Between Mont Sâla and Mont Pelé

Dwight Peck's personal website

Mont Pelé's companion peak, April 2007

Winter 2006-2007 spent waiting around for winter

Having found this little rocky way up to the 1515m knob between Monts Sâla and Pelé in inclement weather on New Year's Day, we've come back in April with friends.

You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.

We're setting out (Kristin, Joe, Teny, and the narrator) from the Les Pralets meadow at the top of the Bassine road, on what is normally the Marchairuz-Givrine cross-country ski trail, except that this year the snow mostly passed us right by. That's our destination up there in the right centre, the unnamed knob at 1515m between Monts Sâla and Pelé.

The Way Forward, 8 April 2007 -- that's Mont Sâla, with the summit cross on the top right. This is all a Vaudoise nature reserve, as outlined on the map Joe was scrutinizing in the preceding photo.

A pleasant approach

The walk through the forest steepens a little bit.

Kristin makes encouraging remarks and leads us upward.

Teny and Joe ponder the way upward.

Have I introduced you to my friend Kristin?

Joe perseveres. We're on a small unmarked track up through the rocks that, once you know about it, makes life much easier here.

A high order of route finding, whilst contemplating bananas, and chocolate

Limestone karst ground with holes in it at the top of the cliffs; hikers watching every step.

Kristin pauses as the stragglers catch up with the lunchbag (a couple of bananas, a little chocolate).

-- Almost there.

Kristin and Teny advancing towards lunch

Joe advancing even more vigorously towards lunch (bananas and chocolate!)

Shirts on -- break out the bananas. Followed by some chocolate.

Ah, that was nice. Now for the Cemetery of the Burgundians! (That's Mont Sâla in the background.)

Down into the Cemetery

In the middle of the Cemetery of the Burgundians ("Cimetière-aux-Bourguignons"), Joe and Teny keep a watchful eye out for solid footing.

There's not all that much solid footing down in this "Creux d'Enfer", as the Burgundian soldiers found out to their permanent rue in 1476.

Joe picking his way through the limestone holes looking for a way out of the Cimetière-aux-Bourguignons

The Creux Devant cabin at 1474m, with Mont Sâla up on the right, the Combe des Begnines stretching out behind, and a good ways still to go before nightfall

So we ask the Lord for guidance, and as usual His Jesusness comes through for us with a good plan and renewed energy.

And we pass Le Couchant farm towards dusk in a headlong bolt for home.

-- Where's the car?

The unmarked track begins near the stone wall, as shown by the arrow

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