118 CH-VS T4- La Fouly Bivouac du Dolent La Maye
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 5.53 mi
- Elevation gain
- 3,930 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 3,937 ft
- Max elevation
- 8,868 ft
- TrailRank
- 34
- Min elevation
- 5,238 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 6 hours 44 minutes
- Coordinates
- 5938
- Uploaded
- August 23, 2023
- Recorded
- August 2023
near La Fouly, Canton du Valais (Switzerland)
Viewed 83 times, downloaded 4 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Date : 2023.08.23
Duration on paper : 04h43
Duration real with breaks : 06h44
Difficulty for me : T4-
Physical : very difficult
Technical : difficult
Fear : High
Average Slope : +27.4% -30.0% (-13% max recommended)
Attendance ascent/summit/descent : low/null/null
Comment : T4 ? it's listed as a T3 white-red trail what gives ? well for me if 1 segment of the trail endangers the hiker even if that part is 5% then it's not a T3, the ratio doesn't matter, safety does and most people I meet on T3 trails aren't ready for this.
In this case the 1st part of the hike is a dangerously exposed thin trail followed by a pretty long cable, chain and ladder segment which on the ascent I was hesitating to rate but descending it sealed the T4 rating it's litterally an unsecured (there's a cable but nobody brings a harness why would you it's "only a t3") via ferrata, an easy one but still you'll have to find where to place your feet, gloves are mandatory unless you want to lose the skin on your fingers (not much space between the ladders and the ground).
Other than that it's a T3 for 95% of the way sure but not an easy one, on the fine dirt or the gravel of the last bit you most likely stumble or slip somehwere the constant 35% slope will make sure of that, it's very steep, use poles at least for the descent.
Don't expect water along the way there's none and there's no shade either. I had to go 200m further than the bivouac under the glacier to reach torrent water, this is the "flat" you see on the profile.
The only reasons to do this is either the sportive challenge or seeing the bivouac hut, La Fouly has easier more enjoyable trails everywhere, for example the Cabane de l'A Neuve is half the slope % has torrent water half way, a bit more shade and a real hut with service at the top.
Closing comment : just like Arolla's Mont Etoile summit this was harder to do in dry summer than damp autumn instead of a soft ground you have hard packed dirt with a layer of fine dust which offers little to no grip.
YOUTUBE WIKILOC HIKES 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CGqLmfqKjk&list=PLOCc4Atr-UDdfNBqAYLqx-Za4u_53-FOG&index=95
Duration on paper : 04h43
Duration real with breaks : 06h44
Difficulty for me : T4-
Physical : very difficult
Technical : difficult
Fear : High
Average Slope : +27.4% -30.0% (-13% max recommended)
Attendance ascent/summit/descent : low/null/null
Comment : T4 ? it's listed as a T3 white-red trail what gives ? well for me if 1 segment of the trail endangers the hiker even if that part is 5% then it's not a T3, the ratio doesn't matter, safety does and most people I meet on T3 trails aren't ready for this.
In this case the 1st part of the hike is a dangerously exposed thin trail followed by a pretty long cable, chain and ladder segment which on the ascent I was hesitating to rate but descending it sealed the T4 rating it's litterally an unsecured (there's a cable but nobody brings a harness why would you it's "only a t3") via ferrata, an easy one but still you'll have to find where to place your feet, gloves are mandatory unless you want to lose the skin on your fingers (not much space between the ladders and the ground).
Other than that it's a T3 for 95% of the way sure but not an easy one, on the fine dirt or the gravel of the last bit you most likely stumble or slip somehwere the constant 35% slope will make sure of that, it's very steep, use poles at least for the descent.
Don't expect water along the way there's none and there's no shade either. I had to go 200m further than the bivouac under the glacier to reach torrent water, this is the "flat" you see on the profile.
The only reasons to do this is either the sportive challenge or seeing the bivouac hut, La Fouly has easier more enjoyable trails everywhere, for example the Cabane de l'A Neuve is half the slope % has torrent water half way, a bit more shade and a real hut with service at the top.
Closing comment : just like Arolla's Mont Etoile summit this was harder to do in dry summer than damp autumn instead of a soft ground you have hard packed dirt with a layer of fine dust which offers little to no grip.
YOUTUBE WIKILOC HIKES 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CGqLmfqKjk&list=PLOCc4Atr-UDdfNBqAYLqx-Za4u_53-FOG&index=95
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