TMB Day 4: Leaving the Most Beautiful Refugio on the Tour du Mont Blanc

Rifugio Elisabetta > Courmayeur

TMB DAY 4 Rifugio Elisabetta > Courmayeur

Rifugio Elisabetta was the coolest so far. Perched on a hilltop and overlooking a freakishly pretty valley. We enjoyed a great Italian communal dinner and met some cool folks. A couple from Portugal, a young Canadian dude trying to do it solo in 7 days (damn!), and a young woman from the Czech Republic also doing it solo. Well, our pure conjecture is that they were doing it solo until they met each other. Now we assume they’re just doing it.

While the Rifugio is gorgeous - the sleeping arrangements were not. The dormitory was three huge planks of plywood stacked on top of each other with thin mattresses thrown over them. You sleep side by side with strangers like you’ve been stocked on a giant grocery shelf. I imagined myself as a loaf of Wonder bread. It’s not the first time. There were two toilets provided for what must have been forty people and you could pay 2 euros for a hot shower and in return you got a freezing cold shower. But it was still awesome. If I may be so bold as to suggest that standing in line to take a poo provides a fertile ground for honest chit-chat among strangers.

I don’t see how any of these huts get all the supplies they need at all. It’s impressive. And the people who work there are an interesting and extremely unique breed. I like them. I feel like I could be one of them. If we were given two parallel lives, I might use one of them to become a remote hut attendant of some sort. I think I’d enjoy receiving the flood of gratitude when I handed someone an ice-cold Birra Moretti.

We had some bread and cheese and coffee for breakfast and began the hike with a few miles of flat down into the gorgeous valley. This was a slow warm-up we really needed. Then up we went. It was only about 2,500 feet (I love that I use the word only for a 2,500-foot ascent now). It’s still extremely difficult but our bodies are getting used to it. “Okay- I’m going to be in severe pain for the next 7 or 8 hours. Got it. Cool.” It was pretty darn hot and we took to dipping our hats in the freezing cold streams for some ice plunge therapy. Along the way, we looked across the valley and marveled at the rock face. We thought we saw a building up on a cliff face. But that would be impossible. We found out later that it’s not impossible. It’s called Rifugio Monzino and the only way to get there is to climb. People are insane. Google it if you get a chance. Imagine the gratitude of serving someone a Birra Moretti up there. Give me that parallel life, please.

We decided this sign meant “Gymnastic School Ahead”

We finally made it to Rifugio Maison Vielle which sits at the top of a massive ski resort on Mont Bionco and stopped for a cappuccino and a snack. Friendly people and a nice spot. We could see our destination, Courmayeur, far away in the valley below.

Our next job was to get down the mountain. All day we’d been dreaming about taking the cable car down, but unfortunately, it wouldn’t start running for a few days. We contemplated just sitting at the cafe until then but a real hotel with a private bathroom and a hot shower was too strong a pull. We started down a mellow dirt access road that soon turned off to a very narrow and very steep trail. My right knee decided that was a good time to start pressing the severe pain buttons. I slowed us down considerably for a couple of miles. We spent the next hour talking about what flavor gelato we were going to get and the thought of making those dreams come true was highly motivating. We also spent some time talking about what Marcella would like and wouldn’t like on this trip and were so bummed she isn’t with us.

Then the trail skirted the access road again and we decided to take that the rest of the way. It was a good choice. A narrow trail gives you zero options- you just have to go where it goes. The road was a bit easier and a little less painful. The ascents are hellish but at least they don’t murder your knees like the descents do. My advice is to invest in the best and most expensive knee braces you can find. Bring them even if you don’t think you’ll need them. Because you will need them. (While I’m at it, throw some micro spikes in your bag as well!)

Courmayeur at last!

We made it to town and thought we were home free but as usual, we were wrong. We spent another 45 minutes walking the narrow streets in the heat to get to the hotel where we showered like we’d never showered before. We showered with aggression and with vengeance in our hearts.

We laid around for a bit in the luxury of a private room with a private bathroom and then made all of our gelato dreams come true.

We explored the village a bit and found a great little restaurant called Tunnel Pizza for pizza (of course) and libations. Our new friends from the night before all happened to be there. Canadian guy and Czech girl had picked up another friend who was having the same knee issues I was having. Jen bought them a round of limoncellos because when we were in our early twenties we surely would have appreciated a round of limoncellos.

Courmayeur is a beautiful little Italian ski village. I don’t know why - but I keep thinking I’m going to see Peter Sellers having a drink with David Niven somewhere. It just has that Peter Sellers/David Niven kind of vibe. If I see them I’m going to ask them to help me spiff up my Rifugio attendant resume. Hijinks will surely ensue. I’m too tired for a caper, but I’m always up for some hijinks.