I knew that being in the mountains to celebrate Chi’s birthday would be special but little did I know it would have been this epic. Life is all about attaining memories, and sharing this one with Chi on her birthday made it incredible.
Keeping a close eye on the weather predictions throughout the week had me worried that this trip was not going to be possible. Our adventurous souls hungry for more didn’t stop us and we all set off in hot pursuit of Refuge Albert Premier in subpar conditions. The path leading us up to Glacier du Tour was a mythical one as we slowly wound our way up into the clouds and the valley below became a distant memory. Mist blew in and out and each time we got a quick glimpse as to where we were headed. Not worried about the cold, we scrambled up glacial washouts, puffy snow and steep rock faces with great excitement.
Stoked to have reached the top and while unpacking our kit, the sky cleared out and we got to experience the most amazing views. Embracing each moment as we sang happy birthday to Chi. Her face glowed in what were freezing conditions.
The hike down after a cosy night's rest in the refuge was just as special as we left in a blizzard of snow. Curious to get up close and personal with the glacier we decided to deviate off route and we were all blown away by the sheer size of this frozen mass of ice! Another cloud blew in and in a moment it was gone.
The way down reminded us that this is the way life is meant to be lived, opportunities to never be missed and to embrace each moment with as much love as we have.
Before we knew it we were at the bottom looking back up at the majestic snow-covered mountains and enjoying a traditional Swiss cheese fondue.
Written by: Stuart Fitzpatrick