At 4810m, Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps. It’s a tough objective and an awesome peak in a huge range. If successful, you will have the most enormous sense of satisfaction. The highest peak in the Alps is a wonderful summit with great views all the way across to the Matterhorn on a clear day!
To do this trip you will need to be physically fit, with a head for heights and technically coordinated. This is a tough challenge and even though you do not need previous alpine climbing (of course it is beneficial) you are attempting to climb the highest peak in the Alps and need to be suitably prepared!
It is physically demanding with a summit day of 12-14 hrs, most of which is at altitude. In addition, it contains the need for scrambling to ‘easy’ climbing with and without crampons, the ascent and descent of steep snow slopes as well the traverse of exposed ridges. The preparation days are usually 6-8hrs duration.
Mont Blanc may be the hardest week you experience in your life. It is high, it is cold and it is exposed. It is also dangerous. Some people say risk is part of the adventure. We don’t think so. Risk is something you accept to enable you to achieve what you want to do. We, or anyone, can’t eliminate that risk, but we can do our best to reduce it. The itinerary has six guiding days. This gives you the chance to learn crampon, rope and ice-axe techniques, complete some training routes on smaller peaks and still give sufficient time for the ascent. This itinerary will give you the most realistic chance of summit success by enabling proper acclimatization.
The first days of the itinerary are valuable days to acclimatise, refresh/learn mountain skills and climb some training peaks. These peaks are about 3,500m – 4,000m high and no mean feat in themselves. We then attempt the ascent of Mont Blanc from the Gouter/Tete Rouse side.
Some consider the Mont Blanc approach day to be the toughest day on the mountain. After a cable car and train ride, you will begin the 1,400m ascent to the hut, to the Refuge De Gouter at 3,800m. After approximately 700m of ascent, the route passes the Grand Couloir. This is a short pass that is prone to many rockfalls. It will be up to the local guides to determine if it is safe to cross. After crossing this section you will then begin the 700m rock scramble up to the hut area. You will arrive with time to rest and sleep before your summit attempt.
