Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

© Justin Foulkes | Lonely Planet
the beauty of the pass
Snowflakes glide through the air as Eric and I arrive at the top of the pass. Out
of the wilderness there emerges a grand doorway hung with icicles, and windows
half-submerged in the drifts. We have arrived at the Hospice du GrandSt-Bernard,
a religious hostel that has stood at the highest point of the pass since the 11th
century. Its robe-clad holy men and gigantic St Bernard dogs gained fame as a
mountain-rescue double act: fishing passers-by out of avalanches, guiding them
through fog to the safety of the hospice. Still run by the Catholic Church, the
institution exists for the same purpose today: to welcome and protect passers-by.
© Justin Foulkes | Lonely Planet
plaque at the hospice
Today, the St Bernard dogs live in an institute on the floor of the valley, but the
two-legged community still thrives at the top of the pass. Three canons and several
housekeeping volunteers supply about 50 visitors with clean beds and three
generous meals a day in one of the most hostile wildernesses in Europe. The front
door is open to everyone, regardless of their religion. In 1000 years the door has
never been locked.