Super duper snowshoeing is happening now yahouuuu!

So for us in Switzerland we have to eat some chocolate bunnies, and why not on top of a little summit? Super fun little summit in the Chablais Valaisan. Perfect sun and perfect snow too. It had just dusted the mountains for the past 2 nights and we were able to slide on our butts all the way down! 

Absolutely epic! 

And I have to admit, the best part - no it was not that I managed to get the chocolate bunny up there intact....(although I was super psyched about that), the best part - was that one of the participants was a 12 year old boy! So so proud of him and his 15 year old brother for making it up to the top! It was not easy, but they did it. Bravo!!! Fantastic day! What a great memory! 

Looking towards Lac Léman, or Lake Geneva, one of the clearest views in a long time. We could even see the summits of the Jura behind Neuchatel - the Chasseral and Chasseron were totally clear! Not often that it can be seen like this. We looked, but did not see any boats on the lake sailing.

Top of the tooth for today! Yahooou!

Such a fun dynamic and friendly family! Thank you!

Beautiful view onto the Dents du Midi! Really worth it and unique experience! Look at how frozen the trees are! It was like someone took cake frosting and sprayed it on everything sticking out of the ground. Unforgettable! 

Derborence: hostility vs. tranquility

We had a beautiful walk through the 'pioneer' forest that led us to the lake of Derborence. There we contemplated the 300 year old trees that had not been destroyed be the Diablerets rock fall so many centuries ago.

We headed back across the rubble piles of the rock fall and watched how the power of water and snowmelt continuously creates and shapes the landscapes. 

The sun was lowering in the sky as we passed below the Quille du Diable and joined up to a hameau hanging precariously on the left-over green pastures. The chalets we walked by are totally wrong looking, as in they cannot possibly expect to survive in such a hostile spot! 

 There was a surprising view of the Massif des Combins at one point!

That is the true beauty of Derborence. The hostility and tranquility juxtapositions are absolutely phenomenal!

We ended the loop by walking across the dam, which is often overlooked when one comes here.

Val de Bagnes Le Tour des Lacs

I have seen signs for this 'Tour des lacs' for many years now, as I roam around the Rogneux area. And now I understand why I see them all over the place; the tour covers the entire front face as well as all the nooks and crannies up the little 'vallons'. 

An extra lake, not on the official tour...absolutely beautiful and lunar in its alpine corner.

The fine silt was frozzen solid under our feet! We were a bit worried about sliding right into the water. Luckily that did not happen, as we would have turned instantly into popsicles in the water at the base of the Petit Combin. 

The blend of colors of end of summer grasses and bare rocks above the alpine glacier lakes is really worth taking the time to appreciate. 

This tour takes all day and covers many kilometers, but you can cut it short and do it in smaller loops. But the whole tour, plus our little jaunt up towards the Col de Lâne is definitely worth while. 

Col du Sanetsch

We took off and walked for the day on the moon! 

Such weird landscapes!

Bisse du Neuf Savièse

Autumn colors are here early this year as we have had frosts down low into the valleys already. Combined with the dry spell the leaf trees are turning all sorts of amazing shades. It is really worth checking out right now! As in a few weeks this will be over and the larches will be turning yellow and golden, what a treat it will be then too!

The Bisse du Torrent Neuf is built into the cliff and where there is no logical pathway the wooden passrelles leave you on hanging bridges!

Amazing architecture feats of the 15th century or so.

One of the many hanging bridges! Youpiiie!

It really is dry out right now, the dust is thick. Across the way is the road up to the Sanetsch Pass. Also a place to discover in the fall.

Warm weather in winter hike

Fully is a nature discovery wonderland!

The nationaly protected bulbocode were out all over the place. Was like walking on a fairy tale path though the forest! 

The contrasts were blindingly beautiful, with white summits poking up around us, and the limestone Pierre Avoi pinnacle.

I read today that we are having the dryest winter in 50yrs in Suisse Romande. The grass here seems to agree! This is the Rhône river valley, looking towards the Upper Valais region.

Walking on granite with views of snowy mountains.

The color of the Rhône is beautiful, again some wild color contrasts with the spectacular Catogne summit here.

Snowshoeing Chablais

Bad weather day?!

There is no bad weather day when you snowshoe! They are always fun!!

Here we were under the summit of Valerette, with more time we could have gone to the top.

Snowy forests are just awesome to discover on snowshoes! There were lots of roe deer tracks visible today! 

Views of the Swiss Alps

2 very different views of the summit of the Grand Combin. Both taken in this crazy sunny winter sunshine weather. The spacial differences of what you can see or cant see as you walk around in the Val de Bagnes is astounding.

Hike up Dent de Valerette

Stunning hike! Stunning views! Stunning day!

This is a fun hike to a summit that doesnt take too long, but reaps all the benefits of being up high!

The Muverans poking out as you go up up up up in the dry grassy winter fields.

At the summit of the Dent de Valerette the Massif des Combins is just amazingly beautiful. It is hatd to catch the correct skyline in these photos, with so many ridgelines to get confused with...

A nifty cross at the top to remind us that we can be looking accross at the Canton de Vaud which is not Catholic (shudder)!

On the way back down passed by the Whitepod Hotel. Fabulous views above the stratus clouds with the Dents de Morcles here. Not much snow for snowshoeing....

And then the moon came up!!!

Hiking in the dry december swiss alpes

Not much snow to snowshoe on, so hiking is the activity at the moment.

From Fionnay, at the end of the val de Bagnes you can access the hikes on the sunny side of the valley without a problem at the moment. 

It is straight up for a bit less than 1000m. The views are totally worth it. We were lucky and had the gypaète fly right at eye level. I even saw his beard!!

The snow is hard enough to walk on near the cabana.

No fishing today in the Lac de Louvie! No skiing backside of the Mont Fort either!!

Views back onto the Massif des Combins. Breathtakingly beautiful with blue blue skies!

Hiking early winter

Well it snowed once...and now it has melted so much that the hiking has gotten amazing again!

We went up to roughly 2000m in the old larches and the dry grassy fields. 

The views are clear and beautiful all the way to the Jura. The Dents Du Midi are amazing as is the view accross to Verbier once we got to the top.

Just a notr to everybody, it gets cold quickly, dont forget to bring dry warm layers. Oh...and gloves!!! My hands got really cold on the way down...ugh!

Arpille Tour

The Arpille is attainable to almost everyone who likes to walk. There are lots of different ways to get up it. Most people dont even see it as it is hiding between the mighty summits of Chamonix and the Valais and Chablais regions.

The views from this little summit are awesome!

The area is protected because of its marsh lands, which today were grass lands. We are having an incredibly dry autumn. It certainly makes the walking easy!

Amongst the myrtilles are these views of the Chamonix region!

The Dent de Morcles got snow on one side of it! The Grand Chavalard is still dry! This is the view of the Alpage de l'Arpille. The cows have already been taken back down to greener grasses!

Beautiful Bisse de Bruson

Here is a fun walk to do in any weather! 

It is a loop in the woods that can be extended or shortened and can also suddenly if the desire hits one, include a peak!

Gushing waters from the mountain tops enter the bisse, which was used in the old days to water the fields so the village would survive winter.

A beautiful hike up to the start of where the water gets captured.

William Besse, a local ski hero, carved this goegeous howing wolf. I hope I can get a group out here on snowshoes this winter, I bet it is quite the sight in the dark!

Dont want to step off here to cool my feet!