Dwight Peck's personal website

The Monts de Bière in 2012

Fun in the rain

You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.

Perhaps not the best day for it, but Christine's friend Ann-Sophie is visiting from Germany and has been promised an exhilirating day out on snowshoes.

Dr Pirri is leading on in the direction of Mont de Biére Devant, 22 January 2012, expecting the fog and drizzle to clear off any moment now.

Dr Pirri and former student Christine, preparing for the long, wet slog uphill to the top

The farm at the top of Mont de Bière Devant (that's the Mont de Bière that's out in front. The farm of Mont de Bière Derrière is over on the other side, out the back.)

Hiking in brilliant sunlight is good, too, but you're more likely then to run into other people on the trails.

Awaiting stragglers, with the summit flagpole beckoning and the sun still trying to burst through

Christine and Ann-Sophie

Sprinting towards the summit

Prof Pirri is scraping off the orientation plaque so we can show our guests where we are.

The Eiger's visible from here, and Mont Blanc, and Lake Geneva spread out below us; the orientation plaque says so.

We've gone over the way to the three-sided shed of Mont de Bière proper (thinking "get out of the wind")

Searching through the packs for anything still edible

Photo by Ann-Sophie

Suitably rested, off we go again.

Mushier snow as the rain washes into it

Uplifting scenery as we're bushwhacking back to the Col du Marchairuz. Excellent day out.

Feedback and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, . All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 27 January 2012.

Jura snowshoeing

Snow camping