8 days, 7 friends, 100 miles, and 35,000 ft of elevation gain across France, Italy, and Switzerland. If you don't know, the Tour du Mont Blanc is a hike that circles (well) Mont Blanc, which is right in the heart of the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps. The trail is about a hundred miles and passes through all three countries.

I've always wanted to do a long-distance hike and this was the perfect introduction. You hike hard everyday, but you always end up with a dinner, beer, and a refuge to stay at. Before I forget the names down the road, here are the refuges that I stayed at (in order): Refuge de la Balme, Refuge Cabane du Combal, Refuge Bertone, Gite de la Fouly, Relais d'Arpette, Hotel du Col de la Forclaz, and Gita de Boerne.

The views were stunning and constant. You turn a corner and something else catches your eye. Even on the days where I was dying, it was hard not to take in the experience: I'm hiking through the mountains for a week with some of the coolest people ever (and people say "ciao!").

I didn't even know half of the group when we started trekking, but they felt like family by the end of it. I could go on and on about how incredible this experience was, but I think the photos speak for themselves. Here are a handful of moments from the trip: