Vercors Natural Park
2021_09 - 4 days
An unexpected 4 day memorial hike into the Vercors Mountains. It had been 2 years since the last hike (in Lemmenjoki, Finland) due to Corona travel restrictions. I gained some years and some weight, and lost some confidence. I was standing at the foot of the mountains, looking up at the peaks and saying my farewell to Petra, my first wife and hiking partner. The high plateau looked so close, and yet almost unreachable. Until Ingeborg took the initiative and just shoved our arses up to the plateau. We hiked for 4 days, in a familiar and soothing wilderness. Healing body, mind and soul in times of sorrow. It became a memorial hike for Petra.
Trip Report
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Image Gallery
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The Movie
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The Map
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The PeaksThe peaks as seen from the 'Central Sentier' in Gresse-en-Vercors. Just east of mountain range in the valley. This moment triggered our decision to go on this hike. The lowest dip is 'Pas de la Ville', just underneath the highest mountain just left of it, 'Le Grand Veymont'. A few days later we would cross this same path on the other side of the mountains. 
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La ChauDe dip of 'Pas de la Ville' is visible, now seen from the other side. Le Grand Veymont rises just on the right. We didn't hike through 'Pas de la Ville', we climbed and descended the plateau at Pre Peyret, on the other side and one day travel south by foot. 
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Peak Petra in 2000 - In MemoriamOne of the peaks in the first image is 'Peak Petra', which I named after her in july 2000 after we climbed it from Jasse du Play, on her initiative. This is how that looked in 2000. On my 2021 hike with Ingeborg, I just wanted to reach Jasse du Play, as a way of saying goodbye. The Jasse du Play cabin (the house of mister Rat) is just visible in the patch of green in the middle right of the picture. Petra died on the morning when we started our hike. I expected it, but didn't hear about it until I returned 4 days later. Farewell Petra, I miss you. 
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Vercors Hike 2000The first (7 day) hike on the Hauts Plateaux de Vercors |
Vercors Hike 2001A 4 day hike to the summit of Le Grand Veymont |
Vercors Hike 2010A 6 day 'vision quest' to Spirit Mountain |
Vercors Hike 2017Just roaming the plateau for 7 days |