by Melanie McManus | Jul 19, 2019 | Blog, Hiking
If you’re a hiker, you’ve seen hiking cairns. Hiking cairns are small piles of stones stacked together. Typically, they’re used to show hikers the correct way to proceed along a path when it’s not clear. They’re a way to say to hikers,...
by Melanie McManus | Sep 25, 2022 | Continental Divide 2022, Trail Journals
I slept well last night. I heard one cow walking around, so I made a little grunt noise to let it know I was here. Other than that, it was nice. Not too hot, no bugs, etc. – a great prelude for today’s hike past Burro Peak. This morning dawned warm and humid, though...
by Melanie McManus | Jun 30, 2022 | By Location, Europe, France, Hiking, Italy, Tour du Mont Blanc 2022, Trail Journals
Today’s hike from Refuge des Mottets to Cabane du Combal was short, at about 7 miles (11.3 km). So we didn’t want to start out too early. But we had to be out of our rooms by 8 a.m., so we hung out in the dining hall and/or outside while we tried to dry the clothes...
by Melanie McManus | Jun 29, 2022 | By Location, Europe, France, Hiking, Tour du Mont Blanc 2022, Trail Journals
We knew today was going to be a tough one, because we were hiking some 18 miles (29 km) from Les Contamines to Refuge des Mottets. And not just any 18 miles, but some super steep miles, both uphill and downhill. After a great breakfast at Le Cristiania (croissants and...
by Melanie McManus | Jun 28, 2022 | By Location, Europe, France, Hiking, Tour du Mont Blanc 2022, Trail Journals
We began our hike from our hotel, Chalet Hotel du Bois, which is in Les Houches, France, the traditional starting point for the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB). The weather forecast was for rain much of the day – ugh. The first part of the route wound through town. There’s...
