Plan A was to go up Mont d’Or but it turned out that the Swiss Army were using the firing range on the flanks of the mountain. The summit, and ascent, were actually just outside the notified firing range but we didn’t want to be climbing up accompanied by gunfire! So, we decided to go up the other prominent peak here which is Pic Chaussy.
It’s interesting to compare snow over some years, we went on Pic Chaussy nearly exactly two years ago on June 20th 2013 (blog entry & photos) and we didn’t go to the summit, there was too much snow and it would have been a steep, long ascent and descent on rapidly warming spring snow. Yesterday though it was pretty much snow free up to the summit. It’s still slightly early for the farmers to have moved cattle up so the Ibex were still in the area. We chanced upon a small group of males pretty much on the path and had to wait a few minutes while they stood their ground before, having proved their point, they sauntered off.
Pic Chaussy
