Jaw-dropping photos from one of Europe's most storied hiking loops.
March 26th, 2007
before the Swiss stretch.
By Mike Long
The Tour du Mont Blanc was my first multi-day expedition using the Nikon D200 with Nikkor DX VR 18-200 ED lens.
The route begins in France, then traverses across northern Italy into Switzerland before returning to France.
Total distance: 215 kilometers; Total elevation loss/ gain: 16,000 meters.
Approximate distance each day: 20km/ 13 miles.
I set out alone Sept. 8 from Les Houches, south of Chamonix, with a 25 kg pack. My plan was to remain as self-sufficient as possible, avoiding the numerous refuges along the route, which are generally overcrowded and expensive. The first day I hiked 35km in superb weather traversing below the imposing north face of the Aiguille du Bionnassay to the Valley de Miage and onward to La Balme, in the Reserve Natural des Contamine-Monjoie. Near the Col de Tricot my tripod fractured, which I regrettably buried in a dumpster near La Frasse.
At La Balme I met a 29 year-old French woman also travelling solo with bivouac gear. We spent the first few hours getting to know each other in a rainstorm while sharing dinner and easy conversation under an umbrella. It was quickly decided that we would combine resources and hike the massif together. She had a stove and fuel, I had deodorant, so it seemed like a logical pairing. In more than 25 years of hiking and mountaineering all over the world, Annick is likely the strongest woman I've ever met.
The weather during the 10-day trek was about 50/50, the best occurring at the beginning and the worst at the end with occasional electrical storms in between. I hiked with a lightweight umbrella attached to my backpack sternum strap in stormy weather, a trick I learned some years ago in Nepal. During the entire journey I never saw another umbrella, probably because it doesn’t look very chic, but the system kept me dry the entire time and allowed me to keep shooting in the rain. And the Nikkor VR lens allowed me to hand hold exposures at smaller apertures for depth of field, the images remaining sharp even at shutter speeds as low as ¼ second.
I was able to recharge my D200 batteries several times at refuges along the route, and minimized battery by use not using the LCD screen, a trick I learned shooting 35mm slide film. I shot 600 jpeg images using a 4GB memory card; the majority of my images were shot using spot metering and I routinely underexposed them by a minimum of one-third stop. I didn’'t shoot NEF images; they use too much memory for an extended trip like the Tour.
France and Italy provided the best scenery, especially views of the magnificent south face of the Aiguille de Tré la Tête from Refuge Elisabetta and the impressive 10,000' southwest face of Mont Blanc de Courmayeur from Val Veni. Views also of the Aiguille Verte, Grandes Jorasses, and Mont Blanc from above Chamonix are also outstanding. The scenery in Switzerland was spectacular near the Italian frontier but deteriorated rapidly as we made our way towards the Col de la Forclaz.
It was a real challenge finding unspoiled landscapes to photograph, and traversing above the city of Martigny was especially depressing. The Swiss have exploited virtually every square meter of terrain for tourism -- roads and chairlifts crisscross the landscape in every direction, and noise from a major highway invades the otherwise tranquil surroundings. No camping is allowed along the route in Switzerland except for a few strictly controlled locations such as the Col de la Forclaz, where you'll pay ten euros per person to pitch your tent right next to the main road. Helicopters routinely buzz the landscape in search of illegal campers, who are fined an incredible 2500 euros if caught.
Far and away the nicest people I met were in Italy, in particular the staff at the Refuge Bertone above Courmayeur. After I helped them stock supplies from a helicopter delivery, they invited me to lunch, dinner and breakfast, and put me up in the refuge for the night when bad weather arrived.
I determined by the end of the Tour that perhaps the best way to experience the Mont Blanc massif is with a light pack and plenty of cash. By staying each night in a refuge you actually sleep better (bring earplugs), eat more, and are out of harm's way when the majority of electrical storms arrive late afteroon/ evening. The ambiance inside the refuges -- warm and friendly, chatting with visitors from all over the world, making new friends daily -- is magical. Learn some French or Italian to enhance your experience, and bring a few business cards to pass around. Any determined adventurer with a moderate level of physical fitness, trekking experience and good quality hiking boots can successfully complete the Tour.
Additional Equipment: 72mm polarizer; Singh Ray ND grad filters; Photoflex Lightdisc (white/gold).
