Dwight Peck's personal website

Rochers de la Latte

Mark's and Nancy's visit in February 1988



The Rochers de la Latte lie seven kilometres from Leysin, a long ridge running off the north end of the Tour de Famelon and the rocks slanting down into the valley of the Hongrin.

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The lovely Tour de Famelon (2137m), seen from Les Chaux to the north, with the ridge of the Rochers de la Latte running off to the right, in the 1980s. This a really out-of-the-way place. The village of Leysin lies about 7km leftward on the far side of Famelon.

Mark's visit in February 1988

A short pre-lunch break on a balcony somewhere above the Pierre du Moëllé, having hiked up from La Comballaz bound for the Rochers de la Latte. Mark in the foreground, Sir Charles Berman discussing politics with himself on the right.

Mark was our first buddy, from about the age of 4 in Bergenfield, New Jersey, through high school in Woodcliff Lake, etc. Eventually he went the lawyerly route in the USA, and we . . . well, other things came up. In February 1988 Mark and family came to Europe for a week of serious skiing in Zermatt and, before that, a week with us in Leysin to catch up on life issues and check out the Pré-Alps.

I remember this vividly because they were due to arrive on 5 February, and by the 3rd we still had virtually no snow at all in the Alps. The "Snow Famine", it was called at the time (making real famine victims in Somalia and Ethiopia envious, probably), but the big snow came on the 4th, and I've always wondered whether Mark was able to arrange that somehow.

Mont d'Or in the background up on the left, we've come up from Pierre du Moëllé onto the first part of the ridge.

More up.

Another lunch at a little hut

This is a beautiful day, and a lot of fun.

Mont d'Or is in the background

A bonne fondue has been mentioned for this evening, so it may be time to turn around and go home now.

With Mont d'Or on the left and the Diablerets in the background, we're getting ready to schuss down to dinner.

A bonne fondue has been mentioned.

Nancy, Mark, and Robin and a bonne fondue in Chalet Pollux, Jane and Marlowe hovering nearby, and a pair of sealskins drying out in the background.

A few years later: Getting onto Rochers de la Latte the hard way

Index of Leysin local mountain photos


Feedback and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, . All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 9 February 2008, revised 16 March 2014.


Leysin mountains

Leysin scenery


Leysin village

American College of Switzerland