Rest Day

Col de la Lose
Ellen 'n Chris: 8 miles round-trip, 3,790 feet climbed, 5 1/2 hours

The day after Petit St. Bernard we took a rest day from cycling the only way Chris knows how, which is to say, we went on a hike. The start of the hike was a short drive from Chalet Colinn. It begins along the Gorges du Malpasse and peaks at the Col de la Lose on the border with Italy. It was a blue sky day, about 75 degrees, which in the Alps at high altitude and with No Shade Anywhere translates into Really Hot. I thought it was just me being a whiner but later that evening, back at Chalet Colinn, the Kuwaiti, who'd gone on a hike that day with his new bride, complained repeatedly about the heat. Which I thought was pretty interesting given that it's like 130 degrees in Kuwait in summer. When we asked him about that he said, yeah, but everything is air-conditioned. They run from one air-conditioned place to another. So they aren't acclimated to it. Another myth debunked.

starting up the trail; Gorges du Malpasse

the only shade on the entire hike; marker is for British soldiers who died in WWII

at the top

this is the, 'hey, let me stand really close to the edge while you take my picture', picture
(Chris is the dot on the left)

they build their trail markers big here

the owner told us it was okay to drink from this;  you'll believe anything when you're thirsty

back at the trailhead