Ian and Emily from TMB Trail Guide have been walking the Tour du Mont Blanc since 2017. We asked them about the rhythm of a perfect day, the sounds that stay with you, and why the Alps feel like nowhere else.

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Ian and Emily live in Boulder, Colorado — about as far from the Alps as you can get while still being in the mountains. But every year, they find their way back to the Tour du Mont Blanc.

They run TMB Trail Guide, helping hikers plan their trips through detailed guides and one-on-one consultations. They know this trail intimately. We wanted to know what keeps pulling them back across the Atlantic.

"It's the atmosphere," Ian said. "Both the natural landscape and the culture. Walking self-powered through three different countries, crossing borders — it's just a really incredible experience."

"You get the cultural side. Local cheeses you can pick up along the side of the trail. The quintessential chalets and cows with bells on their necks. But you also get some really rugged, remote stretches in the high mountains too. The mix of culture and physical scenery is unlike anything else."

The shape of a day

We asked them to describe a perfect TMB day, from waking up to turning in at night.

"Be up early," Emily said. "Get a coffee and a croissant at a bakery that's just opened, and start walking before anyone else. You're on the trail at 6:30, it's still cool out, and it's just you. Quiet. The sun is just starting to creep into the valleys. You've got the whole day ahead of you."

Most days on the TMB follow the same rhythm: you start in a valley, climb to a col — a mountain pass — and descend into the next valley. It sounds repetitive, but within that shape there's infinite variation.

"You stop at a little mountain refuge or a buvette, have an espresso or a snack, take a break, enjoy the scenery. Maybe chat with some other walkers. Then you end your day at either a remote hut or down in a village. You kind of bookend your days with some nice food and drink."

"You get a big climb at the start of the day, and then you're cruising downhill into the afternoon. You fall into a nice pattern as you go up and over, valley to valley."

The soundtrack

We asked about the sounds of the TMB — the things you'd hear if you closed your eyes on the trail.

"Cowbells, of course," Ian said. "Quintessential Alps."

"But also the streams and the torrents. Many stages trace a river as you climb towards a col — that's just lovely. The crunch of your boots on the trail. And once you're outside the little villages, it's still quite agricultural. It's not just cows — you'll have sheep, small farms, maybe a cheesemaker. Very pastoral sounds for a lot of the hike."

"And people," Emily added. "If you're looking for total solitude, this probably isn't your trail. But that's part of the experience. There's such a good sense of camaraderie — meeting people from all over the world, sharing stories."

"If you're staying in refuges, it's very communal. Multi-course dinners, everyone around the table, talking and planning the next day. You meet some really incredible people."

"When we think 'it's so popular' we assume that's a downside. But it adds a lot to the experience. Everyone is so excited to be there. It's infectious."

We asked if there was a story from one of those communal mealtimes that stuck with them.

"There was one time — it would have been July — when it snowed. A freak storm. Everyone was up at the refuge trying to figure out what to do. Do you keep going? Do you turn back and take a detour?"

"There was no internet at the refuge. Not many people had cell service. So everyone's just around the table: 'Well, I think I might do this. I think I might do that.' Storming outside, cosy inside. Everybody plotting their next move."

What stays with you

We asked if there's a smell or taste that takes them straight back to the trail.

"The morning croissant," Ian said, without hesitating. "Especially in France — the little patisseries. You really can't recreate that anywhere else in the world. We certainly don't have it in the US in the same way."

"That's the smell," Emily agreed. "That's the quintessential TMB."

Favourite stops

After so many visits, Ian and Emily have their rituals.

"On the first stage from Les Houches to Les Contamines, there's a variant called the Col de Tricot," Ian said. "It's wonderful — I'd recommend it to anyone. And about halfway through there's a little refuge, the Refuge de Miage. They have a blueberry pie that you just cannot miss. We get it every year."

Emily's favourite is on the Italian side. "Maison Vieille. They've got this great outdoor space — umbrellas, picnic tables, people everywhere on a sunny afternoon. The vibes are just right. And the food is delicious. You're in Italy, so you can get really good Italian food, and you just sit out and soak it in."

The hard days

We asked about the toughest sections.

