The forest of Grande Rolat, 2013

Dwight Peck's personal website

Winter 2013-2014

Dispatches from way, way behind the lines in Switzerland

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 forest of Grande Rolat

24 November 2013

From the little lay-by on the Marchairuz road from the Vallée du Joux, it's a chilly grey prospect.

An abandoned snowplow keeps our VW company whilst we're gone.
The farm of Meylande Dessus is visible across the road, to the right of centre.

Sitting at home near Lake Geneva, one anticipated a sprinkling of snow on the ground up here.

The cistern at 1314m near the end of the pasture; we're looking for a trail that goes up into the forest from here.

There's a little more snow than we expected.

Our sharp-eyed guide spots a trail sign on the tree.

-- Trust me. Come on.

A few years ago, this gentleman led us up this same primrose path and missed a turn somewhere, and we spent the day wandering aimlessly in the forest amid mutual recriminations.

In fact, a couple of snowshoers have come this way earlier today (and come back out again).

And THIS is what we missed last time we were here. Now today's success is assured.

We have but to follow our predecessors' trail and not miss any more path markers.

Everything's going well so far.

Spirits are holding up very well.

A reassuring trail marker on the tree.

But our predecessors have already given up and turned back.

Ermm, which way?

Trees still with a full load on; fortunately, it's staying up there today.

No trail markers at the moment.

The gentleman who planned our trip today assured everyone that snowshoes would not be necessary. And now we're hearing no end of recriminations from that fellow out in front.