The View from Chiapous: Backpacking in the Italian Alps

Looking back from where we came.

See the red roof of Rifugio Morelli Buzzi just left of center. That's where we're headed.

We had rain, wind, fog, and sun on our backpacking trip in the Italian Alps. And that sunshine seemed much more meaningful after hiking through a 9,000 foot pass in the wind, fog, and rain. At times, visibility was less than twenty feet.

The day we hiked in to the Rifugio you couldn't see it until you were less than 100 feet from it because of the fog.

One of several Ibex we saw on our four day hike.

I didn’t set out on the backpacking trip hoping for inclement weather but I’m glad I experienced some. Having the contrast just enriched the experience and reminded me that when you’re on foot in the mountains, whether you are in Alaska or Italy, trouble is only one cloud-bank away if you’re not prepared.

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Beginnings

The view from the farmhouse in the Italian Alps.

1.  I feel fortunate and lucky to have been able to spend time in Italy. Even though I didn’t visit the towns where my grandparents were born, I still felt an intensely personal connection with the land, perhaps because I spent several days with a good friend at a farmhouse that has been in his family for five hundred years.

A built-to-last stone roof.

2. Tomorrow I start a new job as the English Language Learner Teacher/Facilitator at West Valley High School. It is a semester-long position and will be a great introduction into the ESL/ELL world. I’m a little anxious because I’ve been out of the classroom for a few years but I’m also totally psyched to dive in and do the best job that I can.

3. My middle grade novel, STRANDED, was awarded second place in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association’s Annual Contest. This news came to me via email a few minutes before starting the 21 hour trip home from Italy.

So yeah, I’m feeling jet-lagged from the 10 hour time change, I’m still digesting the Italy experience (which I’ll write about in the future), and I’m a bit preoccupied by the details of my new job that have been streaming in today, but I’m smiling!!!

That's me at the farmhouse with a stone barn in the background.

Thanks for stopping by.

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Backcountry Notes

I’ll be in and out of contact with the world for the next couple of weeks while digging into the culture and beauty of the Italian Alps. Since I don’t know exactly when I’ll be in and out of the backcountry, I’ll pop into the cyber-world when I can, hopefully with some photos.

Thanks for stopping by.

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