After many years of experience organising Mont Blanc ascents, Chamonix Experience have developed an excellent & unparralelled 6 day itinerary to climb Mont Blanc including 3 days of essential alpine preparation.
The Chamonix Valley is dominated by the majestic dome of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe at 4810m. Every year the summit of Mont Blanc becomes the ultimate objective for mountaineers the world over, all striving to stand on top of the roof of Europe and look down on the major summits of the Alps.
Our many years of experience guiding in the region have equipped us with the knowledge to give you the best possible preparation and acclimatisation for your Mont Blanc ascent, whose difficulty should not be underestimated.
Chamonix Experience has developed this 6 day itinerary, with 3 days dedicated to the Mont Blanc summit attempt. This allows for more flexibility should bad weather intervene and maximises your chances of reaching the top. The three preparation days offer an exciting itinerary dedicated to perfecting your alpine climbing skills and allowing you to explore some of the most stunning locations in the Mont Blanc Massif. Your trip will include two 4000m peaks, with an initial climb of Italy's highest mountain, the Gran Paradiso 4061m.
During this time, you will be taught glacier travel techniques and have plenty of opportunity to practice your crampon and ice axe skills in preparation for a safe and successful ascent; the final 3 days are for the Mont Blanc ascent itself. The guide to client ratios on this course are 1 guide for 4 clients during the preparation days and 1 guide for 2 clients during the 3 ascent days - this not only ensures a greater standard of safety but also maximises your enjoyment of the trip and your chances of a successful summit attempt.
Mont Blanc is a relatively technical and physically very demanding climb. You have to be able to move over uneven terrain with some steep sections and some scrambling pitches. You have to be able to hike and climb over such terrain for about 8 hours at a good and steady pace without being too tired the next day.
If you have some previous mountain climbing experience, such as Kilimanjaro or Aconcagua, it is great. But you should expect a far greater physical and technical challenge on the Mont Blanc climb.
However, we do accept beginners on this course and the first 3 days are allocated for acclimatisation and alpine training, which is specific for the challenge of climbing Mont Blanc. We will train you in crampon and ice axe techniques, glacier travel, and other important safety skills. As long as you are fit and have good stamina, you should not be disadvantaged by a lack of climbing experience.
Regular hiking and/or long distance running, swimming and/or cycling are great forms of training for this course. Remember that you have to include some uphill hiking and/or running - training on flat terrain will not give you the same kind of fitness, however it is better than no training at all! If you live in a city and have limited access to the outdoors, ask for advice at your local gym as many gyms have mountain climbing specific training programs.
Our courses are based at the Yeti Lodge; comfortable, recently renovated chalets located in the lovely village of Argentiere at the northern end of the Chamonix valley. Yeti Lodge offers beautiful views and a real alpine experience as well as a hot tub, sauna, wifi connection and secure parking.
The Mont Blanc course accommodation is on a shared basis in twin/double rooms with shared bathrooms.
The accommodation price includes a continental breakfast (freshly baked croissants, pain au chocolate, bread, fruit, cereals, yoghurt, fruit juices and tea/coffee), afternoon tea and a three course evening dinner.
Yeti Lodge is the best accommodation option for our Mont Blanc courses; we hold all of the course meetings with our guides there and you will be picked up and dropped off at the Yeti Lodge at the start and end of each day. Furthermore, Yeti lodge will keep your room reserved for you when you are staying in mountain huts so you will have the option of returning to it if bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances prevents you from staying overnight in the mountains. You will still only be charged for the nights you stay at the hotel - there is no other hotel/chalet in the valley which offers such flexibility.
You can stay in the Yeti Lodge before and/or after the course start/finish if you wish. The cost is 95€ per person for fully catered and 70€ per person for B&B options. If you wish to find out more about Yeti Lodge, please visit their website.
2050€
Price for groups of minimum 2 participants. The price is per person excluding the Yeti Lodge accommodation. The course + Yeti Lodge is 2390€. The guide to client ratios on this course are 1 Guide for 4 clients during the preparation days and 1 Guide for 2 clients during the 3 ascent days.
| 2017 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start Date | End Date | Spaces | |||
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G
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Aug 26 | Sep 02 | Full | ||
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G
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Sep 02 | Sep 09 | 1 | ||
|
G
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Sep 03 | Sep 10 | Full | ||
|
G
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Sep 09 | Sep 16 | Full | ||
|
G
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Sep 16 | Sep 23 | 2 | ||
|
G
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Sep 17 | Sep 24 | Full | ||
| Sep 23 | Sep 30 | 4 | |||
| 2018 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start Date | End Date | Spaces | |||
| Jun 02 | Jun 09 | 4 | |||
| Jun 03 | Jun 10 | 4 | |||
| Jun 09 | Jun 16 | 4 | |||
| Jun 10 | Jun 17 | 4 | |||
| Jun 16 | Jun 23 | 4 | |||
| Jun 17 | Jun 24 | 4 | |||
|
G
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Jun 23 | Jun 30 | 3 | ||
| Jun 24 | Jul 01 | 4 | |||
| Jun 30 | Jul 07 | 4 | |||
| Jul 01 | Jul 08 | 4 | |||
| Jul 07 | Jul 14 | 4 | |||
| Jul 08 | Jul 15 | 4 | |||
| Jul 14 | Jul 21 | 4 | |||
| Jul 15 | Jul 22 | 4 | |||
| Jul 21 | Jul 28 | 4 | |||
| Jul 22 | Jul 29 | 4 | |||
| Jul 28 | Aug 04 | 4 | |||
| Jul 29 | Aug 05 | 4 | |||
| Aug 04 | Aug 11 | 4 | |||
| Aug 05 | Aug 12 | 4 | |||
| Aug 11 | Aug 18 | 4 | |||
| Aug 12 | Aug 19 | 4 | |||
| Aug 18 | Aug 25 | 4 | |||
| Aug 19 | Aug 26 | 4 | |||
| Aug 25 | Sep 01 | 4 | |||
| Aug 26 | Sep 02 | 4 | |||
| Sep 01 | Sep 08 | 4 | |||
| Sep 02 | Sep 09 | 4 | |||
| Sep 08 | Sep 15 | 4 | |||
| Sep 09 | Sep 16 | 4 | |||
| Sep 15 | Sep 22 | 4 | |||
| Sep 16 | Sep 23 | 4 | |||
| Sep 22 | Sep 29 | 4 | |||
Our course includes 6 days of guiding and instruction by experienced UIAGM qualified mountain guide.
All our guides have been chosen for their lovely personality and high standard of skills.
3 nights accommodation in mountain huts with breakfast and dinner included.
The cost of any lift access that is required during the course for the itinerary described above.
All transport required for the course, including one return trip to Val Paradiso in Italy
Ropes, safety equipment, etc will be provided when needed by your guide.
Our team is based at the foot of the Aiguille du Midi cable car and will be happy to help you with any questions you may have before, during or after your trip to Chamonix.
If you whish to stay at the Yeti Lodge, teh extra cost is 340€ including a shared based room, breakfasts, diners and afternoon tea.
Any accommodation additional to that provided during the course. If you wish to stay in Chamonix for a few days before or after your trip, we will be happy to help you find and book accommodation on request.
The course includes breakfasts and evening meals in huts (and Yeti Lodge if you decided to add the lodge to your course).
You will need to provide and carry your own packed lunches, snacks, drinks and any additional food that you may wish to bring. On some days we may have the option of buying lunch at a mountain refuge or nearby restaurant.
We strongly recommend that you take our Search and Rescue mountain insurance - we can organise this for you on request.
The price does not include flights, airport transfers or any other travel to/from Chamonix. However, we can organise airport transfers for you on request, please contact us for details.
Please see the "Equipment" tab to find out what you will need. Anything that you do not already have can be rented here in Chamonix, if there is anything you need then please contact us and we will be happy to organise it for you.
For private customised guiding, please contact us directly to confirm your persoanlised kit list.
Check-in to the Yeti Lodge and meet the lovely staff.
The course starts with an evening meeting with your course leader and the other members of your group.
Your guide will go though the itinerary for the week and answer any questions you may have.
The day will start with a drive to Italy and a hike through the Gran Paradiso National Park forest, with trails up towards the Rifugio Vittorio Emanuelle II hut (2732m).
