Lunch on top of the pass, Col de Balme, which is the border between France and Switzerland. Roughing it with salami, cheese and a loaf of multigrain bread and a view only seen on Swiss calendars. We have absolutely perfect weather without a cloud in the sky. Our day was supposed to be 6 hours and 15 miles, but I think we ran a bit over as the downhills were slower than the guide book.

The traverse off the pass took us a long way over to two different glaciers, the Grand Glacier and the Trient. You could feel the temperature changes each time we approached a glacier drainage.

Just below one of the Swiss Alpine Club huts was a steep inclined walkway across a vertical rock wall. A fixed cable along the wall looked to be a necessity if and when the rocks were wet.

Tonight is our first dormitory-style hotel that is fully booked with hikers, as the Col de Forclaz Hotel services both the Haute Route hikers and the Tour du Mont Blanc hikers.