Dwight Peck's personal website

Winter 2003-2004

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

First, a rainy/snowy day in March 2004

Two trips to the Crêt de la Neuve

The tattered flag has flown high over the Crêt de la Neuve for as long as we can remember, as here in December 2001 . . .

. . . but no more, evidently!

On a half-rainy/half-snowing day, 21 March 2004, the proud emblem of the Confederation is noticeably absent from the observation deck. Over the years, the flag itself has annually grown tattered and blown away in the storms, but at least we could count on the flagpole!

Luckily, the sturdy summit cross is still there (1495m), as are wet smudges on the lens.

The narrator waiting for the rain to finish changing over to snow, so there will be something to snowshoe home on besides wet grass. March 2004.

That's the Chemin des Crêtes stretching off towards the Perroude de Marchissy and, eventually, St Cergue.

Plans are being made to get out of here before the whole thing fills up with water.

That's it; we're out of here.

It's a two-hour trudge back to the Col du Marchairuz.

The Col du Marchairuz

A wooden statue by Mr Paul Monney

And it's been a fine sunny day back at home in Bassins.

The flag's back again (May 2005)

Another brief visit to the Crêt de la Neuve

10 April 2004

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.

The urge to visit the Crêt de la Neuve again comes over us, we know not whence. It's a blustery 10 April 2004, pretty bleak and mushy here in the Jura. In fact, we've got our car up over 1200m at Chenevière meadow for a good start on our snowshoey day out in the fresh air.

A little hut at 1352m near the Perroude du Vaud; we're coming to the Crêt de la Neuve, not from the Col du Marchairuz, but from the opposite direction this time.

Our hiking companion rushes past Les Echadex farm and comports himself as always with dignity.

Lost in the forest, however, Dr Pirri despairs and turns toward home. 10 April 2004.

Talked into persevering for a change, Dr Pirri rushes up one of the many, many . . . many . . . many little ridges guarding the Chemin des Crêtes as it passes by the Crêt de la Neuve.

Dr Pirri pauses in the gentle snowfall to note that the uphill walk here requires a steep downhill, and his fancy Walmart snowshoes get all in a . . .

. . . tangle. When Bad Things Happen To Good People.

Dr Pirri calls for an "immediate investigation" into what went wrong.

The weather declines. We're looking for hats, gloves, etc.

Here's the famous dead tree near the top of the Crêt de la Neuve.

Dr Pirri sets his sights on the Holy Cross that decorates the top of Neuve.

Whilst Mr Peck sprints towards the observation deck just below the summit.

And briefly worships grinningly at the cross on Crêt de la Neuve, as Happy Hour approaches.

Dr Pirri takes up his station at the cross, for a quick photo, and heads off for Happy Hour as well . . .

. . . at a gallop.

A late afternoon walk along the Chemin des Crêtes.

A good while later, we're passing the farm of Perroude du Vaud

Perroude du Vaud

Passing the farm

And walking down the road towards the place where Dieter the Volkswagen is presumably still waiting for us.

from SwitzerlandMobility (http://map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en)

Feedback and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, . All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 22 March 2004, revised 26 September 2005, 1 October 2008, 8 January 2014.

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