7/7 Stage 11: Col de la Forclaz – Col de Balme – Argentiere
7/7 We left about 7:30a and hiked steeply down into the valley (1325m – 4347ft) just above Tient and then up along a stream to where the trail headed off into the woods and began ascending via numerous switchbacks above the l’Arve river to the Col de Balme. Around 9:00a it started raining and sleeting heavily and we arrived wet and cold at the Refuge du col de Balme at 9:45a (2191m – 7188ft). Not a very friendly place, but dry! We waited a little while for the weather to improve, but it didn’t so we left and hiked on down and over to the chair lift for a cold ride down to Le Tour (1453m – 4767ft) and then on the Argentiere were we caught a bus back to Chamonix.