Fearful of the weather forecast and with a long and hard day ahead of us, we managed our earliest departure of the tour: we were up at 5:45, ate our real fast that we'd purchased the night before, packed, and we're out the door by 7. That's pretty spartan by our standards at least - mine in particular. I can't recall the last morning without coffee.
Our ride began with the 20 mile, 2,500' climb up the Guisane valley to Col du Lauteret. The balance of this climb was very gradual much of the way - probably 2-3% on average, until the last several miles before the summit. Conditions were great for a climb: on the cool side at 45 degrees when we began climbing, with a slight tailwind, and mostly sunny except when we ascended through a fog belt for a few miles. We made better time than usual and pulled in at the col around mid morning.
Leaving Briancon up the Guisane valley on the long, lazy climb up to Col du Lauteret
In the Guisane valley, a few miles below the col. It was beautiful watching the peaks capping the lateral ridge gradually emerge as the fog burned off.
The climb to Col du Galibier is much different though - starting right from Col du Lauterel, it begins climbing fairly steeply and doesn't let up until reaching the summit, 6 miles and 2,000' more feet up the road. What a wonderful climb it is though! It is unremittingly gorgeous the entire way. Until nearing the top it meanders up a steep-sided, brilliant meadow. Views up, down and around are all breathtaking. We've seen some beautiful climbs on this tour, but I think this one will take the top prize.
Near the summit, I had a surprising encounter when a fit young rider pulled beside me to chat, startled to see my cycling jersey I got at Allegro Cycling in Walla Walla. He couldn't believe it - he's from Walla Walla (but a Coloradan now), and he worked in this cycling shop when he was in college. After comparing notes a bit though, he became impatient with my pace and dashed up the hill - he works with a cycle touring outfit and was fitting a climb in before going back down to tend to his clients.
The summit has a surprise - a super-summit that rises above the pass, while the main road saves several hundred more feet and a tortuous road by passing through a short tunnel. This last half mile is the toughest part of the climb by far. It's also the quietest, since it's still barricaded to cars because there's still quite a lot of snow around. And it's cold! We put on all our layers and drop off the north side, starting slowly at first because there are spots where snowmelt dampens and slickens the road.
Rachael and a man from Walla Walla cross paths on the final switchbacks up Galibier. A bit earlier he pulled up beside me, shocked by my cycling jersey (from Allegro Cycling, in Walla Walla) - he used to work in that shop.
Finally crossing the summit, we find a different world on the north side: it's still late winter on the north face, and there's a ton of snow and ice on the ground and lining the road. At about 8,800', this is the highest point of our tour other than Cime de la Bonette further to the south, and the most white stuff we'll find at riding elevation.
Shortly below the summit we come to a barrier - a snow plow crew is clearing a roadway-sized pile of ice that has broken loose from one of the roadside masses. It's a great show watching them maneuver their plow on the narrow strip of pavement, but it's holding up usand three other hikers and bikers. We stood around in the shadow of the mountain, rapidly cooling off in the low temperature before finally breaking free and coating continuing our descent.
It's a beautiful, long, fast drop all the way to town. The north side seems fully as beautiful as the south - exhilarating and inspirational all the way. As if this wasn't enough, at one point I rounded a switchback and saw what I'm almost sure was a chamois running across the road about 50 yards ahead of me. I concluded on the way down that if there's one pass from this trip I love to visit again, this is the one; and start imagining itineraries that might pass through here again. It's downhill all the way to Valloire, and then there's one last, modest climb to Col du Telegraphe, a mere 800' climb in our direction but a few thousand in the other.
Here's Rachael's video for the day - a bit of the ascent, then a bit more of the descent. Not nearly long enough.
Looking down the north side of Galibier from the summit. There's still a ton of snow up here.
We were held up for awhile as this snowplow cleared a snow cornice that had just slumped onto the road (great - another hazard it hadn't occurred to me to watch or for). It was a great show but it was quite cold on top and we were happy when we could move on.
Above, the peaks towering over Galibier; below, the beginning of the Valloirette rushes wildly down the valley. We freewheeled downhill along this nascent river for about 10 miles, watching it steadily swell as countless other streams merged in.
The final few miles to town along the Arc are basically flat, and a bit busier. Here too the views continue to be awe inspiring though, with huge formations rising up steeply on both sides of the river. We arrived at our hotel at around three, checked in, and exulted in the pleasure of seeing the rains arrive shortly later. They continued all afternoon and evening.
By the time we finally reach the valley floor and follow the Arc River to our town, I'm amazed at how far we've fallen - from 8,800' down to 1,800 - 2'500' lower than we were last night at Briancon. Going the other direction I'm pretty sure we'd have broken it up at Valloire.
These amazing rocks tower above the Arc River, a bit upriver from Saint Jean de Marienne
