Friday, July 15, 2022
Tour du Mont Blanc-Day 5
Courmayeur to Rifugio Elena
Starting elevation: 1,226 m
Ending elevation: 2,062 m
Elevation gain: 1,426 m
Elevation loss: 590 m
Distance: 12.2 miles
Last night’s dinner took way too long, a leisurely Italian affair, with complementary limoncello, and then we got up early with the goal of hitting the trail by 7. It made for a very short night.
After checking out and putting on sunscreen, we were a little later than our 7 am goal, but we set off from Hotel Berthod by 7:30. The climb out of Courmayeur started on a very steep paved road and I quickly fell to the back of the pack. At 8, the TMB turned off the road and onto a hiking trail.
The climbing began in earnest. Today is our biggest day of climbing, 4,678 feet of gain over 12.2 miles. About an hour or so into the climb, we all stopped at a wide section of the trail for a snack. My stomach was rumbling and making a ruckus, so I had a snack bar and a leftover breakfast pastry. We set off again, determined to get a coffee at Rifugio Bertone.
We arrived at the refuge at about 9:45, quickly refreshed ourselves with coffee and lemon soda, and hit the trail again by 10:15.
There was another brief climb from Bertone, but after that, we were rewarded with gorgeous views of the mountains and glaciers on the way to Rifugio Bonatti.
Nathan and I arrived at Bonatti at 12:45, and we claimed a table outside in the sun (there were no shaded tables). I went down to the bathrooms where there were two toilet closets. The first one I checked was just a squat toilet, so I waited to see if the occupied stall was a western toilet. A woman came out of the stall, and I asked her if it was a proper toilet, and she promptly laid into me about in many cultures in the world, a squat toilet WAS a proper toilet. Ok, so I could have chosen my words better, but c’mon, don’t be rude. She ruined the vibe, and for a while I was in a bad mood.
At 2 pm or so Nathan and I took off for our refuge, Rifugio Elena. It’s still 2 1/2 hours in front of us, and the day is ridiculously hot and dusty, even at 2000 m. The worst part about it is that even though Rifugio Bonatti is less than 200 meters below Rifugio Elena, you must first descend 200 additional meters to climb back up 400 m to Elena. Ridiculous. Did I mention it was wicked hot and sunny? Like please, just sprinkle in a cloud or two, please!
Nathan and I made it, exhausted, with terribly angry patches of a prickly heat rash on our calves at 4:30. We checked in, retrieved our bags, and settled into our private room with bath. No, not a bathtub, but the smallest European, can’t even bend over to get the soap, shower closet. But it’s ours and no one else’s.
Pat and Andrew arrived by 6:30 after having a drink and a siesta on the valley floor. Dinner was served at 7, and we are all very happy that tomorrow will be an easier day.
