On foot · Above Salvan, Valais · July 2022
The Col de Fenestral loop
Another fine loop, above Salvan, with views of Trient and Mont Blanc. Revised along the way, as it was perhaps planned a little too optimistically. Still, even revised, we won't do it again.
- Date
- July 2022
- High point
- Col de Fenestral, 2,453 m
The route · indicative
The climb
Trient and Mont Blanc
Look, over there: the Col de Fenestral. It climbs steeply, and when we stop to look back at the path already covered, there are lovely views of Trient and Mont Blanc.
At the pass, a view of the other side: a completely different style, confirmed with every metre of descent. A very, very beautiful pass, which has to be earned, differently, from either side.
The Emaney descent
700 metres of stone
700 metres down what is clearly an old glacier. Stone and more stone: fun, but after a while… We go down right through the middle; you have to find the way.
The Emaney descent, then the loop nearly closed: once again, we did it. A last view of the peaks and their dramatically retreating glaciers, before reaching the Fenestral alp and its Hérens cows.
