TMB 9: Scramble up Boulders, Ladders, and Lac Blanc Views to Die For!

Cold and clear with stellar views all around our refuge at Trient this am. We decide to add a few tough miles in order to take a side trip to Lac Blanc, so catch a bus and train for part of today's hike so we can make it there. The nice thing about the Tour du Mont Blanc is that you can make it quite a bit easier by catching public transport to the next stage if you are injured, too tired, or just want to shorten the typical 10-12 day hike. A couple of French kids help us navigate the bus and train as the drivers spoke little English! Cost was about $4 for the ride...good thing we didn't know about this sooner or we might have taken the short cut for a couple of those cold wet days! The mountain range seemed so close and completely clear today. Our trail ranged from scrambling up large boulders to ladders straight up the rocks! Just too many stunning views...I got a little carried away with pics :)  Arrived at the Lac Blanc Rifugio about 2 pm and just basked in the sun streaming through the big windows soaking up the view. We celebrate with hot chocolate, soup, and scrabble with a couple of Brits who kicked our butts.  Of course, Vern said they were using a dictionary and used all proper English spellings (adding "u's" here and there - lol!). Sunset was spectacular around the emerald lake. Dinner was vegetable soup  with a 1" by 4" square chunk of cheese dropped in it (truly!), then pasta with beef in a delicious wine sauce, pears and chocolate. Dorm rooms were COLD but when I took a trip to the toilet in the next building in the middle of the night, I just gasped at the stars above the mountains. I stared at them for several minutes...one of the FEW - well, the ONLY advantage of having to pee in the middle of the night! :)