September 16 - Hike from Cry d'Er Lift to Bella
Lui, Col de Pochet, Cab. des Violettes, and Back
to Lift
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Runkeeper Info |
Route Map |
22:16:34
2019:09:15
After arriving in Sierre Sunday evening, I found
some dinner - and broke my 50-year-old-root-canal
tooth trying to open a ketchup packet.
Fortunately, it was a dead tooth, so there was no
pain and and eating was not impaired.
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13:56:18
2019:09:16
Monday, I bused from Sierre to Crans-Montana and
rode the lift to Cry d'Er.
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13:57:10
2019:09:16
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13:58:44
2019:09:16
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14:09:45
2019:09:16
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14:12:22
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14:19:23
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14:19:29
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14:27:59
2019:09:16
A half-hour uphill walk on a charisma-free ski area
road led to Bella Lui.
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14:28:07
2019:09:16
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14:28:16
2019:09:16
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14:43:28
2019:09:16
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14:43:40
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14:43:54
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14:44:17
2019:09:16
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14:44:25
2019:09:16
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14:45:39
2019:09:16
Bella Lui was a closed lift station.
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14:46:41
2019:09:16
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14:46:51
2019:09:16
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14:47:08
2019:09:16
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14:47:47
2019:09:16
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14:48:18
2019:09:16
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14:48:52
2019:09:16
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14:50:37
2019:09:16
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14:56:09
2019:09:16
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14:56:52
2019:09:16
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14:58:56
2019:09:16
Leaving Bella Lui, I hiked toward my next waypoint,
Col de Pochet.
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15:05:39
2019:09:16
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15:05:50
2019:09:16
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15:07:14
2019:09:16
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15:11:57
2019:09:16
I came upon this contraption which turned out to be
an enclosed ladder.
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15:12:08
2019:09:16
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15:12:30
2019:09:16
43 rungs about 8 inches apart led down into the
vertical-walled cleft.
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15:12:40
2019:09:16
Looking down.
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15:15:02
2019:09:16
Looking up.
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15:15:09
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15:15:15
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15:15:24
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15:16:35
2019:09:16
At the bottom of the 8-foot-wide notch, safety ropes
led out of the crevice.
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15:17:32
2019:09:16
And out to another ladder.
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15:17:39
2019:09:16
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15:17:51
2019:09:16
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15:19:09
2019:09:16
I descended the 2nd ladder to arrive at the 'top'. I
did not explore the rope-assisted route left at the
top of ladder #2/bottom of cleft.
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15:19:23
2019:09:16
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15:20:37
2019:09:16
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15:21:16
2019:09:16
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15:21:31
2019:09:16
A pleasant 'knife edge' walk led to Col de Pochet, a
trail junction at the low point on the ridge.
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15:21:37
2019:09:16
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15:22:17
2019:09:16
I turned right at the 'Col...' to descend toward the
'Cab. de Violettes'.
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15:22:27
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15:22:38
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15:26:38
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15:39:05
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15:44:03
2019:09:16
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15:44:51
2019:09:16
I could hear heavy machinery. This equipment was
operating on a nearby ski slope.
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15:45:53
2019:09:16
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15:47:11
2019:09:16
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15:47:52
2019:09:16
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15:48:00
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15:48:06
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15:53:03
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'Cab. des Violettes.'
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15:53:18
2019:09:16
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15:54:15
2019:09:16
Approaching the 'Cab.' I passed this ski lift and
large equipment shed complex.
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15:54:29
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15:55:08
2019:09:16
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15:56:13
2019:09:16
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15:56:37
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15:56:48
2019:09:16
I did not check to see if it was open, but had the
impression that the 'Cab. de Violettes' was
undergoing construction.
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16:00:02
2019:09:16
I thought the route back to the Cry d'Er lift led
down this ski area road.
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16:00:16
2019:09:16
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16:06:55
2019:09:16
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16:07:06
2019:09:16
I hiked down the road to the point where I saw two
hikers below leave the road for a side trail.
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16:14:18
2019:09:16
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16:16:11
2019:09:16
The route was now uphill across pasture. The two
other hikers left the trail to socialize with the
cow.
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16:25:08
2019:09:16
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16:25:16
2019:09:16
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16:25:53
2019:09:16
I trudged a tedious ascent. When I looked at
the map later, I realized the horizontal route I'd
expected to walk slabbed back to Cry d'Er from the
UPHILL side of the lift/equipment complex. The
road descent and pasture climb had been unnecessary.
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16:32:55
2019:09:16
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16:34:20
2019:09:16
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16:34:41
2019:09:16
I thought this dormant lift looked cool.
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16:37:09
2019:09:16
Nice exterior decor for the Cry d'Er lift.
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16:37:32
2019:09:16
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16:37:41
2019:09:16
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16:38:41
2019:09:16
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September 18 - Bus to Grimentz for Lift to
Bendolla, Lift Closed, Lift to Sorebois
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Route Map |
09:03:59
2019:09:18
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09:43:34
2019:09:18
On my first morning in Sierre (the previous day) I
sought a nice American-style breakfast. I could not
find a cafe or restaurant that offered it. But when
I described what I was looking for
(eggs/meat/cheese), a resourceful cafe cook prepared
this wonderful breakfast. I went back each day I was
in Sierre and enjoyed the same breakfast from the
same cook.
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12:38:06
2019:09:18
I thought I would bus to Grimentz, lift to Bendolla,
and hike to Lac de Moiry, in time to catch a bus
back to Sierre. I'd checked with the Tourist
Office to confirm the bus schedules - and to confirm
that the Bendolla lift was open.
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13:17:37
2019:09:18
I bused from Sierre to Vissoie, where I changed to a
bus to Grimentz.
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13:17:48
2019:09:18
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13:18:07
2019:09:18
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14:18:38
2019:09:18
I arrived at the Bendolla lift at about 1:50. I
patiently waited for 25 minutes until the next, 2:15
(14:15), ascent.
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14:19:12
2019:09:18
At 2:15, I
expected someone to appear and turn on the lift,
but nothing happened and no one appeared.
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14:31:26
2019:09:18
I found another sign with a more comprehensive
schedule.
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14:31:47
2019:09:18
I was furious when I noticed that the lift is 'Ferme
Mercredi et Jeudi' ('Closed Wednesday and
Thursday'.) The Tourist Office had sent me to
a closed lift after explicitly telling me it was
open.
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14:32:19
2019:09:18
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14:33:35
2019:09:18
I'd been surprised to arrive and see another lift
from the same location. It was a recently
added lift and was not shown on my map. I had to
wait 45 minutes for the next hourly ascent. It would
be too late to undertake a hike, but at least I'd
find some views.
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14:57:06
2019:09:18
I was the only passenger ascending on the 3 pm
cablecar to the summit ridge of Sorebois.
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15:17:38
2019:09:18
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15:18:46
2019:09:18
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15:18:55
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15:19:42
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15:19:47
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15:19:53
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15:19:58
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15:20:04
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15:20:30
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15:20:36
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15:20:43
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15:20:53
2019:09:18
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15:21:00
2019:09:18
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15:21:06
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15:21:21
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15:21:32
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15:21:59
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15:22:23
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15:22:32
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15:22:43
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15:22:49
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15:23:07
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15:23:19
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15:23:32
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15:23:47
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15:24:03
2019:09:18
I noticed this fellow unfolding his paraglider.
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15:24:13
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15:24:36
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15:25:26
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15:26:35
2019:09:18
There were a few hikers who had walked or lifted up.
Four of them rode down with me on the 3:30 descent.
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15:27:04
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15:27:29
2019:09:18
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15:27:42
2019:09:18
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15:28:08
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15:28:59
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15:35:13
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15:36:13
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15:36:18
2019:09:18
I was riding down on the lift when the paraglider
took off.
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15:36:27
2019:09:18
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15:36:44
2019:09:18
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15:53:20
2019:09:18
The gondola was approaching its lower terminus when
I saw the bus that I'd hoped to ride - departing the
bus stop. So I had more than an hour to wait for the
last bus of the day. Overall, it was a very
disappointing 'hiking' day.
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16:05:44
2019:09:18
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16:05:56
2019:09:18
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September 19 - Lift to Tignousa, Hike to Tsape
Lift - Not Running!
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Runkeeper Info |
Route Map |
12:29:30
2019:09:19
My last walking day in Sierre, I set off by
bus to St. Luc and an inclined train lift to
Tignousa.
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13:01:27
2019:09:19
I'd checked with the Tourist Office to make sure I
understood the bus schedules - and to confirm the
lifts at both ends of my walk were running.
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13:02:05
2019:09:19
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13:04:21
2019:09:19
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13:05:54
2019:09:19
It's always alarming when riding up on a single
track and seeing another train approaching.
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13:06:00
2019:09:19
But the trains pass at a track split. Presumably the
weight of the descending train counterbalances the
ascending train.
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13:07:00
2019:09:19
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13:08:42
2019:09:19
At the Tignousa station there was a very cool mural.
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13:09:01
2019:09:19
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13:09:23
2019:09:19
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13:10:07
2019:09:19
And a map of the Val D'Anniviers.
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13:13:12
2019:09:19
I did not visit the observatory at Tignousa.
