Everyone told me to be weary of the ladders, that they were going to be the scariest part of the trip, and that people usually took great pains to go around them. Unfortunately for those people the alternate route that went around the ladders was closed due to a landslide last week.

The sun’s rays of light were shooting out from behind the mountains as we left Tré-le-Champ and disappeared into the woods once more. This was a mostly steady gain in elevation as we navigated tree roots, and various rocky outcroppings.

One of the more massive rocky obstacles was the Aiguillete d’Argentière monolith which had fallen down from the top of the mountain a long, long, time ago. It was the size of a two-story house, and the path went right around its base.

After rising several more meters above the monolith’s top we came to another rocky outcropping. This one had a perfect window between the trees facing back towards the Mont Blanc range. We stood here for a few minutes watching the sun come up behind the tallest point between the trees, and watching the rays of light first point up, and then down as the sun rose higher.

It would take another hour of hiking through the gradually thinning trees before coming to the first of the ladders. Along the way we spotted an Ibex in the distance hoping from rock to rock.

The ladders themselves were simply just that: a series of metal ladder rungs and rods bolted into the rock in order to help hikers get up and over the terrain. They weren’t the least bit scary, but I could understand that it might be a different story if it had been cloudy. Of course everyone wanted photos of them going up them, so a line started to develop at some of them. Everyone’s butt is probably in everyones pictures.

We took a break where the ladders ended, and the regular rocky path resumed. But the lakes were calling, and we wanted to get there.

The first little puddle of a lake wasn’t that impressive, but the next one’s waters were so still you could see Mont Blanc reflected in its surface. We took the trail going around the back in order to take as many picture-perfect photos as possible.

But it’s not just the pictures; it’s also standing there in awe of the beauty before you.

Lac Blanc was another hour in front of us.

These were the most turquoise green waters that I have ever seen. As soon as we found a spot to drop our gear, I disrobed down to my underwear and went for a swim. Oh my God was the water cold! It had that feeling of a thousand needles pricking your skin at once. The only way to get over it is to dive in, and that’s exactly what I did.

I ended up going in twice, but only for a few moments each time. And, of course, I made someone take a picture from behind me as I looked out at Mont Blanc because yeah.

Some folks made coffee while we laid out our cloths and towels to dry in the sunlight. After resting peacefully for 30 minutes we decided that it was time to get going.

We arrived at Refuge de lo Flegere a couple of hours later, and straight into the middle of a spectacle.

On the other side of the valley there was a little bit of smoke rising up from a structure of some sorts. Some of the people who worked for the ski lifts were watching it with binoculars.

I didn’t make anything of it and we went to check in. After getting situated and showered I headed outside to sit in the sun. This is when I noticed that the little bit of smoke had turned into a full blown fire.

An emergency helicopter with a basket for water was making runs back and forth between the small water reservoir just below our Refuge and the fire. It was an impressive site to see that thing cover the distance in a few seconds, drop its basket down, fill it up with water, and not 10 seconds later be heading back to drop it on the fire.

It took them a couple of hours, but they finally got it under control. I had never seen anything like that before.

We continued to relax in the chairs, and then play some card games while we waited for dinner. Barak and Neta wanted me to sit with them at dinner time so the hostesses put me at their table. They also put all of the other Israeli’s at this table. What are you gonna do, right?

I went outside to look at the stars after dinner. I swear that I could see the band of the Milky Way above me. If there had just been a little less light pollution… But Chamonix in the valley floor below us was sparkling like a tiny jewel in the night.