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Mont
Blanc as seen from the Aiguille du Plan. The mountain
on its left is Mont Blanc du Tacul, with Mont Maudit
behind it. The lower rounded summit on the right is
the Dôme du Gôuter, immediately in front
of which can be seen the spire of the Aiguille du Midi
and the bridge from the telepherique station.
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(Photo
above by Chamonix Experience, all other photos by Mountain
Guide Octavio
Defazio)
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These
notes have been prepared for Needle Sports by Russell
Brice, a qualified International
Mountain Guide who leads and organises ascents
of Mt Blanc. They are intended to assist the climber
who has already gained some knowledge of mountaineering
and is fully aware of its risks but still wishes to
climb mountains. They are brief and not designed to
be comprehensive in any way. Ultimately climbing is
a dangerous sport and claims many casualties each
year, even on a popular mountain like Mt Blanc. One
of the guiding principals of British climbing and
mountaineering is that it is the individual climber
is responsible for his or her own safety. If you cannot
accept this then this site and probably climbing in
general is unlikely to suit you. May we refer you
to this very
interesting site instead.
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Q: Where is Mt Blanc?
A:
It is located on the border of France and Italy.
The nearest towns are Chamonix and Argentière
on the French side, and Courmayeur in Italy.
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Looking
up towards the summit of Mont Blanc from the Gôuter
Route
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Q:
How high is it?
A:
It is 4810m high and is the highest mountain in Western
Europe.
Q:
How
do I get there?
A:
Fly to Geneva which is 1 hour drive from Chamonix. (by
Easy Jet or any of the main airlines). Road transfer
to Cham can be made by using any one of the airport
transfer firms that specialise in transporting
climbers and skiers and their packs full of gear. You
can also catch a bus
or a train.
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Q: How hard is it?
A:
It is not just a walk but it is not technically very
difficult. You need to have a good level of fitness
and good stamina. It is also very important to be acclimatised.
Q:
When is it usually climbed?
A:
From the end of June to the end of September.
Q:
How should I prepare myself for this mountain?
A:
Long day treks or climbs. The fitter you are the more
you will enjoy it. You should also spend some time at
altitude (2500-4000m) and preferably sleep at altitude.
You also need experience using crampons and ice axe.
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The
walk/scramble up to the Gôuter Refuge (3786m)
takes about 5 hours. The last few hundred metres is
definitely more of a scramble then a walk and not
always easy. This photo is taken just before you get
to the refuge.
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On
the way up the Mont Blanc du Tacul with Aiguille du
Midi in the background.
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Q:
So what kind of gear do I need?
A:
You need a helmet,
one normal "alpine type" ice
axe, harness,
mountaineering boots
with a fully rigid sole and walking or alpine 10 or
12 point crampons.
Collapsible trekking
poles, (one or two), are also good. Sun
cream and glacier
glasses are essential.
Q:
What kind of clothing?
A:
Thermal
top and bottom, fleece
layers, light
gloves, warm
gloves, warm
hat, sun hat, breathable
wind and water proof jacket and trousers.
Q:
What sort of sleeping bag?
A:
You do not need to bring a sleeping bag. You will stay
in a refuge
and they provide pillows and blankets. A silk
sleeping bag liner is nice though.
Q:
What about food and water?
A:
You get dinner and breakfast in the refuge
so you only need to bring snack or lunch for the two
days. You should bring at least 1½ litres of
water. You can buy water and soft drinks at the refuge.
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Q:
Which route do you do?
A:
We guide both the classic route via the Gôuter
Refuge
and the route via the Cosmique
Refuge, Mont Blanc du Tacul and Mont Maudit.
Q:
How long will it take?
A:
You need a minimum of 3 days. One training day and two
days for the ascent and descent. The first day is used
for you to brush up on skills and for the guide to assess
your ability. On the second day you normally go to the
refuge and the third day you summit and come back down
to the valley. However, highly recommended is to do
a 6 day course in order to be properly prepared.
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Cosmique
Refuge (3613m)
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Higher
up the Mont Blanc du Tacul by the pass you go over to
continue towards Mont Maudit.
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Q:
What kind of weather conditions will I experience?
A:
It can on the very odd occasion be +1°C -2°C
degrees on the summit but normally it is a lot colder
then that. You can expect a lot of wind and temperatures
down to -25°C.
Q:
What about altitude sickness?
A:
Altitude is one of the main difficulties with Mont Blanc.
Many people do not allow themselves time to acclimatise
and thanks to the lifts you gain altitude very quickly.
Mont Blanc is high enough to cause altitude sickness
and there are more or less serious cases every year.
Q:
What is the biggest problem most people face?
A:
Altitude, not being fit enough, and the weather.
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Maudit: Going from the Cosmique refuge. After Mont Blanc
du Tacul you have to climb over Mont Maudit following
the distinct route on the photo (note the figures in the
bottom left-hand corner). The last bit is quite steep
and requires good crampon and ice axe technique.
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Q: Can I do it?
A:
With a good level of fitness, enough training and enthusiasm
most people are capable of climbing Mont Blanc.
Q:
Anything else I should know?
A:
Keep all your gear, and what you carry in your rucksack
(and your rucksack) as light as possible, whilst making
sure that it will still do the job, and take nothing
you do not need - every gram counts at altitude!
Q:
How much will it cost me?
A:
In 2005, a 6 day all inclusive course was 1590 Euros
(£1,099) per person or three day programme guide
fee was only 1195 Euros (£826) for 1-2 people.
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Please
click for more information on Chamonix Experience's climbing
trips
to Mt
Blanc. |
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