After lunch you will practice ice axe and crampon skills on the glacier above the hut. If you haven't used crampons or an ice axe before, this is where your introduction will take place.
You will stay overnight at the refuge. Sleeping at altitude is one of the best ways to acclimatise.
Today you will climb the Gran Paradiso, at 4061m the highest mountain entirely within Italy.
This is a great way to acclimatise for Mont Blanc and summit a 4000m peak at the same time.
Your mountain guide will drive you from Chamonix through to Italy and back again.
Today we will do 1 of 2 plans, depending on the group and the weather.
We will either take the lift up to the Aiguille du Midi (3842m) to traverse the Vallée Blanche, in order to gain further acclimatisation and continue your practice with ice-axe and crampons. You will walk on a spectacular glacier to reach the Helbronner, taking the lift back to the Aiguille du Midi in the Panoramic gondola.
Or, in the case of bad weather or needing to rest before the Mont Blanc ascent, we can take the Montenvers railway up to the Mer de Glace and practise our crampon skills on the glacier there.
Now that your training is completed, you are ready for the ascent of Mont Blanc!
You will walk up to either the Tête Rousse (3167m) or the Cosmiques (3613mm) hut. You will be at the hut by early afternoon, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the dramatic location and spectacular views.
Dinner will be eaten at the hut and we will have an early night to prepare for an early start in the morning.
The Big Day! Weather permitting you will aim to summit Mont Blanc today.
The ascent takes about 6 to 7 hours and we will set off early to reach the summit.
You will either return by the same route to the Gouter hut or to go down to the Cosmiques hut, where you will spend the night.
If you have not summited the day before, you will make the attempt today requiring a 1am start.
After summiting, we will have to descend all the way down to the valley and should be back in Chamonix by mid-late afternoon, where we will meet at the Chamonix Experience office to celebrate!
On your last day you have time to exchange pictures, email addresses and return any equipment.
Mountaineering boots
Warm hat
Thermal underwear
Fleece or woollen layers
Light puffer jacket
Windproof and waterproof jacket
Windproof and waterproof trousers
Warm gloves
Thin gloves
Gaiters
Sun hat
Ice Axe
Harness
Telescopic poles
Ski goggles
Climbing helmet
35 - 45 litres rucksack
Crampons
Sunglasses
Water bottle (1 litre minimum)
Sun cream high protection (for lips and face)
Headlamp with fresh batteries
Sleeping bag liner
We suggest you bring with you or buy in resort snack food that you can take out on the hill with you each day. Things like cereal bars, dried fruit and nuts, chocolate, sugary sweets or your favourite hill snacks. When you’re staying overnight in huts it's best to take supplies for the days you are away. Huts do sell food but it’s expensive and sometimes stocks run low.
If you have any food allergies or dietary requirements especially if you are a Coeliac (Gluten free) or have a dairy allergy we strongly recommend you bring some food to supplement your hut dinners. The huts are fairly good at providing for vegetarians but less so for other dietary needs. The huts can provide a small basic packed lunch of bread, salami, cheese and chocolate that you can buy each day but it’s important that you don’t rely on this option only. You do need to carry some snack food for each day.
You will also generally stop for short breaks every hour where you should eat and drink something in order to maintain your energy levels throughout the day.
The high alpine huts are one of the big attractions to mountaineering or trekking in the Alps. They allow us the time to enjoy the mountains with only light packs and without having to worry about meals or finding somewhere to sleep! Most huts have only very basic facilities. Sleeping arrangements are in mixed sex dormitory-style rooms with bunks; there can be up to 20 people in one room.
Washing facilities are limited and generally there is no running water in any of the huts although this may vary in some huts. There are basins in which you can use bottled water to wash and clean your teeth, but they are NOT generally in private cubicles and are mixed sex. Toilets are generally septic-tank type (so non-flushing) and again mixed sex. You need to be prepared for simple living in the huts and appreciate they are located at high altitude and in inhospitable terrain.
A 3-course evening meal and breakfast are served by the guardian and his team and food is usually nourishing and filling. Beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks are also available. All food and drink in the huts is delivered by helicopter and consequently prices will be high e.g. between 5 -10€ or 10CHF for a 1.5litre bottle of still water.
