The
lovely village of Leysin, in the Swiss Alps, sprawls at 1250m-1450m on the flank
of a range of six small limestone peaks. These little peaks are wonderful in all
seasons.
The
Leysin Six, from left, La Riondaz, La Berneuse (behind the tree), the Tour d'Aï
and Tour de Mayen in the center, the long hump of the Truex, and the Tour de Famelon
on the right.
The
very most fabulous collection of local mountains anywhere, 7km across from left
to right.
The
long jumbled ridge of the Truex (2194m) has small cliffs along the front overlooking
Dessus Corbex; bigger cliffs along the far side overlooking the Ayerne valley
and the Lac d'Hongrin; an abrupt end on the left over the Lac de Segray and facing
the Tour de Mayen; and a long chaotic descent on the right to the Col de Famelon.
The front
part of the Truex, looking smooth and welcoming on this midwinter evening in the
early 1980s, but with in fact (over towards the right) the highest concentration
of limestone holes, caves, and caverns in all of Switzerland. So watch where you
put your feet!
The
cliffs of Dessus Corbex are on the right, and below them (out of the picture)
the cliffs overlooking the Combe de Bryon.
The
front of Truex and Combe de Bryon, with the Col de Famelon, 1982
Dessus
Corbex, the front part of the Truex, with the cliffs of the Combe de Bryon on
the lower right, Mr Peck's running route to Famelon just dark and right of center,
and the Tour de Famelon on the right. The bulk of Truex is up on the left.
In
summer, more of the holes, caves, and caverns will luckily be visible. Mr Peck's
running route to Famelon led up the ramp from the lower left to the upper
right.
The left
end of the Truex, with the lake of Segray tucked in there in the center, and the
massif of the Tour de Mayen on the left, on a bleak evening in about 1986 as Mr
Peck headed for the Truex summit and the weather declined, and alas blew out his
knee whilst descending off the top part and was constrained to crawl in smooshy
snow all the way home throughout an evening whilst his betters were viewing US
sitcom reruns on the TV.
Dr
Peck wandering up onto Truex in about 1980 to find out where the party's at.
Another
bleak day on top of the Truex, Prof. Charles Berman and pal D. Peck kneel on top
of the Truex, 1981, with the Tour de Famelon behind, and Mont d'Or behind that.
Mr Peck, in the days before he could afford proper mountain clothing or a haircut,
kneels on the Truex summit in front of the Tour de Mayen, 1980.
The
Truex just right of center, between Tour d'Aï
and Tour de Mayen on the left and the Tour de Famelon on the right. Shot from
La Forclaz on the far side of the ravine.
The
far side of the Truex, heading down towards the Col de Famelon, mid-1980s.
Mr
C. Berman following trail markers on a snowless but foggy walk over the far end
of Truex towards the Col de Famelon, July 2002.
Mr
Berman goes nowhere without his trekking poles.
Mr
Peck walking up to meet Mr Berman from the Col de Famelon, July 2002.
Mr Peck
expressing his feelings at a candybar wrapper that someone -- a non-Swiss person
-- had thoughtlessly tossed into one of the nearby holes.
Prof
Berman, irrepressible, starting up Famelon next, July
2002
Indisputably
our favorite Truex shot, an evening ski in 1982, the Truex up on the right and
the Tour de Mayen looming in the center.
And
behind the Truex, overlooking the military valley of Ayerne and the Hongrin, a
fine snowcaving camp in about 1992.
Truex
from La Forclaz, August 2005
Digging
down to the summit sign
The
cliffs of Truex from the far side
Sur
les Truex (just left of centre) along the Leysin range of mountains, seen from
the Hongrin valley, from left: Famelon, Truex, Mayen, d'Aï, July 2006.
Index
of Leysin local mountain photos
from SwitzerlandMobility (http://map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en)
Dwight Peck's personal website
Feedback
and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, 
.
All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 29 June 2002, revised 9 May
2008, 14 March 2014.
