Boulders, Ladders, and Mont Blanc: The Summit of Le Brévent
I thought today would be a leisurely three-hour hike to the last mountain refuge of the trip, but I was quickly proven wrong. I started out slowly, strolling under ski lifts and along gently sloping forest paths, enjoying the crisp morning air. The trail soon challenged me with steep boulder fields, each with dizzying drops below, far more intimidating than anything I had encountered so far. The pictures hardly do the scale justice.
Shortly after the boulder field, a massive stone wall appeared, silent and imposing. Ahead, a mysterious red plastic pole led some hikers to believe the main path was closed, prompting me to take a higher alternate route. I pushed myself up the hill, only to discover the original path was open after all. Turning back cost me time, but the trail rewarded me with ethereal light and cloud formations that made it feel like the mountain itself was alive. At one point, the sun and clouds conjured the illusion of an asteroid about to strike the valley.
The climb to the top of Le Brévent at 2,526 meters was the day's true test. Two hours of scrambling over shaky rocks and negotiating ladders later, I reached the summit. Mont Blanc towered across the valley, still 2,000 meters higher, but the view and the exhilaration made it feel like I was nearly on par. Hang gliders launched fearlessly from the edge nearby, adding a sense of vertiginous thrill to the scene.
The descent was equally challenging, and I raced down as quickly as my knees allowed, eager for quiet after the bustling trails. By the time I reached the Bellechat refuge, I was the first to check in. The tiny mountain refuge quickly filled with fellow hikers, including a lively Dutch group who shared stories, taught me new words, and kept the evening entertaining.
Dinner was a warm, communal affair, punctuated by tales of family history during World War II. The quiet of the high mountains settled in afterward, and I went to bed early, both reflecting on the day's trials and bracing myself for the final leg of the trek tomorrow.