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.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f01.jpg)
5 January 2013, a bright and chilly day, and Kristin's tightening up her snowshoes near the Marchairuz road at the Prè de Rolle.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f02.jpg)
Mont Blanc and the French Alps over Lake Geneva (Lac Léman)
![](../pictures/win/win2012f03.jpg)
We're ready. Let's go.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f04.jpg)
The farm of Pré de Rolle -- the pastures in the Swiss mountains are owned by the villages down below and leased to farmer families on century-long terms; the town of Rolle is on the shores of Lake Geneva far below us.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f05.jpg)
The day's is beginning to warm up.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f06.jpg)
The ridge of the Swiss Jura and a range of huge cliffs part the way along it
![](../pictures/win/win2012f07.jpg)
Good snow as the afternoon advances
![](../pictures/win/win2012f08.jpg)
A cowshed and the cliffs under the ridge
![](../pictures/win/win2012f09.jpg)
Another hole in the ground
![](../pictures/win/win2012f10.jpg)
A big hole in the ground, in fact
![](../pictures/win/win2012f11.jpg)
The little blue signs affirms that this big hole is a legally protected gouffre or cavern.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f12.jpg)
Kristin near the low, far end of the Pré de Rolle
![](../pictures/win/win2012f13.jpg)
At the far end of the pastures, a quick look up into the forest
![](../pictures/win/win2012f14.jpg)
Dr Pirri and I dashed up that hill last week, and our tracks are still visible.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f15.jpg)
The informal red dots around suggest that this road has been traveled before, but it was new to us at the time.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f16.jpg)
We're returning at the end of the day by a more roundabout route through the forest.
![](../pictures/win/win2012f17.jpg)
Forest whigmaleeries
![](../pictures/win/win2012f18.jpg)
The start up the long meadows to the road
![GO!](../pictures/buttons/button-winter2012-13a.gif)