Louis Otis is a writer and photographer with a healthy interest in the outdoors. Follow Louis on Instagram mountaineering and PNW imagery.
“If we haven’t reached the col in 30 minutes, I’m turning around.” That’s the voice of my hiking partner. I ignore the threat, knowing that heading back would mean a much, much longer walk to the next hut. But I get her point. We’re somewhere in Italy on a ridge way off the regular trail, it’s snowing and thick clouds are rapidly rolling in. The Tour du Mont Blanc trail doesn’t go here. No, it’s down along a river and dirt road, winding away in the valley far below.
We’re doing our best to avoid the traditional path—adding more than a few alternate routes to lengthen the 100-mile looping trek through the Alps.