Do you recognize this mountain? It's one of my favorites yet, surprisingly, it seems to get very little exposure in the media (print, digital, social or otherwise). It's kind of an underdog, and I'm not sure why. It has everything a nice looking mountain could want—a triangular shape, tumbling glaciers, an imposing North Face, lots of rock. There's even a real face within the North Face. Can you see it? Anyway, I love it. The name of the mountain is Mont Collon, elevation 11,932 feet (3,637 meters). Mont Collon is located in the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The glacier that you see tumbling down from the right is called the Glacier du Mont Collon, which flows into what remains of the Bas Glacier d'Arolla. Sadly, warm weather over the years has taken it's toll on the ice. You can see this lovely mountain when hiking the famous Haute Route from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland. This view dominates the skyline as you look south from the village of Arolla, elevation 6,555 feet (1,998 meters).
Hikers enjoy HUGE views on the Haute Route and Tour du Mont Blanc
Here’s another shot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe at 15,781 feet (4,810 meters). You've heard of “Fourteeners” in Colorado (mountains taller than 14,000 feet)? Well this is a Fifteener! If you look closely, you can see a couple of hikers on the trail below. We took this photo while hiking on the north side of the Chamonix Valley in France. This particular hiking trail is a famous leg of the Hiker’s Haute Route and the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Pic of the Day: Crossing the Meidpass on the Hiker's Haute Route
Here’s a photo of the Meidpass, elevation 9,150 feet (2,789 meters). This pass is the most direct route between the alpine villages of Saint-Luc and Gruben, and it also marks the linguistic divide between French and German-speaking Switzerland. Many hikers cross the Meidpass every summer during their quest to complete the Hiker's Haute Route, one of the most famous long distance hiking trails in the Alps. There's also a scenic alternative to this pass called the Col de la Forcletta which ventures further south from this point, then curves back north into the remote Turtmanntal (Turtmann Valley). The Forcletta is an outstanding option. It takes you right up close to, and offers phenomenal views of, some of the tallest mountains in the Swiss Alps including the Matterhorn.
Gorgeous Mont Blanc—Hiking between Chamonix and Zermatt
It doesn't get much better than this! On the hiking trail from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland. That's Mont Blanc in the background, the highest mountain in Western Europe at 15,781 feet (4,810 meters). You can enjoy this view on the Hiker’s Haute Route and Tour Mont Blanc.
