of mile before it (unless you have a 4x4) you are faced with a long steady climb up to the alpine meadow where the views of the summit ridge first open out to you.

For a short walk at this point you can go straight across the meadow and pick up the descent to Talloires however the challenge for the day was to pick off one of the tops visible (left). Since IGN kindly place a trig marker on the northern most summit this was my target.
Initially there are no problems the track is well defined crossing a loose boulder field as it cuts beneath the cliffs however as it turns the back former and becomes dotted on the map in degenerates into a mix of easy scrambles and loose friable soil slopes. Only as you reach the final col and a short 20m scramble to the top do you fully appreciate how much you have climbed. Sadly a walk along the ridge is only for the climbers as you soon hit a 40m high face blocking the way.

Retracing your route to the boulder field it is then possible to pick out a very indistinct path on the ground that cuts beneath the cliffs and comes out at the col just south of pnts sud.

From here a well trodden path zig zags its way down to the geocache at Ermitage St Germain and then on to Talloires.

Trip report : Tete du Parmelan

Every year my children keep a diary while on holiday so this year I'm looking back on the summer trip in the Alps as a series of route reports for this blog.

An ascent of Tete du Parmelan was the opening of 3 weeks in the Alps. Ample parking at the top of the Rue du Parmelan opens out into an open forest walk to the Chalet Chapluis with its clear views of Annecey (image left).

From here a slightly confusing walk in the forest opens up to a clear path which heads directly towards the summit before swing north to cut beneath the barrier cliffs. After about an hour the path having come right under the cliff starts to curve right and meet the shorter walk up from le Chalet de L'Anglettaz. A much wider vista now opens up as a path snakes its way over rock and round stunted trees to the summit.

A nearby well hidden geocache provides a simple distraction before climbing the final few meteres to the summit. returning via the same route.