Sunny Verbier winter walks

 Another amazing day of hiking around Verbier before the snow starts to fall! We had views! Sunshine! And frozzen eidelweiss! Including metallurgical mythical birds!

 No snowshoes needed on this hike, just some little rubber crampons to keep us from slipping on the icy snow. Absolutely perfect! Don't forget the sun cream, at this altitude the sun's rays are brutal!

Fly birdy, fly!

Wild Walks in Switzerland's Alps!

This week has been all about getting out and walking where there should normally, at this time of year, be too much snow to go there! As a result we have managed to get places where the wildlife has been hanging out and been able to watch them bounce around in the cliffs. Their ease to move around where I can only imagine going with a rope and a parachute is seriously impressive!

There is snow and ice on most trails so you need to take poles and rubber crampons. Yep, those things really old people wear around in the winter so they dont slip. They are my new most favorite thing to take with me - after a picnic of course...!

 Amazingly I managed to get a photo of some forest trolls! Please be careful around them!

Snowshoeing in the Swiss Alps!

First snowshoe to Cabane Brunet!

I have never done this before, normally I ski tour here. I have always been put-off by the descent...

In reality it was not so bad. I heard lots of birds and saw 5 white tails! Amazing, considering the amount of people who pass by in this forest. I guess not many people go off the paths (as you probably will find yourself on a cliff) so the animals are safe.

The begining of the snowshoe with powder snow & larch pine needles was magical. It was beautiful to get into the sun by the hutt. Am so glad I can still do things for the first time!

Walking below Clambin

The sun is so warm these days you can walk in a t-shirt! But dont forget how low in the sky it is. As soon as it sets behind the mountain peaks you need warm clothes!

As the snow is melting there is ice on the paths and it is nice to have good boots and poles to keep from sliding around.

To snowshoe or not to snowshoe...!?

For me it is that time of year when I do not know if I should take snowshoes along or not!

Well we chanced it and walked up without them to the Chutte du Bisse du Levron. It was fabulous, but hopefully the next time there will be too much snow and ice to do it snowshoe-less!

 Magical moss!

 Trolls & boys!

View of the Dents du Midi that I will never tire from admiring!

Winter is here!

Splendid afternoon spent snowshoeing in Fionnay, the very end (or is it the begining?) of the snow covered val de Bagnes.

I cannot believe I am still using the Atlas snowshoes I was first sponsored 7 or 8 seasons ago! They are proof of quality. Numerous clients have worn them over the years & in all sorts of conditions. Today they got to taste cold pure untouched powder...aaahhh! There is really nothing like it!

We saw lots of chamois tracks & snowshoe hare bounces & fox passages. I also enjoy seeing the flowers, like the thistle photographed here.

Fabulous first snow!

Soft sunny snow with a crisp spark to it at each step. Perfect for a walk without snowshoes!

If we would have gone any higher than Les Ruinettes (Verbier) we would have needed them though!

After Sunday's forecast it will be snowshoes or skis for sure. But it is fun to go where the avalanche danger will not let us go anymore in a few weeks. I just love the changing textures and having the landscape change because of the elements. Bring it on mama nature!

Fall in the Verbier Clambin forest

Well the rain stayed at bay & the clouds were beautiful. But what really caught my attention was the mosses,  the flowers gone to seed, the rippening of the juniper berries, the mushrooms in all styles, and changing colors of the blueberry bushes. What a day!

Am sure there are lots of happy trolls & fairies!

Still so much to do!

Drying flowers for teas & spice mixes!

Traverse of the Rogneux

The Rogneux summit is just above 3000 meters. And look!! There are flowers blooming all over the rocks!

We chose a beautiful day and had panoramic views of the Matterhorn & Mont Blanc as well as up close glacial views of the Combins & Mont Blanc de Cheillon.

Just stunning! Not to mention the fall colors of the blueberry, heather, juniper bushes intertwined with the yellowing grasses, with the blue blue sky above. Almost too many colors!

This is such a beautiful time to be at altitude!

Natural remedies

Filtering my mullein to make ear and cough remedies for winter!
Youpiie!

Bonatschiesse boucle

The snowline has gone back up a bit, but the clouds were hovering lower... Still it was sunny in between it all!

The wild myrtilles (alpine blueberries) were amazingly deliscious!

We saw a faaaat marmotte and heard a bunch more. The whistling echoed loudly on the cliff walls, but they were too well camouflaged in the boulders. After being on the lookout we finally saw four chamois gracefully running through the fields. No bouquetins though, and no one else on the trails!

360 degree panorama

Beautiful day to check out the view from the Pierre Avoir. That is the huuuge dolomitic peice of limestone sticking out above the Rhône valley above Riddes.

Not a cloud in the sky and no wind either! Met some nice people too up there.

Apparently bumble bees can live up to 3000 meters! Ahhh the wonders of nature!

The Massif des Combins was stunning.

High flowers!

Amazing feats of nature!

Lots of  flowers blooming up at 3000 meters in rock and boulder fields!

Enjoy eating flowers?

If anyone is looking for a way to learn to eat flowers or enjoy herbal tea, then this is the flower for you!

This teeny-tiny flower is packed with a punch you cant forget and can only desire more of! Last year I tried the leaves but thought they were too strong on their own, so I mix them with lemon balm leaves to tone it down a bit.

This year though, the plant has flowered and wow! What an awesome discovery!

Let me know if you want to discover this and any other plants!

A bisse almost like a via ferrata!

What an exceptional place!
Up above Sion is a bisse - which is an ancient water duct - that will take your breath away!

I still havent walked all the way to the end of it and up to the Sanetsch pass... So I will keep coming back until I do.

There is nothing technical about it. But it is definitely vertiginous! (is that even a word?!)

Fresh flowers

Ready to be dried for winter teas, soaps, lotions, cakes and salad decorations. A handfull a day is already quite a bit of work.

Cabane Brunet Val de Bagnes

Absolutely a wonderful cabsne to stay in. It is nestled in the valley above Fionnay with superbe views of the Petit Combin. You can actually drive to it and then hike from there. There are lots of gorgeous alpine lakes to visit as well as the rocky top of the Rogneux. A magical place indeed.

And if you are up early enough you can get fresh cow milk from the farmer up there! Mooooooo!