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MAXI-METHS + AGM, Mercantour, France.  5 – 9th September 2012

 

Participants:  Gillian and Tony Adams, Stewart (Lightning) Halliday, Miriam and Martin Horrocks, Daphne (DM3) Martin, Mike ((Mad) and Verena (Müesli) Petzold, Eric (Polevault) and Val (Mrs. Polevault) Scott, Peter (Up the Down) and Antonia (Twinkletoes) Tolhurst, Sally and Rupert (West Face) Roschnik.

 

 

 

Photos by Gillian Adams

 

 

Miraculously, everybody turned up, on time and on the right day, and in the right place (!), at Casterino, behind Nice.  Tiny rooms but wonderful food awaited us in the small, friendly hotel "Les Mélèzes".  We were 14 in all and it was a great get-together.

 

The first day we went up the Fontanalba valley.  All but one of us gained a mile and some useful height by car before starting the hike. 

The exception was Lightning who insisted on walking the first bit as well.  We were joined on this hike by Peter, Martin's brother who lives in Grasse near Nice.  After about 90 minutes we came to a mountain hut where we had drinks and local cheese.  Then we went further up to a protected area inside the Mercantour National Park, where a short trail allowed us to admire some 5000-year old rock engravings.  A viewpoint at the top was declared to be our first summit (2250 m or 7381 ft).  This was followed by a picnic next to a freezing lake (Sally tried to paddle).  It was a beautiful day.  Most of us took the direct road back to the hotel, from where Lightning took the drivers back to their vehicles.  4-5 hours round trip.

 

 

 

Start of the first day

Rock engravings on the "Voie Sacrée"

 

 

The second day was the big one!  We first took the cars up to the Baisse de Peïrefique at 2040 m (6692 ft) on a road that was recommended only for 4x4 vehicles, but West Face and Sally (South Face?) had reconnoitred it the evening before and found it was quite OK.  From there we attacked the Roche de l'Abisse (2755 m or 9049 ft) which towered above us in a most frightening manner.   The approach was quite long and involved redescending some 300 ft at one stage.  Lightning and West Face were well ahead when they reached an old fort (Fort de Giaure, built by the Italians 1881-1883) and decided this was a detour.  So they doubled back to catch the others in time to take a short cut, in part over large patches of edelweiss!

 

In the end 11 of us reached the summit.  A great achievement.  It was again a beautiful day and even those who stopped before the top were pleased with their day.  The summit gave us great views in all directions, even if misty – the Po plain, Monviso to the north, the mountains behind Nice and Monaco to the south.  The actual summit was somewhat morbid, with several plaques with photos of deceased mountaineers around the summit cross.  A second peak (Italian summit?),with more plaques and a forest of macabre-looking cairns, about 5 minutes gentle scrambling away was only done by West Face and DM3.  A seven-hour round trip.

 

 

 

Starting off towards the Roche de l'Abisse

At the summit – 4 hours later

 

 

The third day was easier.  From the car park a mile up the road – Lightning again spurned going by car and insisted on doing it on foot – we walked about 2 hours up to the Valmasque Hut, to which some of us took a bit longer by not noticing a sign indicating a direct approach to the hut.  The Valmasque valley is known for its 3 beautiful lakes.  The first one was next to the hut and most of us went on to the second one to a beautiful picnic spot.  All returned the way they came, except an intrepid four, who returned to the hotel by passing the third lake and then going over point 2574 m (8444 ft)(counted as our third peak)  close to the Baisse de Fontanalba.   First Lightning, true to his name and waiting for nobody, went ahead and did it on his own.  Next, more leisurely, Tony, DM3 and West Face, who were rewarded by seeing two groups of chamois, close up.

 

Each evening we came back to our valley, then sat in the sun to savour our efforts and drink beer, etc, knowing that we had a glorious meal ahead of us.

 

The second evening we had a peaceful AGM with all the essential ceremonies.  We decided that the next AGM will be held in the northern Lake District in the UK, to be organised by Stewart Halliday, for all levels of activity.  Suswa washes were performed on Martin and Miriam Horrocks the next morning, with water from the stream, before setting off to the Valmasque valley.

 

(Sally and Rupert)

 

 

© WDYFO, 2012