A visit for the Christmas season

Dwight Peck's personal website

Winter 2003-2004

wonderful wintry fun in the country the neo-cons have so far overlooked

A visit for the Christmas season {1}

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.

Right off the airplane, 23 December 2003, and up we go with a nice hike near the Chaumette meadow above Bassins. Now for something more challenging.

The Seche de Gimel in the forest of Grande Rolat, Christmas Eve 2003

Whoops, snowshoes going the wrong way in the forest

Kristin sorting out the snowshoe issues on Christmas Eve

Kristin out of the forest and ready to view the Couverte de Seche de Gimel in the Swiss Jura

There it is, Christmas Eve 2003

Kristin in Switzerland on a sunny 24 December 2003, as far from fellow-Wisconsinian Tommy Thompson as it's reasonably possible to get.

The protected area, with La Dôle in the way-distant background

Tough going in the forest

Christmas Day, 25 December 2003: La Dunanche above Bassins

Back up to La Chaumette farm above Bassins

Kristin snowshoeing under a tree

Kristin snowshoeing over a tree

These unfortunate trees were horizontalized by Ouragan Lothar, the hurricane that hit Europe on Boxing Day 26 December 1999, a premonition of things to come.

Back to La Chaumette in the afterhours

It's time for a lot of Christmas oysters in Bassins

Right, Christmas oysters gone. Now, the Christmas lichees.

26 December 2003: A brisk march up by the Col du Marchairuz

Not one to follow a marked trail if there's a way to go without one, Kristin celebrates Boxing Day, 26 December 2004, by re-adjusting her snowshoes in the forest southwest of the Col du Marchairuz.