The TMB - Day 9 - June 14th - From Les Grands towards Argentière, via Aiuguillette des Posettes.

The first photo in this series shows the early part of the route past the Refuge
Les Grands (circled), and onwards to the Col de Balme

click the picture to view a larger size

The sun was at a low angle as I climbed the gully from my overnight forest camp.

The view back down the gully. Huge slabs with vertical joints formed the cliff ...

I spent an hour watching and photographing this Marmot family ..

The path gained the top of the cliff along a natural fault, with a cable to hold onto ..

If you suffer from vertigo - look away now!

Once above the cliff-top, the refuge came into view ..

The trail went past the refuge, and round a rocky shoulder above the Nant Noir valley, with many cairns and white/red TMB flashes painted on the rocks ..

Soon the Refuge du Col de Balme came into view. The "official" TMB path from Trient could be seen to converge with my variente path at the Col.

The Refuge stands on the unmarked Franco/Swiss border at 2191 metres, with
a terrific view down the Chamonix valley. Mont Blanc was under cloud cover, as usual ..

The trail crossed the head of the Chamonix valley to the Col des Posettes at
1997 m, before climbing to the summit cairn of the Aiuguillette at 2201 m.
The twin peaks of Aiguille Morris and Aiguille Martin dominate the view beyond the Aiuguillette.

Marsh Fritillary butterfly, photographed at the Col ..

The "cotton-grass" photo gives a view of the Glacier du Tour across the valley ..

I met Nicolas on the Col de Balme - a kindred spirit from Avignon. His English was a lot better than my French. We walked together down the long descent to the Col des Montets above Argentière, and actually met-up again two days later in Les Houches.