{"id":50,"date":"2010-01-01T21:24:09","date_gmt":"2010-01-01T21:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/2010\/01\/01\/september-2-cabane-de-prafleuri-to-arolla\/"},"modified":"2019-01-27T20:33:15","modified_gmt":"2019-01-27T20:33:15","slug":"september-2-cabane-de-prafleuri-to-arolla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/2010\/01\/01\/september-2-cabane-de-prafleuri-to-arolla\/","title":{"rendered":"September 2, Cabane de Prafleuri to Arolla"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Day Summary<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>6.5 hours (Kev time)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>9.5 miles<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>gain 735 m, lost 1353 m<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And we thought yesterday was hard&#8230;\u00a0 Looking back, if I had known what this day entailed, we might never have taken the trip.\u00a0 Or I would have at least done anything to avoid this day.\u00a0 I HATE heights.\u00a0 I like to think that my fear of heights is healthy.\u00a0 There are reasons why you shouldn&#8217;t get too close to the edge or be too far off the ground!\u00a0 I&#8217;m not an over-the-top acrophobe; I can rock climb, as long as I&#8217;m roped in and trust my belayer.\u00a0 But I once had a small panic attack before climbing up Half Dome in Yosemite, and I was unable to overcome a more serious sense of panic while attempting the Mountaineer&#8217;s Route of Mount Whitney in California.\u00a0 I&#8217;m actually surprised that I was able to meet today&#8217;s challenge without a similar episode.\u00a0 And I guess I&#8217;m also surprised that this trail is even included on the Walker&#8217;s Route &#8211; it is seriously vertical.\u00a0 If you can handle ladders (which I don&#8217;t do well with), then there is an &#8220;easier&#8221; way over Riedmatten (Pas de Chevres); but however you slice it, getting over the pass is seriously steep.<\/p>\n<p>Here is the journal entry for today:<\/p>\n<p>Today was another LONG day.\u00a0 Kev&#8217;s distance and timing are laughable (or cryable!).\u00a0 Prafleuri is in a DANK, DARK area that is the beginning of a dam further down.\u00a0 We first had to hike a short distance to get to Col de Roux &#8211; not so bad.\u00a0 Then it seemed to take forever to get down to Lac Dix.\u00a0 Barry&#8217;s blisters really bothered him.\u00a0 He felt slow, and even worse, he felt bad about being slow.\u00a0 CURSE Kev and the signs for being misleading about time expectations.\u00a0 We finally made it around to the bridge on the other side of the lake where we stopped and fortified ourselves with a snack.\u00a0 Then we were ready to attack the long ups and downs before making the final push UP to Col Riedmatten.\u00a0 There was a detour to get past an avalanche wash-out of the trail (noted in the book), and then over and up and down and around lots of boulders.\u00a0 I&#8217;m getting really tired of that.\u00a0 But the &#8220;hike&#8221; &#8211; that is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">CLIMB<\/span> up to the col was crazy\/amazing.\u00a0 Forget not making it up Whitney, this was even more challenging.\u00a0 And the weather was on again\/off again with showers and clouds.<\/p>\n<p>This was a challenging day &#8211; have I emphasized that enough?\u00a0 Making the col was fabulous, but it was cold and windy, so we had to descend before taking a break for lunch.\u00a0 We have learned to celebrate making it over passes by having little butter cookies with chocolate Matterhorns on them (called <a href=\"http:\/\/www.swissmade.com\/en\/web\/index.php?id=475&amp;s=kambly_-_mont_choco_%283_boxes%29\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mont Chocos<\/a>).\u00a0 YUM!<\/p>\n<p>Once on the other side, it was much easier hiking down into Arolla.\u00a0 When we finally arrived, we stopped for a beer and a break to relieve the blisters.\u00a0 Then walked down to our hotel &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hotelmontcollon.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hotel Mont Collon<\/a>.\u00a0 This is a crazy OLD hotel &#8211; with 5 stories and I think there is only one other room occupied tonight.\u00a0 They knew who we were when we arrived.\u00a0 Old, creaky place, and though I had reserved a room with just a sink, the owner graciously offered us a room with a bath at no extra cost \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>Dinner was amazing!\u00a0 The food was great and the service equal to the best restaurants we&#8217;ve been to &#8211; and there was only one other table of 2 being served (though the owner&#8217;s family was also eating at a large table around the corner).\u00a0 We had a full 4 course meal &#8211; soup, salad, entree and dessert that was delicious.<\/p>\n<p>Tomorrow we plan a break from the original schedule.\u00a0 The weather isn&#8217;t great and Barry&#8217;s feet need some time to heal.\u00a0 Bon soir.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The view down to Lac Dix after passing Col de Roux<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-464 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix1-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>It didn&#8217;t look that far away, but it seemed to take forever to get down to the lake &#8211; maybe that was just because of the blisters&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-461\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-down-to-dix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-down-to-dix.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-down-to-dix-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-down-to-dix-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There were a lot of marmots checking out our progress<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-466\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-marmots.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"677\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-marmots.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-marmots-300x254.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-marmots-768x650.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Lac Dix from the other side &#8211; you can see the road that we walked on the left side of the lake<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-465\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-lac-dix2-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Hiking up to Col Riedmatten &#8211; steep, but the ladders at Pas de Chevres scared me more than this did<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-459\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-col-r.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-col-r.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-col-r-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-col-r-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>WE MADE IT!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-463\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-katie-smiling.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-katie-smiling.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-katie-smiling-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-katie-smiling-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>It was cloudy and cold &#8211; so we made our way down before stopping for lunch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-469\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-weather.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-weather.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-weather-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-weather-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The town of Arolla<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-468\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-town.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-town.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-town-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-town-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Mont Collon<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-mont-collon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-mont-collon.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-mont-collon-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-mont-collon-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Our fabulous hotel<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-462\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-hotel.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-hotel.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-hotel-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-hotel-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Our &#8220;summit&#8221; treat\u00a0<\/strong><strong>(to celebrate making it over passes since we weren&#8217;t actually summiting anything)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-460\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-cookie.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-cookie.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/arolla-cookie-300x266.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Day Summary 6.5 hours (Kev time) 9.5 miles gain 735 m, lost 1353 m And we thought yesterday was hard&#8230;\u00a0 Looking back, if I had known what this day entailed, we might never have taken the trip.\u00a0 Or I would have at least done anything to avoid this day.\u00a0 I HATE heights.\u00a0 I like to &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/2010\/01\/01\/september-2-cabane-de-prafleuri-to-arolla\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;September 2, Cabane de Prafleuri to Arolla&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alps"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":700,"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50\/revisions\/700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bktrent.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}