The roof of the old Europe...the Mont Blanc, the dream of stepping on the top of this beautiful mountain. When you go up the Valle d'Aosta, Mont Blanc peeps through the other mountains of the valley with its south face, appearing like an impassable wall.
From Chamonix instead the show is completely different because the white mountain appears to us as a huge ice cap that descends towards the valley with the Bosson glacier that still today arrives at very low altitudes.
Here below we propose the two best known routes:
- the classic route of Goûter (the normal route to Mont Blanc) through the Dome du Goûter, the Vallot Hut and finally the Arête des Bosses reaching the summit;
- the second through the route named "Le Trois Monts Blanc" where it is planned to sleep at the Refuge of the Cosmiques; the next day, we'll go up the shoulder of Mont Blanc du Tacul, the hill of Mont Maudit, the Mur de la Côte and finally the summit.
Program - The normal Goûter route:
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1st Day
Meeting point at les Houches at the start of the Bellevue cableway at 8.00 am and check of the material. After getting off the cable car we will board the Nid d'Aigle train which will take us to 2372 meters. From Nid d'Aigle we will leave on foot along the footpath and the stone road to the Tête Rousse refuge at an altitude of 3167mt. After a good stop, we will resume the last ascent of the day, crossing the great Couloir and, climbing up the ridge of the Aigulle du Goûter, we reach the Goûter refuge at 3819mt where we will spend the night.
Gap: +1445m +
Total time 5h.
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2nd Day
From the Goûter mountain hut starting at around 3am we will go up to the Dôme du Goûter. We will then pass by the Vallot refuge-observatory to then ride the Arête des Bosses and reach the top of Mont Blanc (4808 m). We will descend by the way up to the Nid d'Aigle.
Total ascendig gap +996m; descending gap 2436m
Average duration: 10h 30'.
NOTES: You must book well in advance for the Gouter route.
Program - Trois Mont Blanc
Itinerary a little more technical than normal to the Goûter but certainly more magnificent.
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1st Day
Meeting point in Chamonix at the start of the Aiguille du Midi cable car at 2.00 pm and check of the material. From the arrival of the cableway at 3842m we will descend to the Cosmiques refuge at 3613mt to spend the night !!
Ascent gap: +45m; Descent gap: -200m
Time 0h45'.
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2nd Day
Departure from the Cosmiques refuge at 1am - first ascent to the shoulder of Mont Blanc du Tacul at an altitude of 4120m. From here after passing the Col Maudit challenging ascent to the Col du Mont Maudit and soon you arrive at the Col de la Brenva at 4303m. From the last great hill to the Mur de la Cote and finally reaching the summit of Mount Blanc 4808 m, from here descent possible for the same route, or for the normal route of Goûter.
Total ascendig gap +1423m; descending gap depending on the route
Average duration: 13h.
Technical requirements
Long, typically glacial itinerary that requires good training for altitude hikes. Some short sections are steep (max 55 °) and require a good skill in the use of the ice ax and crampons. There are no technical difficulties but it requires a little training in mountaineering walking.
For the Goûter route there are no steep stretches to ascend but the ascent to the Refuge of Goûter is not trivial.
The program can be modified or interrupted by the mountain guide due to the insufficient technical level of the participants or for meteorological reasons.
Equipment
Possibility to rent: helmet, high altitude boots, harness and crampons.
- Harness
- Ice ax (max length 60 cm)
- Classic anti-bot crampons
- High mountain boots (for crampons)
- Helmet
Clothing:
- Sunglasses for high mountain / glacier
- Cap
- Buff – Foulard
- High mountain gloves
- Breathable T-shirt
- Fiber turtleneck sweater
- Windstopper or fleece jacket
- Waterproof jacket (ex: Gore-tex, pac-lite, conduit…)
- Mountain pants in schoeller
- Mountain socks
- Gaiters
Inside the backpack [40/50 lt maximum]:
- One fiber T-shirt
- Thermal pants
- A pair of mountain socks
- Ski mask
- Extra light gloves
- A headlamp with new batteries
- Personal pharmacy kit (compeed patch, aspirin, high protection sunscreen, ...)
- Waterproof overpants (ex: Gore-tex, pac lite, conduit, k-way)
- Camera
- 1 lt bottle or Thermos
- Paper towels
- Sleeping bag liner
- Case with toothbrush and toothpaste
- Sun hat with visor
Included
The accompaniment of a mountain guide, the use of common materials.
NOT Included
Travel expenses, cable cars, board and lodging (including for the guide, to be divided between the participants) and anything not specified in the issue "Included".
In case of modification of the itinerary due to causes external to the organization (adverse weather conditions, technical level of the participants, etc.) the unforeseen expenses will be debited to the participants.
Any missing material may be provided by Mountain Evolution based on availability or rented.
For informations and registration:
