Col des Arpettes (3008m)

Challenging hike to the big unknown... Col des Arpettes is a col high above the Val d'Anniviers in a side valley of Barneuza, from the col you'll get an amazing view over the Türtmann valley and it's glacier paradise.

Summary:
T2 trail until Mayens de Barneuza, from there T3 Alpine trail (white-blue-white)
16.7km and 1550m climbing
Duration: 7h (according to the sign poles)

Directions:
Mottec - Mayens de Barneuza - Barneuza Alpage - La Remointse - Col des Arpettes - La Remointse - Mayens de Barneuza - Mottec

This hike starts in the village of Ayer, from Vissoie you'll drive in the direction of Zinal, the road goes through the village and you can park your car along the road.
We'll start with a long and heavy climb through the village up to Mayens de Barneuza, it flattens a bit but still a long way up, the trail climbs gain heavy until the Barneuza Alpage. You can rest out a bit here if you're already tired of the heavy climb.
From the Barneuza Alpage, a white-blue-white trail is marked in the direction of Col des Arpettes and is signposted with a duration of 3h until the col.
From this point the trail gets more challenging, although it's well marked, in some parts the orientation is more difficult because of pathless parts. Stick to the trailpoints from this route, or guide yourself with the Suisse topo maps. Especially from La Remointse it's trail is not clearly visible.
Around 2700m we'll enter glaciered area, although there are no more visible glaciers here unfortunately, but the remnants are there and the trail gets more rough. The climb itself is relatively easy up until 2900m with a short steep passage between the rocks with a risk of rockfall. After that the trail gets less steep up until the col where a tremendous new awaits.
After resting out on the col, we head back to Ayer village.