Dwight Peck's personal website

Sur les Truex

near Leysin, Switzerland


The lovely village of Leysin, in the Swiss Alps, sprawls at 1250m-1450m on the flank of a range of six small limestone peaks. These little peaks are wonderful in all seasons.

The Leysin Six, from left, La Riondaz, La Berneuse (behind the tree), the Tour d'Aï and Tour de Mayen in the center, the long hump of the Truex, and the Tour de Famelon on the right.

The very most fabulous collection of local mountains anywhere, 7km across from left to right.

The long jumbled ridge of the Truex (2194m) has small cliffs along the front overlooking Dessus Corbex; bigger cliffs along the far side overlooking the Ayerne valley and the Lac d'Hongrin; an abrupt end on the left over the Lac de Segray and facing the Tour de Mayen; and a long chaotic descent on the right to the Col de Famelon.

The front part of the Truex, looking smooth and welcoming on this midwinter evening in the early 1980s, but with in fact (over towards the right) the highest concentration of limestone holes, caves, and caverns in all of Switzerland. So watch where you put your feet!

The cliffs of Dessus Corbex are on the right, and below them (out of the picture) the cliffs overlooking the Combe de Bryon.

The front of Truex and Combe de Bryon, with the Col de Famelon, 1982

Dessus Corbex, the front part of the Truex, with the cliffs of the Combe de Bryon on the lower right, Mr Peck's running route to Famelon just dark and right of center, and the Tour de Famelon on the right. The bulk of Truex is up on the left.

In summer, more of the holes, caves, and caverns will luckily be visible. Mr Peck's running route to Famelon led up the ramp from the lower left to the upper right.

The left end of the Truex, with the lake of Segray tucked in there in the center, and the massif of the Tour de Mayen on the left, on a bleak evening in about 1986 as Mr Peck headed for the Truex summit and the weather declined, and alas blew out his knee whilst descending off the top part and was constrained to crawl in smooshy snow all the way home throughout an evening whilst his betters were viewing US sitcom reruns on the TV.

Dr Peck wandering up onto Truex in about 1980 to find out where the party's at.

Another bleak day on top of the Truex, Prof. Charles Berman and pal D. Peck kneel on top of the Truex, 1981, with the Tour de Famelon behind, and Mont d'Or behind that.

Mr Peck, in the days before he could afford proper mountain clothing or a haircut, kneels on the Truex summit in front of the Tour de Mayen, 1980.

The Truex just right of center, between Tour d'Aï and Tour de Mayen on the left and the Tour de Famelon on the right. Shot from La Forclaz on the far side of the ravine.

The far side of the Truex, heading down towards the Col de Famelon, mid-1980s.

Mr C. Berman following trail markers on a snowless but foggy walk over the far end of Truex towards the Col de Famelon, July 2002.

Mr Berman goes nowhere without his trekking poles.

Mr Peck walking up to meet Mr Berman from the Col de Famelon, July 2002.

Mr Peck expressing his feelings at a candybar wrapper that someone -- a non-Swiss person -- had thoughtlessly tossed into one of the nearby holes.

Prof Berman, irrepressible, starting up Famelon next, July 2002

Indisputably our favorite Truex shot, an evening ski in 1982, the Truex up on the right and the Tour de Mayen looming in the center.

And behind the Truex, overlooking the military valley of Ayerne and the Hongrin, a fine snowcaving camp in about 1992.

Truex from La Forclaz, August 2005

Digging down to the summit sign

The cliffs of Truex from the far side

Sur les Truex (just left of centre) along the Leysin range of mountains, seen from the Hongrin valley, from left: Famelon, Truex, Mayen, d'Aï, July 2006.

Index of Leysin local mountain photos

from SwitzerlandMobility (http://map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en)


Feedback and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, . All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 29 June 2002, revised 9 May 2008, 14 March 2014.


Leysin mountains

Leysin scenery


Leysin village

American College of Switzerland