The Confident Hiker

or how to challenge yourself

August 2024

I want to let you in on a secret that I recently came to learn: there are mountains (yes actual mountains) that you can climb, even with a fear of heights. Now, I so far only know of the one I am going to write about here but I am sure or a least hopeful that there are more than that. This hike entails no cablecars or any other aids in getting to the top; just your good old feet and a bit of courage and some willpower – it is a mountain after all.

Situated at the foot of the much higher mountain chain Dents du Midi in the canton of Valais, L’Aiguille de Mex is a relatively low peak of 1870 meters but offers a stunning 360° view of various breathtaking peaks around it.

Having had the luck to stay in my uncles vacation home in the little charming village of Mex, we were right at the start of a trail leading up to L’Aiguille. We literally began hiking at our doorstep but you will probably start and end your hike in Mex’ village center. I will additionally to our route also post the route that starts in Mex, which shortens the hike by almost 40 minutes and about 2 kilometers.

We started our adventure on Sams birthday after having spent the morning with a nice breakfast and some quality time with Yuki who accompanied us to the Valais.

For the first half hour we followed a forest road to reach the actual hiking path a bit higher up; after entering the Forêt de Ceintaneire, we were instantly completely immersed in a serene quiet kingdom of trees. The floor was covered with an abundance of fern and the towering moss covered trees gave comfortable shade in the warm August sun. Right from the start the trail lead steeply upwards and we gained a significant amount of altitude. The path seamlessly merged with the official hiking route and for a short while we walked on an almost horizontal forest path illuminated by the sunlight breaking though the trees.

The bliss of an ascent-free march was short lived however and soon we were met with a steep narrow path leading through lush green meadows and dense forest patches and every once in a while we got glimpses of the Dent de Morcles. This mountain chain had very fast became a source of deep fascination to me and I appreciated every sight of it.

I was amazed by the fact, that despite for the most part walking in the woods, we still had such an amazing farsightedness. And it truly felt like being part of a tiny ecosystem that was this one mountain slope; embedded in all its greenery, chirping crickets, safely on a comfortable path, that – although narrow – never had me worried for the height or exposedness.

After about 400 meters in elevation gain we decided to take rest under the trees in the tall grass and have some food and water before emerging out of the forest and tackling the second half of the ascent. An apple and some chips never taste as good as when they come as a well deserved reward after a physically strenuous walk.

We had now almost reached the alpine pasture of Les Planets, where our paths would ultimately meet again on the descent. We passed by the little hamlet, content cows grazing and people calmly working in front of their cozy little houses, before starting to ascent again over the open vast pastures.

The higher we got, the more nervous I became if I will actually really be able to reach the top. I could feel the altitude and even though we still mostly walked on wide open fields of grass and 4×4 gravel roads, it felt as though the space got more narrow. But I truly believe this to be a psychological thing – at least it was in this case. Because at the same time it all felt so wide and spacious and almost limitless. I was truly stunned by how otherworldly it felt up here. Every new height we reached was exiting, because it possibly opened up a whole new sight. Ahead of us appeared majestic mountain peaks like the 3’178 meter high Cime de l’est, the first of seven mountains that make up the Dents du Midi, the impressive 3 kilometer long mountain chain. Until the 19th century the mountain was called Dent Noir, which translates to “Black Tooth” which seemed like a fitting name given its sharp pointy peak and dark colored rocks. It sometimes seems almost impossible for humans to reach such a peak, but it has been done – the first time in August 1842. It must feel truly amazing to stand at the top of such a majestic mountain. Every once in a while I turned back to admire the Dent de Morcles – with its jagged peaks reaching high into the sky and dressed up in a play of wandering cloud shadows over its rugged surface.

