Post TMB Rest Day #2

Written by Dorothy Tullmann

Engelberg, Switzerland,

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

After a good sleep at the Jugendherberger (youth hostel) Berghaus Engelberg, we shared a buffet breakfast with the 25 other guests, most of whom left for other adventures.

We took advantage of a break in the rain with a 2-hour preview hike of where we will eventually begin our next hiking adventure. We weren't disappointed. The trail was beautiful! Lush green vegetation, ferns, moss growing on exposed tree roots, gently sloping trail that eventually wound up into pastures with grazing cows, and the ever-present cow bells all contributed to a peasant outing. We were even able to get up close and personal with "Bessie"!

On our way back into town there was a very light rain. We stopped briefly at the historic Engelberg Monastery, sampled some cheeses made there and watched a little of the cheese-making process.

The Co-op was the next stop where we picked up our usual lunch items--bread, cheese, sausage and fruit (plus chocolate!). We walked to the youth hostel to enjoy our lunch then back to Kafikaufbar to meet a friend from Zurich who drove down with her two sons for a nice visit over coffee.

We said goodbye to our friends and the rain started up again as we walked to the Alpen Club Restaurant for cheese fondue. The rain persisted on the 15-20 minute walk back to the youth hostel. As we looked out at the mountains we planned to be hiking, we were surprised to see fresh snow. Looks like we will be enjoying a third rest day!

Post TMB Rest Day #1

Written by Dorothy Tullmann

After reuniting in Chamonix, France, where we started out almost 2 weeks prior, we decided to end our day traveling by train to our next destination, Engelberg, Switzerland where we would begin the Alpine Pass Route, part of the Via Alpina.

We ran into some other American hikers who had just finished the TMB before us!

Five trains and 6 hours later we arrived--dirty, hungry, and exhausted--in Engleberg, grateful to find space in the Hotel Schweitzerhif Engelberg. After delicious take-out Indian food and showers, we fell into bed.

The next morning, July 12, we enjoyed an amazing hotel breakfast while our clothes were laundered in a real washing machine and dryer. We then checked out of the hotel and into a less expensive youth hostel for the next night because of a forecast of rain. 

Engelberg is a lovely, quaint village with a surprising variety of stores and services. Our favorite was Kafikaufbar, a great little coffee bar with good coffee, amazing sweets, excellent WiFi and a very friendly Polish server with excellent English and great sense of humor. 

The quiet afternoon youth hostel came alive in the evening with families and lots of kids. Dinner was cafeteria style and the atmosphere was relaxed and homey. Our room of 5 bunkbeds was shared by two young men, one from Hong Kong, the other from Taiwan. 

We dropped off to sleep to the sound of rain and anticipated our second rest day.

Blog: TMB Stage 11 Part 2: Refuge La Flégère to Le Brévent

Le Brévent, France, Monday, July 11, 2016.

I had waited for my parents for over an hour at the end of our TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc).  I had sent out messages and asked hikers about them, but no one had seen them. 

I could see rain clouds covering Mont Blanc and the temperature was dropping rapidly, with winds increasing in intensity.  My parents had rain gear, but something told me that would not help. I started getting cold.

Instead of assuming the worst, I assumed the best possible explanation of why they were late: 

They took a lower cable car down to the city below, Chamonix, the place where we started the tour.

That's what I told myself.

Just in case they were still on the trail, I left hiking cards with a note to my parents: 

I took the cable car down to Chamonix and will meet you at the at tourist information center.  If I don't find you, I'll be staying at the Ski Chalet Station.  
-- Hans

I left this message on hiking cards with a lady at a snack shack and the cable car operator.

My parents would never get these messages.

I looked down the mountain one last time  to see if my parents were coming up the trail.  Nothing.

I got on the cable car and descended to the lower station, Les Praz, and took another car down to Chamonix.

When I stepped out of the cable, the sun was out and blazing.  I stopped by the Chalet, where had stayed the first night.  A group of Dutch teens were playing cards when I asked them if they had seen my parents, showing them the hiking card.  They hadn't.

I walked quickly down the hill into downtown Chamonix, directly for the tourist center.  As I rounded the corner, I hoped to see my mom and dad lounging on the outside sunbathing chairs with the rest of the tourists mooching the free-wifi.  But they weren't there.  I went in maids to ask about train schedules and showed the desk clerk the hiking card, in hopes she had seen my parents.  She hadn't.

I went outside and collapsed in a chair, started to realize how tired I was.  I got online with the free wifi and waited, trying not to think of the other possibilities.  

Then, I got an email from my mom:

Subject: WE GOT LOST!!!
We are at Plan Praz with no desire to go to Brevant since we have been hiking for hours. Can we meet you in Chamonix? Ticket office here doesn't open until 2.

I was so relieved!  

I replied right away:

Yes! I just got to the tourist office! I was getting worried! I waited at Brevent until 12:40, then came down on the cable car -- I'm at the tourist office. See you soon! glad to hear your ok!

20 minutes later, my parents found me and we were reunited!  

But our day wasn't over-- we had a train to catch.

Blog: TMB Stage 11 Part 1: Refuge La Flégère to Le Brévent

Refuge La Flégère, France, Monday, July 11, 2016.

It was hard to believe we were waking up to the last day on the TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc).  I opened my eyes and looked out the window.  Was this a dream?

We had our last TMB AND France breakfast with our new Scottish acquaintances.  With our bags packed, we said goodbye, going opposite directions.  

The downhill was a nice way to start the day, but knowing the elevation we were climbing to, made us resent the descending trail.  

I walked ahead of my parents, taking photos of our last day along the mountainside.  Eventually, I caught up with an American couple from Philly, Jaime and Michelle, and we ended up hiking to the half-way point on stage 11.  

We ascended along steep switchbacks leading up to Col du Brévent, a pass on a snowy ridge.  I assumed my parents were 30 minutes behind us...

We climbed up through the snow and rocky terrain, almost losing the trail.  A steep climb up a ladder gave us a view of the the cable car station at the highest point as well as a Chamois (alpine goat/antelope) on a distant ridge.  

We made it to the halfway point!  I said farewell to Jaime and Michelle, as they descended the trail leading them to Les Houches, the end of the TMB.  That descent was almost a vertical mile of downhill, which we decided not to hike.  We would be cutting our stage 3 hours short for the sake of our knees-- our poor, poor knees...

The Tullmann stage 11 plan was to get to the highest point, halfway, then take the cable car down to Chamonix.  A simple plan to execute-- as soon as my parents showed up.

I took time to capture the moment while waiting for my parents.

But after 30 minutes, they didn't come.

After an hour, they still didn't show.

I looked down at the snowy path they would be coming up, squinting  and straining to distinguish familiar and unfamiliar hikers below.  But they still didn't come.

Did they get lost?  Did they take the lower cable car down to the city already?  Were they just really slow?  ...or was is something worse?

I started passing out our hiking cards with my mom and dads faces; sending messages down with hikers descending the mountain trail.  I started asking upcoming hikers if they had seen my parents.  None had.

Where were my parents?

What should I do?

The end of a wonderful hike turned dark with oncoming rain clouds and a cold wind began to blow...