L'Argentine

The Argentine is a spiny backbone of rock between Les Diablerets and Grand Muveran, in the canton of Vaud. We hiked to its second highest point, the Haute Corde, on a warm summer's day. Actually, this was a bike and hike, because we started lower in the valley, biked up to Solalex, then hiked the rest of the way to the summit. L'Argentine is a climber's paradise and seeing all the climbers topping out of the Mirroir d'Argentine made me think fondly of the freedom of moving on rock above the void, and made my fingers itch for chalk. We took the long way up past Anzeinde and the Col des Essets, and got back to Solalex by dropping down a steep and exposed gully. After darkness fell we swooped back down the valley on our bikes, hooping down dark roads in the fresh coolness of the evening.

Happy cows near the Col des Essets.

Haute Pointe seen from Haute Corde.

Les Diablerets (with amazing rock folds).

Edelweiss!

The Argentine at dusk, from Solalex.