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!

Dent de Valerette in Chablais

This little limestone tooth just reaches 2000 meters. As a part of the Dents du Midi it is not an obvious summit, but it sure is beautiful!

The fun part once you arrive at top is the ridge line you can follow, all the way to the cabane Chalin and up the Dent de Valère.There was frost at the top and we got snowed on as we returned to the car!

In the catholic canton on Valais of course there is a cross.

The fall colors are simply awesome at the moment. We were hoping the clouds would lift, but as they didnt it means I will have to return!

A bit fresh for a picnic up here!

Skuleskogen in Västernorrland

Such fantastic local tour guides!

A fun and interesting way to mark the water levels from thousands of years ago.

We hiked up to a cave before going to the top!

Lakes and sea marking different altitudes.

I learned the difference between a birch and an aspen! Such cool trees and we are lucky to see them changing colors! Every now and then a red maple pops in.

Red granite is underneath everything. The roots here are hugging it and the tree is still alive, just got itself into a more comfy position for when it snows or gets super windy!

Very well explained info!

Me at the top drinking a rose hip soup, nyponskalmjol soppa!

Swedish lichen on High Coast

Amazzzzing!
Likin' da lichen up in the north!

Stockholmsgatornea, the narrow streets of Stockholm, a wild playground! 

How many different mosses and lichens are there??

Myrtilles popping out in between mosses and lichen.

Perfect elf spot!! Or trolls!

A red carpet! Magical!

Nature making right angles in the granite blocks.

A swim in black clear waters?

So wild!

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!

Ancient Tracks in the Alpes - Finhaut

High up at 2400m in the Commune of Finhaut is a mysterious spot. You find yourself surrounded by mountain tops which are the Swiss-French border, and the enormous Emosson dam is catching all the runoff and meltwater at the other end. A fascinating place!

Here are the ancient "dinosaur" tracks that were found. Today we are still unlocking their mysteries!

Sandstone with wild formations!

There is still quite a bit of snow, so if you go take good boots and poles too! Here we are under the col de Terasse near the dinosaur prints.

Eating wild foods La Tzoumaz

A wikked hot wild day was had by the cows, the views and us picking our couscous and pesto lunch from the wild unkempt ski fields of La Tzoumaz. 

Thanks to La Maison de la Forêt for letting us invade your kitchen!

Fresh alpine serac with wildherb pesto and edible flowers for decoration!

Wild norwegian spruce buds tea with wild flowers! Beautiful and super refreshing too!

Couscous with wild spinach, wild thym, sarriette, daisies, common berce and whatever else was at the bottom of the forraging bags!

Cows chilling under the télésiège!

I just love the contrast of going up and over the Col de Croix De Coeur from Verbier to La Tzoumaz, which I often still call Les Mayens de Riddes. 

The views down onto the Rhône Valley are amazing!

NDD : Nature Deficit Disorder

Spending time in places like this with more flowers than your eyes can focus on or brain can comprehend should take care of any nature deficit disorder anyone is feeling!

I hope you can get out and feel the air in a place like this soon!

Views from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn

Cow fields full of wild orchids and a view of the Alps ranging from the Mont Blanc accross the Grand Combin and the Matterhorn. WOW!

Crans Montana and the right side of the Rhone Valley are really spectacular in any season!

The view up into the val d'Anniviers and the Couronne Imperiale, as they call the 4000m peaks around the Matterhorn are impressive. I particularly enjoy this view of the Illgraben on the left. It is fun to change points of view.

How do plants drink?

Many alpine plants have adapted to live in semi-desert conditions. They have tricks to get the most out of the smallest and rarest amounts of water, be it in vapor or ice form as well as liquid. Some can even defy gravity!!

Here the eidelweiss is doing some crazy thing just this morning after having been snowed on for the last 2 days up by the Cabane de Chanrion.

Pure magic!

The cabane chanrion is perched in the upper val de bagnes. A super place to get away from everything. There are bouquetins and marmots, beautiful wild flowers, wild alpine lakes, views of glaciers and awesome geology to discover too!!