Monday 2nd june

Packed up in heavy rain. Am very glad i bought a brolly in G. Not far short of Bessans i met a council worker. He says he has had a years work turn up in 2 weeks. He mends paths and tracks. He also says as he empties out his wellies that it will keep raining till friday.

Sunday 1st June

Packed up in a little drizelglad that i had modified the inner to drop separately. Met some dogs guarding sheep who woofed a lot. Had lunch by the main river watching debris. Got to Lansleburg mid pm. Campsite shut so went back up in woods a bit before pitching. Just got the tent up when the drizzle turned to heavy rain. Had couscous and salami . Nothing left for breakfast or lunch.

Saturday

Andrew has left the alps and is now safely back in England. I have returned to Modane and have a good walk up to a rough campsite in high pasture. Its just started to rain again. The local paperswere full of news about the flooding. I had to take a devour along a road leaving town as a bridge was underwater.

Thursday and Friday

Andrew and I had a great day mountainbiking in the hills ( they go up to 2000m+) around Grenoble. It was wet again so we get very muddy. Had a great descent down to the river where unfortunately I got a flat. I was just grateful I hadn't got it on the descent. Back into town for shower at the down at heel hotel we're staying at.

Today-friday- we're a bit peeved as we had a rafting session booked about 1 hours drive away into the mountains. Unfortunately there aren't any buses out to the rafting base on a friday so we've had to cancel. So we're left with exploring the city in the rain. Shopping this morning and museums and art galleries in the afternoon.

Tomorrow Andrew is catching the train back to the UK, I'm catching the train back to Modane to continue on the GR5. I'd hoped to take the GR55 route through the Vanoise national park but with conditions as they are it will have to be the traditional route that follows the valley; less snow but longer. I'm not sure at this stage where I'll get to but Thursday is my get out of the mountains day as my train leaves Lyon early Friday morning.

Tuesday wednesday

Still damp and still raining andrew and i caught trains to Grenoble. Pm we found a room and hung our gear up to dry. With the weather not due to change for 3 or 4 days we made plans. Today (wednesday) we we caught a cable car up to 950m to do a via ferrata but found it shut by the local council. Hope to Vtt tomorrow.

Monday

After leaving the chapel we headed up the valley in heavy rain to the col de vallee Etroite. Hit wet snow at 2000m. Waded to col in v poor visibility. The descent was worse. Went up to thighs in slush river. Passed an electric team trying to save the road from the raging river and failing. 5.30 saw us in Modane. With most stuff wet we have left for Grenoble until the weather improves probably sat.

Sunday 25th

A late start saw up away at 10.00 from Briancon. It started raining at 12.00 . We had coffee in Plampinet and dripped. By 7.30 we had crossed the col de Thules in seriously wet snow. Getting dark wedescended over avalanche debris in serious conditions. Both refuges were locked so we slept in a chapel.

Sunday

Bad weather is forcing us to take a low level route today. Amazed at how much snow there is above 2000m.

Grenoble saturday

We have just had a meal looking at a lovely fountain and admiring the bendy trams. The mountains are beckoning in the distance but we dont get into Briancon until twenty past 8. Looks like rain sunday but a last minute waterproof purchase should see me ok

Tuesday 20th: 4 days to go

I got a bit of a shock last night when I looked at a couple of webcams in Tignes and Pralognan. Both showed substantial snow still left over from the winter above 2000m. However looking today, the rain was pouring down and the freezing level was above the pass heights. The snow had visibly shrunk in 24 hrs. A few days of this followed by fine weather at the weekend is what I'm hoping for. Not that it looks like clearing for when Andrew and I get there, the first few days could be soggy!

Back out to the GR5

The Eurostar tickets arrived this morning for my return trip to Briancon; scene of my untimely exit from the last year's attempt at an alpine traverse. This year I only have two weeks but have the goal of making it to Mont Blanc. It's very early, before true treking season so I'm taking a bit of a chance, but fingers crossed. One of the problems is that none of the huts are likely to be manned and will just have a small section open. Andrew Fisk, (an old friend from the days when he taught in Leeds) is coming out with me for the first week and we hope to make it as far as Bourg St Maurice, where there is a railway line.

On the way our route will pass through the Vanoise national park. It looks absolutely stunning from the flyby I've done with the memory map software!

After Andrew leaves I've another week to try and make it up to Switzerland. I can't decide whether or not I should try and complete the GR5 or peel of before the end and head just south of Mont Blanc as I originally intended. Probably the weather will decide for me.