Friday, September 2, 2022

Today's route:

Refuge des Merveilles (2111 m) - Pas du Diable (2436 m) - Col de Raus (1999 m) - Pointe des Trois Communes (2059 m) - Mangiabo (1821 m) - Baisse de la Linière (1342 m)

Since yesterday Thursday, we have been heading south, gradually approaching the Mediterranean. We have divided the remaining distance so that we will arrive in Menton on Sunday around noon. We still want to camp in the wild twice, ideally the second time right above Menton, with a view of the sea and the city.

While the morning is still relatively nice, we often hike in the rain and, above all, in the fog in the afternoon. The long high-altitude hike at around 2000 meters would offer beautiful views and panoramas, but we can't see anything. Most of the time, we are hiking together with three French seniors, even older than us, with whom we already sit at the breakfast table and who have about the same hiking pace as us. One of them is from Alsace in Oberhaslach, speaks Alsatian and also High German, and it is amusing and interesting to converse with him in all three languages ​​while hiking.

At Baisse de la Linière, we say goodbye to the three French people who are going down to Sospel and stay to camp at this beautiful place, unfortunately still shrouded in fog. A night has probably never been so quiet, because there is no rushing mountain stream to disturb.

A little more about the luggage:

Compared to last year's hike, we have practically not changed anything, with the decisive exception that we packed a lightweight tent instead of a tarp. The goal was to have a backpack (excluding food, water and what you wear from head to toe) weighing a maximum of six kilograms. We didn't achieve that; the man's backpack weighed about 6.5 kg, the woman's backpack about 7 kg. Of these 13.5 kg, 3.5 kg alone are camping equipment (tent, 2 sleeping bags, and sleeping pads). For the rest of the gear, only the absolute essentials, for example, a maximum of one set of clothing per layer, only important cleaning and care products, no perfumed items, and then many things that you have to take with you but (hopefully) don't need much, such as emergency pharmacy, repair and sewing kits, rainwear, special warm clothing, etc. The minimalist, completely waterproof, and lightweight backpacks from Exped (see, for example, the photo 'still life...' on August 30) without any frills (external pockets) and with a very simple carrying system - you don't need elaborate, expensive, and heavy carrying systems! - are proving themselves excellently even after three weeks. The fact that they only have one compartment is not a problem, it just requires practical organization...