"On the standard route, I'd say it comes on your second day," Ian said. "Which is actually good — you've got your sea legs under you. You go over two passes: the Col du Bonhomme and the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. It's the classic false summit problem. You're hiking up, you think you see the top, you gear yourself up — and then you get there and it's not the top."

"You keep climbing. The scenery is spectacular. It ends up being a lot of people's favourite day. But it's one of those long, tough climbs."

"If you take the variants," Emily added, "the most difficult is the Fenêtre d'Arpette. You're going up through a boulder field, incredibly steep. But you get very close to the Trient Glacier — you see it in a way you wouldn't normally. It's incredible, but you have to work for it."

Wildlife

Coming from Colorado, we wondered how the wildlife compared.

"You still get wonderful wildlife on the TMB," Emily said. "Chamois and ibex, marmots — all sorts. But you don't need a bear bag when you're camping, which is different from back home."

"Although," Ian laughed, "I did hear a story about a fox getting into someone's tent and tearing things up at a wild camping spot. So you still want to keep your food secure. But it's not the same dangers as we have with bears in Colorado."

Their favourite spot for wildlife? "The Lacs de Chéserys," Emily said. "It takes an alternate route, on the way up to Lac Blanc. It's a little quieter, especially if you wild camp there and the day hikers have left. You'll see ibex, chamois, marmots everywhere."

Lessons learned

Ian and Emily first hiked the TMB in 2017 — and they learned some things the hard way.

"We had set ourselves up with a 19-mile day," Ian said. "Our first time on a trip like this. Our packs must have weighed 35 pounds. We were slogging along, carrying too much gear, and it was hot."

"But then you get into Italy, you get to Courmayeur — this wonderful mountaineering town, the biggest on the route — and we'd booked the loveliest little bed and breakfast just north of the city. Maison Vieux Saxe. Taking those packs off, spending a night in a real bed with this wonderful Italian family welcoming us — it was the nicest relief."

"A lot of lessons learned that day. About how much you carry, how long you plan to walk, what your body can actually do. That's a big part of the TMB — learning what you're capable of on long hikes like that."

Their practical advice? Unexpected.

"Good sun protection," Emily said. "We hike in sun hoodies now — long sleeves, lightweight, basically sunscreen you wear. You see plenty of bright red necks out there from people who didn't think about it."

"And look after your feet. Bring nail clippers. Keep your toenails short — those downhills are long and steep. Good socks. Blister care. Keep your feet happy."

"Every year," Ian added, "you see someone hiking in flip-flops because their boots have destroyed their feet. Big pack, massive boots strapped on top, flip-flopping along at quarter of a mile an hour. You don't want to be that person."

A month in Chamonix

This past summer, Ian and Emily did something different. They based themselves in Chamonix for a month with their one-year-old son, exploring the route in sections.

"There were moments with a one-year-old that were not fun," Emily admitted. "But looking back, it was really cool. To show him that part of the world we love so much. To experience the trail for such an extended period of time."

We asked where they'd teleport to if they could go back to one spot on the trail right now.

Ian chose the Col de Balme. "It's towards the end, the pass that takes you from Switzerland back into France. You come up and get this sprawling view of the whole Chamonix valley, Mont Blanc, the Aiguilles. It's the first time you've seen the French side since you started. It signifies you're finishing where you began — back in the heart of the Alps."

Emily's choice was different. "Rifugio Bonatti, for the evening. It can be a bit of a zoo during the day with all the day hikers. But at night, when it's just the people staying at the refuge — it's not huge — it's so special. Watching the sunset turn the mountains pink. You're right there, so close to everything. It's really magical."

What they hope you'll feel

We asked what they hope someone takes away from the TMB if they book it after reading this.

"Just what an incredible region it is," Ian said. "Once you leave Chamonix and the hustle and bustle — even hiking just a little way gets you into such a different world. A pastoral place in the Alps that feels like it really hasn't changed in a long, long time."

"I think that's what you should take away. That sense of stepping into something timeless."

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Ian and Emily run TMB Trail Guide, offering camping guides and planning consultations for the Tour du Mont Blanc.

If you're planning your own TMB adventure, take a look at our 2026 packages. You choose your dates and your pace — we handle the rest.