Hotel Couttet Chamonix {Wed} Thurs Aug 2. Dearest Father. I had rather an adventurous journey. All went smoothly until Geneva [Genève], luxurious sleeper to myself, all the comforts of home. And there behold my luggage had not turned up! They swore it wd come by the next train and there was nothing to do but to wait till 5, it was folly to come on and leave my climbing clothes behind. So I went to the Hotel de Russie, washed, lunched and spent the afternoon there, Mont Blanc mocking at me from across the lake. With a beating heart I met the afternoon train and there was my big box, the hat box has not yet arrived, but it's going to be sent after me as it contains nothing I absolutely want. I determined to go straight on to Chamonix. My train left at a quarter to 7 and I got to Le Fayet, the terminus, at 9.30. There I found the diligence waiting and we got off soon after 10. Three Frenchmen were the party, but they soon retired inside. Indeed it was bitter chill and after the blazing Geneva day it was surprising to feel so cold. However I had quantities of cloaks and coats and I put them all on and was most comfy. It was wonderful coming up the deep ravine of Arve under the stars. Every now and then a white shoulder glimmered up at the end of the black gorge - "where power in likeness of the Arve comes down" do you remember the beautiful L.... on Mont Blanc? - He had come down rather too powerfully; at about an hour from Chamonix the bridge was broken, we had to get out and walk over some planks and take another carriage on the other side. The luggage had all to be carried across. It was so boring sitting still that I told my companions I was going to lend a hand. "Ah! vous êtes courageuse Madame" said they, but when I came back with a big load, they were forced to follow my example and we all staggered backwards and forwards over the planking with boxes and parcels. We got to Chamonix at 2.20 and drove through the silent little street. One solitary young man with a cold in the head was waiting about at the bureau. I chartered him to carry my hand things to the hotel. We stood and rang for ten minutes or more. Mont Blanc towered above, a great gleaming mass, but I didn't feel somehow as if I wished to spend the rest of the night contemplating him and I was thankful when the porter put his head out of window. It was speedily followed by his body and legs. He took me up to my room and left me to tumble into bed and fall asleep before he had had time to get well back to his own bed. And this morning I woke and looked out and there were the Aiguilles streaming up into the blue sky, looking more impossibly difficult than anything I ever looked upon and trembled. After breakfast I interviewed Joseph Fournier. I like the looks of him. We have decided to to to Montenvers this afternoon, sleep at the refuge on the Col du Géant tomorrow, so the Aiguille next day, coming down onto Courmayer [Courmayeur] and then over another pass back to Montenvers next day. These are courses d'entrainements. We take a porter from here. On my return to Montenvers I shall find Ulrich Fuhrer waiting for me and we shall start away on as many of the big Aiguilles as we can manage. Dru, Verte, the Grepon are what I have set my heart on. Meantime the weather has been shocking for a month and the snow things[?] will be difficult by reason of fresh falls. That don't [sic] matter to me as my present programme is mostly rock, but there's a good deal of wind, which will be fatal if it lasts. But I trust to my invariable luck and hope it may see me through. This plan means establishing myself at Montenvers for a week or so. I'm sending up some clothes and my letters will be forwarded. Write here, it will always be headquarters. It's a delightful inn inhabited by English and Americans and climbers, the people most civil and understanding of ones's wants.
I don't think there is a more delightful sensation than that of opening an Alpine campaigne - meeting one's guide, talking over the great ascents that look so easy on the map, and laying out one's clean new mountain clothes. I've had a boring morning, but I'm through all my arrangements and I mean to sleep a little after lunch, though I'm not really at all tired. Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude.