September 1, 2024
Hiking Day nine of the Haute Route.
Dear Annette,
We made it!!! Adding in the two hikes in the Chamonix Valley and a couple more in Zermatt, our journey covered 13 days of hiking just over 110 miles and gaining more than 32,000 feet of elevation through the French and Swiss Alps. In addition to many beautiful spots along the way, your ashes now rest on eleven Swiss mountain passes: the Cols de Balme, Forclaz, Portalo, Chaux, Louvie, Praflueri, Roux, Riedmatten, Torrent and the Meidpass and Augsburgpass. You are now forever a part of the Haute Route and this amazing landscape.
So many times along the way I recited those words I heard you speak to me in Chamonix. Today I repeated them over and over on the final 4 1/2 mile hike to Zermatt. These past couple weeks my heart has danced with joy! So much amazing beauty around every turn of the trail, new friendships made and physical challenges met. Thank you my love, for dancing with me each step of the way. Because of you, Annette, life is very good!
Your forever dance partner,
David
Click on photos to open gallery
Walking to the train station in St. Nikolaus
Views along the way
Starting my hike to Zermatt from the village of Tasch
View from the train on the way to Tasch
The Matterhorn from the trail
Church steeple, Swiss flag and that iconic mountain
My first view of the Matterhorn!
We Made It!!!
Amazing Clouds
More amazing clouds
Golden sunrise
View from across the valley above Zermatt