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13:13:23
2019:09:19
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13:13:35
2019:09:19
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13:16:53
2019:09:19
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13:17:10
2019:09:19
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13:17:48
2019:09:19
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13:19:16
2019:09:19
A cement truck seemed out of place.
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13:20:01
2019:09:19
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13:21:42
2019:09:19
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13:21:55
2019:09:19
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13:25:13
2019:09:19
As I approached this tree under a dormant lift, I
saw the branches shaking. Someone was up in
the tree.
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13:25:32
2019:09:19
The man emerged from the tree. I could not surmise
what he had been doing up in the branches of the
tree.
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13:28:17
2019:09:19
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13:30:25
2019:09:19
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13:31:31
2019:09:19
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13:31:43
2019:09:19
So much of Switzerland seems to be farmed and
maintained. It seemed unusual to see an abandoned
farm.
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13:32:04
2019:09:19
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13:32:30
2019:09:19
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13:32:51
2019:09:19
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13:43:07
2019:09:19
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13:47:22
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13:47:48
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13:49:40
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13:50:31
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13:56:50
2019:09:19
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13:58:43
2019:09:19
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14:01:55
2019:09:19
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14:02:06
2019:09:19
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14:02:20
2019:09:19
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14:03:35
2019:09:19
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14:06:31
2019:09:19
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14:07:10
2019:09:19
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14:08:35
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14:10:25
2019:09:19
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14:11:36
2019:09:19
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14:12:03
2019:09:19
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14:12:59
2019:09:19
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14:20:51
2019:09:19
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14:24:07
2019:09:19
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14:25:08
2019:09:19
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14:36:05
2019:09:19
It was late in the season, with few wildflowers
left. But the landscape was surprisingly colorful.
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14:36:20
2019:09:19
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14:38:08
2019:09:19
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14:42:51
2019:09:19
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14:49:53
2019:09:19
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14:50:09
2019:09:19
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14:53:31
2019:09:19
I approached my destination, the Tsape lift, where I
expected to ride the chairlift down to Chandolin.
The lift did not appear to be running. I figured
maybe they turn it on periodically, perhaps hourly.
The Tourist Office had assured me that the lift was
running. There was no one around and the lodge was
closed.
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14:53:39
2019:09:19
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14:54:18
2019:09:19
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14:54:31
2019:09:19
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14:58:30
2019:09:19
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14:58:40
2019:09:19
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14:58:50
2019:09:19
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14:58:58
2019:09:19
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September 19 - With No Choice, Walk Down from
Tsape to Chandolin
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Runkeeper Info |
Route Map |
14:59:11
2019:09:19
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15:11:30
2019:09:19
By about 3:15, the conclusion was inescapable. The
lift was not running. I was furious about having
been sent (two days in a row!) to a closed lift by
the Tourist Office - which should know better!
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15:45:00
2019:09:19
With no other option, I started walking down the ski
area road toward Chandolin.
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15:49:13
2019:09:19
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15:50:45
2019:09:19
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15:54:16
2019:09:19
Most of the water did not reach the water wheel.
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16:28:36
2019:09:19
After an hour and a quarter of largely
non-charismatic walking, I reached Chandolin.
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16:28:58
2019:09:19
I had a half hour to wait for the bus.
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16:47:54
2019:09:19
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17:16:50
2019:09:19
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17:18:18
2019:09:19
The clouds had lifted from the peaks at the south
end of the valley. I snapped a few photos from the
bus.
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17:20:44
2019:09:19
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17:50:44
2019:09:19
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17:51:02
2019:09:19
I tried to take a photo from the bus of the
sprawling metropolis of Sierre in the main valley of
the Valais.
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17:51:05
2019:09:19
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17:51:12
2019:09:19
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20:52:36
2019:09:19
I'd enjoyed a wonderful dinner the previous evening
at this wonderful Italian restaurant, 'Capri'. So I
went back and ordered their 'Grill of the Sea'
platter.
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21:42:22
2019:09:19
'Grigliata Di Mare'.
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09:03:03
2019:09:20
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09:04:32
2019:09:20
My breakfast cafe and cook.
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09:10:53
2019:09:20
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09:11:06
2019:09:20
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09:22:23
2019:09:20
Another fine breakfast!
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10:01:03
2019:09:20
Entrance to Hotel Casino.
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10:01:25
2019:09:20
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10:01:50
2019:09:20
I'd enjoyed evening beers at the hotel restaurant.
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10:01:58
2019:09:20
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10:02:11
2019:09:20
I enjoyed the Filet Mignon special for one of my
Sierre dinners.
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10:02:55
2019:09:20
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11:12:38
2019:09:20
My room at Hotel Casino was a typical hotel room.
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11:12:51
2019:09:20
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11:13:04
2019:09:20
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11:13:17
2019:09:20
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