Day 26, Sunday September 4
Larche to Bousieyas
Today we entered the Parc National de Mercantour. Our guide book describes the day as spectacular but for us it rained all day. It was a good day with some good scenery, but softer than a day with bright sun. The rain brings out the colours and the mountains fade into mist. The marmots were out but not in great number. We were snug and happy in our rain gear. If you are dressed for it, hiking in the rain is rewarding and full of sights you don’t get on a sunny day.
The last bit of hiking to the col today was up an endless scree slope with mist above, below, and nothing in front but a steep rocky trail that faded into mist. A strange monochromatic world of grey, but it was fun to climb through it to reach a foggy col where the rain let up a bit and we had a brief lunch stop.
Starting the descent was plunging into mist on another steep scree slope. You had no idea how safe or dangerous the trail was because you could not see how far you might fall. Sounds spooky, but we were careful and took our time. The unpleasant part was below on wider less steep trail that had turned to slippery mud. I am not good at skating! But neither of us fell.
A day that not everyone might enjoy. For me the fun was being in nature when things are not sunshine, working with it, and finding the fun. The colours, the way space shrinks, the clouds which change the landscape, and the wind and rain on my face when I’m snug and dry.
This evening we are in a tiny hamlet in a cozy refuge with some fellow hikers we have met in the last couple of weeks. The photo, building top left, is the refuge. It was difficult climbing the stairs after thinking we had finished our walk for the day.
Still raining.
Roy