COD Students Hike the Tour du Mont Blanc in Europe

Twelve participants in College of DuPage's Field Studies program recently returned from nearly two weeks in Europe where they hiked more than 100 miles, including the celebrated Tour du Mont Blanc.

Click here to view photos from the trip.

Beginning their trip in Chamonix, France, the class hiked for 12 days and more than 100 miles. They circled the Mount Blanc massif and walked through some of Western Europe's most picturesque alpine scenery, crossing the countryside of France, Italy and Switzerland. At the end of each day's journey, lodging arrangements ranged from rustic mountain refuges deep in the mountains to four-star hotels offering every amenity.

According to Gib Egge, coordinator of Experiential Education and Training, the hike could not have gone better given the physical and logistical challenges. Egge said despite the spectacular landscapes and breathtaking views, there was another component of the trip that stood out.

"The highlight for me was our group, a diverse cross-section of the DuPage community coming together to attempt a very difficult task," Egge said. "Among us were fifteen people, three of whom were 70 years or older as well as a student who is legally blind that completed the trail with the help from a longtime friend."

One member of the class was Western Springs resident Kathy Fauth, an avid hiker who viewed the chance to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc as an opportunity of a lifetime. While the scenic beauty of the area impressed her, it was the camaraderie and diversity of the group that impressed her.

"The scenery was stunning," Fauth said. "I will always remember hiking with the international community and forming relationships with people from all over the world."

After retiring from her career as a veterinarian a few years ago, Fauth enrolled in and completed the Nursing degree program at College of DuPage, a move she made because she wanted to become involved in volunteerism. She has taken several Field Study trips through the College, and named Egge as a primary reason for choosing this adventure.

"I knew this trip would be top-notch," Fauth said. "Gib is just an excellent guide. He does a wonderful job with these excursions, which is truly is a service to this community."

Lombard resident Nanette Bauer said that while she thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the trip, it was the companionship and camaraderie of the group, with one participant in particular, that she enjoyed most.

"The best part of this trip was sharing this outstanding experience with my daughter," Bauer said. "I also enjoyed the company of the other wonderful participants, seven of whom I've traveled with on other COD trips and six new trekkers with whom I will hopefully enjoy having another future travel experience with someday."

Bauer, who enrolls nearly every semester in a yoga class at the College, said she has participated in a Field Studies trip with COD almost each year since 2000. She added that she feels the "anticipation is half the fun of travel," and said that the Tour du Mont Blanc was something she had wanted to do for a long time.

"I have always wanted to have a travel experience that involved hiking in the Alps," Bauer said. "To have the opportunity to accomplish this under the direction of COD's Field Study program, particularly under the flawless organizational skills and quiet guidance of Gib Egge, was not to be missed."

Bauer added that the group did experience a day of challenging weather, but that only added to the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment she brought home from the trip.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the weather, navigating the adverse trail conditions and enjoying the new-found confidence that came with getting to the next destination safely," Bauer said.

Egge said that the hikers knew they were in for a challenge that day after waking up to a steady, hard rain, "the kind you know is going to be here for a while," at the Refuge des Mottets in France.

"We had to climb over 2,500 feet and then descend 3,000 feet to our next overnight stop," said Egge. "At this point, we had been climbing and descending thousands of feet and were in pretty good shape physically, but we were not in shape for the weather we were about to experience at this pass."

With each step, the hikers increased their altitude and their visibility became more restricted as they entered the clouds and the winds picked up. Reaching the Col de la Seigne, the natural border between France and Italy, the class met with very low visibility and intense winds that made footing precarious. Finally, the class descended into Italy and finally, into better weather.

"Even though this was a difficult experience for the class as a whole, it turned out to be one of our favorite moments as we were all challenged, helped one another out and accomplished our goal," Egge said.

The Field and Experiential Learning, Study Abroad and Global Education department offers a variety of credit classes that use the world as its classroom, including an Outdoor Adventure program and domestic and international classes in a variety of subjects. The College has offered many successful international trips since 1970 and has taken students to more than 80 countries throughout all seven continents.

For more information about Field and Experiential and Study Abroad programs at College of DuPage, call (630) 942-2356 or email fieldstudiesaide@cod.edu.