Haute Route Day 4 Bad Weather

A group of us banded together to try and beat the weather odds. We set out as close to 6:15 as possible. We hiked at a brisk pace but it began to rain before the first pass that we needed to cross. We needed to cross three passes. Two of our group dropped out then. We forged on in full rain gear. It was going well. We had nice views and went over the first pass (Col Tremin)  to see a very pretty lake -  Lake Louvie. We continued along the trail towards Col Louvie. The rain was unrelenting and then the thunder and lightening started. Then we crossed a couple Boulder fields and snow fields. At this point our hiking mates, Katy and Jordan, determined the location of the next pass. It had a lot of snow. I was deeply regretting my decision not to bring any type of traction devices. Leah and I decided that it was not safe to continue. Katy and Joedan debates for awhile but came to the same conclusion. 

The hike back was slippery on the Ricky's and snow. Leah took a little slide on one snowfield.  No harm done except a major adrenaline rush. We hiked slowly and carefully back over the pass. After we went over the pass the weather improved. In fact the views were better than when we went out. It was very spectacular at this point Kary and Jordan debated trying to go over the passes again. My feeling was that the weather was different over the pass on the other side of the mountain. Leah and I headed down as did Katy and Jordan.  We met some of our other new friends on the good weather side of the mountain persevering on. We told them our experience but they were going for it. I hope to meet them later on the trail and hear of their experiences. I may have to come back and do that section on its own 

What to do next was our next question. As the weather forecast looked terrible for the next day as well we decided that staying was not on the cards. Leah and I took an amazing cable car ride down the mountain. To get down it took four different lifts. We saw how steep what we climbed the previous day really was not was amazing. There is no doubt that we are two tough ladies 

Then we took two trains and a bus to Arolla. I really wanted to do the section of the hike from  Cabane de Prafleuri  to Arolla. Leah go to talking to a super nice guy on the bus that had been hiking the same route as us but in the opposite direction. He has given us some good advice and we will attempt to do the hike in the opposite direction and then take the bus back down. This was a piece of great luck bumping into him. He also helped us find a really nice place to stay in Arolla.