Our guidebook describes this as the toughest day of the Haute Route so far, so we are up at 5:30 to have an early breakfast and get on the trail as early as possible. By the time all is said and done, it’s 7:00 by the time we leave the refuge, and we walk out the door just as Tony and Jenny are leaving, too. We have found the most difficult of the route-finding experience is figuring out where to go right out of the gate, so we are grateful to have two extra minds working on which way to head. (more…)