Vacation 2000
Courmayeur, Italy
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Alpinists
Alpinists on the Aiguille du Midi This shot was taken from the gondola.
Bivouac
Climbers' bivouac below the Aiguille du Midi. This shot was taken from the gondola.
Cascade at Lillaz
We climbed up along the waterfall and waded in the very cold water.
Castello di Fenis
The castle at Fenis is now a natural history museum.
Chamois
Chamois on logging cut. I worked my way very slowly up to get this shot.
Chassidim
Chassidim on glacier by Punta Helbronner. This group had come over from a kosher resort at Tigne. They foolishly walked out onto the glacier and across an ice bridge with no safety equipment. They looked so out of place that Lisa just had to take the shot.
Climbers on Aiguille du Midi
Climbers on Aiguille du Midi were moving very fast. The whole couloir was ascended in about half an hour.
Climbers in Val Ferret
Climbers in Val Ferret taken from the trail up to Gran Col Ferret.
Meadows in Cogne
The town meadow at Cogne is the starting point for a number of nice hikes. They vary tremendously in difficulty but all have the beautiful scenery you would expect.
Courmayeur from Punta Helbronner
Looking down at Courmayeur from Punta Helbronner.
Rush Hour!
This is what rush hour is like in the Swiss Alps? The cows just trotted along the road, holding up traffic.
Balcon Checrouit
Here I am just before lunch on the Balcon Checrouit hike.
Dick, Val Veny
Here I am again in Val Veny with the morraine of the Miage glacier behind me.
Doire du Val Veny
Doire du Val Veny is a beautiful setting to hike in, eh?
Family at Aiguille du Midi
Hanging out at the Aiguille du Midi. I nice Indian family offered to take our pictures.
At Col de la Seigne
At Col de la Seigne it was cold. We made our quick hop into France and back.
Family at Grand Col Ferret
Here we are having just walked into and back out of Switzerland. What a glorious day for our first strenuous hike of the trip.
Family at Punta Helbronner
Family at Punta Helbronner with a dusting of fresh snow. That's my idea of August weather.
Glacier du Geant
Glacier du Geant is impressive from the gondola. The 45 minute ride is awe inspiring. The ponds appear on the surface as the sun melts the top ice layer. They freeze back up overnight.
Glacier
This shot was taken from the Rifugio Elena.
Grand Jorasses
Grand Jorasses was a crystal clear shot that day.
Hotel Pavillon
Hotel Pavillon was our base for the trip. It is perfectly located in the center of Courmayeur. The rooms were comfortable and the food was great.
Jonathan and Pony
Jonathan and Pony
Jonathan below Rifugio Bonatti
Jonathan below Rifugio Bonatti
Happy Wanderer
Jonathan looking the part of the Happy Wanderer hiking the Balcon Checrouit.
Jonathan at Val Veny
Jonathan at Val Veny
Kids at Aiguille du Midi
Kids at Aiguille du Midi, enjoying the ice and snow. Can we find a snowball here somewhere?
Kids at Col Checrouit
Kids the Maison Vialle at Col Checrouit. Ice cream is as nice to wear as to eat!
Kids & Dog
Kids & Dog at the Hospice at the Great St. Bernard Pass.
Lisa in Val Veny
Lisa in Val Veny. She doesn't like the way I take her picture. This version is cropped.
Lisa in Val Veny
Lisa in Val Veny. Uncropped she likes my photography even less.
Maison Vialle
Maison Vialle at Col Checrouit.
Melissa and Dick
After we got out of the wind the hiking was a little warmer.
Melissa at Fenis
Melissa at Fenis posing for a change.
Melissa in Val Veny
Melissa in Val Veny
Mobile Cheese Unit
Instead of using the stone huts, some of the farmers are bringing in trailers to run their herding, milking and cheese making operations.
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc from the Col de la Seigne with the wind whipping across. It was cold, clear and dry. That's how you get that streamer of cloud.
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc from Punta Helbronner.
Miage morraine
The morraine of the Miage glacier. The rocks and grit are carried down by the glacier and depositted when the ice at the edges melts.
To Rifugio Elisabetta
The route up to Rifugio Elisabetta in Val Veny.
Rifugio Bonatti
Rifugio Bonatti is just below a hut that was actively being used for herding and cheese making.
Rifugio Elena
Rifugio Elena in Val Ferret was the first one that we visited. The rifugi are much nicer than the AMC huts.
Rifugio Elisabetta
Rifugio Elisabetta in Val Veny.
Rifugio Torino
Rifugio Torino is below Punta Helbronner, just enough to be out of the worst exposure. This shot is taken from the tram station at Punta Helbronner.
Mont Blanc Route
The Mont Blanc ascent route. The shot is taken from the Aiguille du Midi.
To Grand Col Ferret
A shot up the valley of the route to Grand Col Ferret.