Trip Details and Small Print - Mont Blanc Ascent
Can I do it?
Very strenuous 2 day mountaineering trip in
high altitude (4800m = 15750 ft) that requires enough stamina for
a 14 hr day on your feet on the summit day with few brakes. For essentially
all of the climb you will be roped to your guide. On the Normal
Route via Gouter Ridge the main difficulty
involves steep rock scrambling (at times on crampons) to get to the
Gouter Hut on day 1. The last two hours of the climb require front
pointing on crampons and finally a very exposed traverse along the
icy / snowy summit ridge. The Traverse
Route via Cosmique Hut involves an easy
first day, but the summit day is longer and more strenuous than the
normal route and requires front pointing on your crampons on several
occasions.
Hazards / Objective
Dangers:
Both classic Mont Blanc routes imply objective dangers such
as potential ice & rock fall, avalanches and crevasses. The
Gouter route is notorious for rock fall hazard during the ascent
to the Gouter Hut on day 1, namely traversing the 'grand couloir'
at the beginning of the technical difficulties. The traverse route
via Cosmique Hut is notorious for ice and snow avalanches.
On average, there are 4 - 8 fatalities / year on both "normal
routes" on Mont Blanc combined.
Meeting
Point:
1) Either in our partner hotel in the Chamonix
Valley or 2) by individual arrangement at the base station of the
Aiguille du Midi gondola in Chamonix (for Traverse Route via Cosmique
Hut) or the Bellevue Gondola station in Les Houches (Normal Route
via Gouter Hut).
Climate, Weather, Temperatures:
High season for all mountaineering in the western Alps is mid-July
through August, mainly due to the stable weather that time of
the year. Day time temperatures can vary between 30C (86F) in
the valleys to -20C (-4F) on clear mornings, when we start our
day from a high level hut. The Mont Blanc is very exposed to
extreme weather and high winds with corresponding wind chill
factors are common place. that means, it can be REALLY cold!
Best to check the weather forecast for freezing level and winds,
talk to your guide and talk to your guide the day before the
trip starts and bring warm clothing accordingly.
Mont Blanc Pricing / Packaging Options:
Additional days of training
(includes guide, guide expesnes, hut lodging, half board and equipment
rental: Euro 280 (US$ 365)/person/day at two participants, Euro
510 (US$ 663) at 1 participant.
Airport Shuttle from Geneva:
Depending on time of season from Euro 35 each way
Lodging Chamonix Valley with half
board: Quoted individually depending
on your preferred lodging standard with B&B or half board.
Services Included in the Total
Price:
Guiding by an internationally (UIAGM/IFMGA)
certified, multilingual mountain guide or guide aspirant under supervision.
Dormitory lodging for one night in a French mountain hut with 3
course dinner (soup, meat entree and dessert) & breakfasts.
return ticket for Aiguille Du Midi gondola or Bellevue gondola /
Tramway du Mont Blanc (depending on route chosen), parking fees,
use of technical equipment, (harnesses, crampons, ice axes, rope,
carabiners), all guide expenses (driving, gondola, hut & valley
lodging)
Not Included Are:
Air fares, lunch (Sandwiches, snacks can
be purchased in the huts or in the valley), lodging in the Chamonix
valley (quoted seperately), drinks (in the huts: bottled water =
Euro 5 - 10/ liter, beer 0.33 = Euro 5 / can, wine = Euro 15 - 20
for 1/2 liter), additional fees for gondola / mountain train should
you descend via a different route
How about if I don't have
a second participant to join me?
The common client to guide ratio for Mont
Blanc is 2 : 1. We therefore have to charge a supplement as indicated
in the left sidebar for any individual clients that we can't match
with a partner for the climb.
What if the Weather is bad or Mont
Blanc is "Closed"?
In the record heat of the summer of 2003,
the mayor of the base town of St. Gervais ordered the Gouter Hut
closed and it was not recommended to climb the Normal Route via
Gouter Hut due to increased rock fall hazard for about three weeks.
Should this or something similar occur, our first preference will
be to use the traverse route via the Cosmique Hut, which is much
less susceptible to the woes of hot weather.
Should the weather or mountain conditions
(avalanche hazard, high winds, bad weather....) suggest that the
Mont Blanc ascent is not feasible or too dangerous, our guides will
look into the following options: 1) Reschedule the summit day (for
example climbing the summit on day 1 by using an early gondola from
Chamonix and then spending the night in a hut on the descent) 2)
Ascent of the Gran Paradiso (about 2.5 hrs drive south in Italy)
which benefits from being better protected to inclement weather
3) Ascent of a more technical but lower elevation peak in a neighboring
range to avoid new snow or possibly high winds in higher elevations
or 4) instructional days in lower elevation.
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