Fitpacking

Our ten day trek through the beautiful European Alps starts in the small town of Bousieyas nuzzled in the southern portion of the Maritime French Alps. We will hike through the Vallee de la Tinnee featuring 7000 ft peaks, rich forests, and quaint villages where we will be relaxing in Gites and Refuges (hostel-like lodging) for the evenings. This multi-day Alps trek is geared toward the avid day hiker. Only carrying the basics on your back, the long day hikes will be richly rewarded with a delicious French cuisine, hot shower and a bed to sleep on. The last day of the journey will give us breathtaking views of the Mediterranean sea and the bustling beach town of Nice, full of life and history. You may want to extend your vacation a few days longer to explore the sights and flavors of the Mediterranean villages of Nice and Marseilles.

We will be visiting this visually stunning hiking wonderland just as the temperate Spring unfolds and the days are long. It's prime time to visit, so why not join us to see a wonderful place, improve your fitness level and lose some weight (or more accurately, alter body composition)?

The Grand Randonee Fitpacking Trip will be from June 15-26, 2013. Here is the proposed itinerary.

Our trek will begin in Marseilles. We'll shuttle up to the Grand Randonee at Bousiéyas. Every day, we day-hike Southbound over rugged Alpine terrain, ending up in a Refuge, Gite or Hostel for the night, giving a varied perspective of the area. You will meet an eclectic international coterie of individual who share your love of trekking and will be able to share cultures and experiences. As we end our trek, we will descend into the beach resort of Nice. It all adds up to a life-list excursion that will whet your appetite for more.

Although the trails can be steep and rugged with variable weather, our hiking distances that are not overly aggressive, especially since we're only carrying day-packs containing relatively small amounts of weight. This is a great trip for anyone that is also accessible to beginners.

Weather is always an important concern when hiking. Although Summer is the ideal time to hike in Grand Randonee, we will be there at the beginning of the trekking season, late Spring. Expect daytime hiking temperatures into the 60s & 70s and nighttime temperatures in the 40s & 50s. Here are the historical weather averages for Grenoble However, the mountains can bring heavy rain or snow any day of the year, so be prepared not only for clear, sunny weather, but also for the possibility of high winds and storms. Fortunately, we'll be indoors at nigh.

Steve Silberberg, lives in Hull, MA and has many years of backpacking experience over a variety of terrains and guides most Fitpacking trips. He is a SOLO certified Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Trainer, and Certified Food Handler.

Hannah McCallum lives in Chico, CA and is a Wilderness First Responder. She has guided Fitpacking trips to

• Crater Lake National Park
• Mt. Rushmore National Memorial
• Mt. Rainier National Park
• Redwood National Park

She's a huge optimist who is always ready with a wealth of camp activities.

Here is a list of equipment we suggest you bring. The list is extensive and can seem daunting, but please don't let this deter you from the trip. You can rent top notch quality gear for reasonable prices from Lower Gear. It may also be possible for us to provide some gear for you at a nominal fee if you let us know far ahead of the trip. Unfortunately, we're not in the gear business so the selection of our available inventory is unpredictable. Please feel free to discuss any gear with us before the trip.

We don't believe in austere eating regimens. Hiking is a rigorous, rewarding activity. You must feed your body in order for it perform. Your body will dictate that you eat often, so it's important to have fuel to feed it. Please check out the sample menus. This list is not comprehensive and may be altered or augmented. If you want to bring personal food, say a 5 pound chocolate cake, go for it. You'll not only hate carrying it all trip long, your body will reject the empty calories and prefer nutritious food.

$2375 per person. Expect the hosteling experience -- sharing rooms with other participants and sometimes strangers. You will also be responsible for transportation to and from Marseilles Airport (MRS), personal equipment and any restaurant meals eaten off the trail.

Covered expenses include 11 hostel nights, campground fees, 10 days of campsite meals, ground transportation to/from Marseilles and the trail, permits, insurance, and awesome guides.

Fitpacking is on an ongoing quest to expand its selection of trip destinations. As such, this is the very first time we are offering a trip to Grand Randonee, France. Even though they are seasoned backpackers, the guides for this trip may NOT have previously backpacked these particular trails.

Many intrepid participants are excited by pioneering new routes, but others don't feel as comfortable with this and may prefer a more established, predictable trip. Experience guiding a certain destination can make things run smoother, but do not underestimate the decades of backpacking experience that our guides possess which permeate every other aspect of the trip in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey.