Today was a good day. Today was a really, really good day!!!
Yesterday, we did a nearly 4 hour hike to Col du Pillon. It was tough but beautiful. It was mostly through lush forest. The distance and climbing were both more than we thought, and we were pushing. It was invigorating. The goal was to get to the cable car to go up the Glaicer 3000. When we arrived, we were told there was a storm at the top, no view, and no activities. We chose a beer and homemade apricot pie followed by a bus ride back to Gstaad.
Today, at breakfast, hubby declared a clear sky at the glacier according to the web cam and thus an opportunity to see it. We jumped on a bus, got to the cable, and up to the glacier.
Our first activity was to cross the peak to peak bridge. I did feel the altitude going up the stairs hot off the cable car, but once I reached the bridge, I quickly adjusted. The bridge does move in response to the people crossing, but it wasn’t the scariest one I’ve been on. I mostly looked ahead on the way over.
We had only a few moments at the other side, admiring the view and breathing in the essence of the mountain before the crowd took over.
We moved on. We crossed back over the bridge. I was more relaxed and looked around more, taking in the view. We walked over to the chair lift and rode it down into the glacier to the Glacier Walk. Very few people were on this trail. Wonderful.
We started trekking up in the snow towards a peak. It wasn’t easy. But the sun was beating down in a glorious glow, and I was literally stepping in the footsteps created by my hubby, making it much easier for me.
We reached the peak and took in the view in silence. We were alone, looking at a series of mountaintops that would impress anyone.
We continued on, making our way toward a small refuge at the top of another peak.
We were almost at the restaurant. A tiny incline with what looked like a great view called to us, so we listened. It was incredible. I stayed another moment or two after hubby moved on. It was the first time in a while that I whole heartedly heard the sound of the mountain. Have you ever heard it? It will change your energy completely. I drank it in.
Then I caught up.
The tiny Refuge L’espace at the top was beautiful. Rustic. Charming. Perfect. The view was to die for. We had really nice beers and charcuterie. Holy shit, right?
As we finished drinking the last drops of beer and basking in the last rays of sun, the clouds rolled in. We hoofed it down the marked path to the chair lift, stopping only to put our essentials in a plastic bag and our rain coats on.
As the rain turned to light hail, I had one focus. Literally. The footsteps in the snow made by hubby in front of me. I sprinted, ran, power hiked, in whatever combo I could muster, and kept a good pace.
A massive snow vehicle passed us, likely going up to the Refuge to get the people that were still there when we left.
When lightning lit up the sky, I amped my pace up. It seemed we were almost back to the lift. I figured they weren’t running it, but would have a way to get everyone to the top.
We nearly made it to the chair lift when a snow mobile pulled up and the driver motioned me over. I followed his instruction and hopped on. Next thing, hubby was beside me, and in no time we were back at the lift.
We were told it would pass. It did. The lift stared up again. On we hopped. We were boarding the cable car down from the glacier when the skies really opened up.
Today was a good day.
I hiked in the blazing sunshine and snow on a glacier to a mountain view that filled my soul with happiness. I did it with my best friend in life. I literally followed his footsteps through the snow back to shelter in a looming storm. Trust me, it was a moment of clarity and strength. We were only at the beginning of the storm and in no way in danger. It was simply one of those moments in life when walking through snow into some rain, following someone who inspires me, and feeling my inner strength was exactly where I needed to be.
Today was a good day.
Just a Girl and a Bike 
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