After passing through Les Gros Plan we reached the crossroads, where we would later head into another direction to descend. From here it was only a short climb to the top but boy, it was intense. Sam had at this point reached his energy limit but decided to push to reach the summit. An important lesson to learn, that far extends beyond hiking, is to always know your limits but also figure out, where you can challenge them – for the right reasons. Sam decided this was one of those right reasons and it would indeed prove to be worth it. After a slalom on a narrow path we reached the the last little stretch on the ridge; and this is where I decided I had reached my limit for today. As much as I would have wanted to stand on the peak next to Sam, I could feel the fear creeping up inside me and it was just a little too exposed after all. I was very much ok with my decision and in no way felt like I was missing out. After all, the peak would not go anywhere and to have another reason to come back felt like a good thing!

So while Sam went all the way to the top, I waited for him a bit further down and enjoyed seeing him proudly and contently standing there, appreciating the views.

We started to tackle the descent and getting back to the crossroads at Les Gros Plan involved quite some scrambling. So it was all about “slow and steady wins the race”. Because going down after a strenuous ascent can lead to falls and twisted ankles, which can really dampen the rewarding feeling of arriving at your destination. Hiking poles go a long way in supporting you in general but I always find them particularly helpful when descending; especially on uneven terrain.

A gentle and refreshing wind pushed us onward, as we turned left and followed the trail at the side of the mountain ridge. Over wide open pastures we walked almost effortlessly, appreciating the continuously stunning views, the wild nature, steep stone slopes with their smooth surfaces shimmering in the afternoon sun, lush green meadows and fern dancing in the gentle wind.

At Seintanère we took a right turn and enjoyed a vast view over the valley, the cities and villages below and the various impressive mountain ridges and peaks in the distance. Over soft grassy paths we reached Les Planets again and this time followed the path straight ahead direction Mex.

This was probably one of the steepest paths I ever had to hike down; a gravel road, that sometimes had more of a ressemblance with a slide than a footpath. It again opened up the discussion what really is more tiring: going up or down. We took our time and enjoyed the orchestra of crickets in the grass accompanied by the sound of our steps on the gravelly path.

Arriving on even ground sure was a relief for our feet and knees and the last bit from Mex back to our vacation home was a breezy walk on a small asphalt road.

Since this was Sams birthday, we celebrated the end of an adventurous day with a dinner in the little “Auberge de l’Armailli” in the village. With a lot of hearty swiss meals on the menu, delicious local beers and homemade iced teas, the most friendly hosts and an unbeatable view I can wholeheartedly recommend this place. They do also have dormitories available, if you choose to spend a night (or more ;-)) in this beautiful area! Sinking into our pillows felt utterly satisfying and rewarding as the stars began to shine in the clear night sky.

This hike made me think a lot about challenging oneself and what that really means. What does the challenge stand for? And what are the reasons behind it? It is not something I already have a definitive answer to but actively choosing a hike that might push me to my limits or beyond in terms of my fear of heights made one thing clear: I didn’t do it for anyone else but myself and I didn’t feel that I had to prove anything to me and that is why there was no feeling of failure when I stopped ahead of the peak but only a feeling of pride and joy.

Sitting in that restaurant in the evening, I again realized how much I like the end of a day spent hiking. The peace felt inside is truly a special kind of peace; it is an inner calm, a serenity, a contentedness and a deep conviction that everything is right and that you are exactly where you belong in that moment.

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Click here to see our section on “SchweizMobil”

Click here to see the hike from Mex on “SchweizMobil”

Details

Mex to Mex

Difficulty: T1 (Hiking Trail) Length: 10.77 km Duration: 4:19 h Ascent/Descent: 874m/874m

Some more useful facts about this hike

• While this is a T1 hiking trail, it isn’t without its slightly exposed parts. This concerns mostly the last roughly 40 meters. For the rest the paths are occasionally narrow but not exposed and not on a steep slope.
• It is a lot of ascending and it is good to consider enough breaks on the way. There are many wonderful places to sit and enjoy the views and surroundings. There are no restaurants on the way so bring food and water with you.
• The route that we chose can be done in reverse but I personally recommend doing it the same way I marked it on the maps, especially if you go on a warm summer day as the ascending part is less exposed to the sun.
• The buses in Mex drive very rarely; so if you have to get down to the trainstation in St. Maurice, it is worth to plan your hike accordingly. Otherwise consider renting a bed in the Auberge 😉