There are a few basic hut ‘rules’ that you need to follow so that you (and your fellow climbers) have a pleasant stay:
1) On arriving at the hut you must take off your boots and leave these together with your ice-axe, crampons in the foyer. Be sure to store these carefully as the hut is likely to get very busy and you’ll need to find all your kit in the morning rush!
2) House slippers are provided and must be worn in the hut
3) Your guide will register you with the guardian and will assign you your bunk
4) Follow the instructions of your guide and keep requests to the guardian and his team to a minimum – they are usually very busy sorting out groups, cooking meals, keeping the hut clean
5) In the morning your guide will often want to leave early – be sure to have all your kit ready to go the night before. Be organized and everything will be much easier!
6) It is recommended to bring ear-plugs for the nights – but make sure that you wake up on time!
Yeti Lodge are modern, comfortable chalets situated in a quiet hamlet in Argentiere.
This accommodation is on shared basis in twin rooms and includes breakfast and dinner.
Facilities :
• Sauna
• Hot tub
• Parking
• UK Freeview and French TV
• Free WIFI
• Safe deposit boxes
• Ski Room
• IPOD compatible docking station
If the weather forecast is poor, we will follow an alternative programme. From the Aiguille du Midi you can access the Cosmiques or Torino refuges. These are ideal bases to ascend classic mountaineering routes such as Mt Blanc du Tacul, Cosmiques Arete, Point Lachenal, Tour Ronde and the Aiguille d' Entreves. Or we can drive to Italy or Switzerland and attempt the Gran Paradiso or the Weissmies in the Saas valley – please note there will be additional transport costs for options to Italy or Switzerland.
We also organise custom made programmes for companies wanting to Climb Mont Blanc as a corporate objective.
It is an excellent goal to reach with your colleagues or your best clients.
We only take small teams with a maximum of 12 clients.
For these specific demands, please visit our events website:
www.chamonixevents.com
or don't hesitate to email us on info@chamex.com
As the name suggests, this route goes via 3 summits; the Mont Blanc du Tacul, the Mont Maudit and the Mont Blanc and takes 7 - 8 hours from the hut to the summit.
The start is at the Aiguille du midi from where you have the first view of the 3 summits. An easy 30 mins glacier walk will take you to the Cosmiques hut (3617 m) where you spend the night. You will leave the hut very early the next day, at 1:30 AM to start the climb. A descent to the Col du Midi (3532 m) will be followed by a climb of the steep N face of the Mont Blanc du Tacul to reach the Epaule du Mont Blanc du Tacul . The climb is complicated as it zig zags around many seracs and crevasses and the path changes every year due to the glacier movement. It is also prone to avalanches due to falling seracs or after a snow fall. The route continues from the Epaule south to the Col Maudit (4035 m) and then up the N face of the Mont Maudit. The N face is 40º - 50º steep ice climb which takes you up to the Col du Mont Maudit (4345 m). This is the crux step of the route which is equipped with belays and sometimes with a fixed rope. The route then continues by easy walk down to the Col de la Brenva (4303 m) and then climbs to your right up the steep wall of the Mur de la Cote to reach the Plateau des Petits Roches Rouges. The final stretch to reach the summit of Mont Blanc (4810 m) is relatively easy climb, but be aware of the effect that the high altitude has on human body and our physical performance. Nothing is easy at nearly 5000m!
Descent: You can descend either by the same way as you climbed up (4 -5 hours to the Aiguille du Midi, 2 abseils) or by the Gouter hut (4 - 5 hours to the Nid d’Aigle).
This is the route which you will most likely climb on our Mont Blanc courses. While this is the easiest route to reach the Mont Blanc summit, it still requires good crampon skills, fitness and acclimatisation. We also chose this itinerary because it allows the ascent over 3 days. This is an advantage as you can climb up slowly and so cope better with the altitude and physical effort. Also, the climb is over 3 days giving an extra day to attempt the summit - a valuable opportunity if the weather is unstable.
We will take the Bellevue cable car from Les Houches and the Tramway du Mont Blanc to the Nid d’Aigle (2372 m). From there is a 2 - 2.5 hours hike on a zig zagging, rocky path up to the Tete Rousse hut where you will spend a night.
You will have an early start the next day to leave the hut at 2:00h AM. Hike towards the Aiguille du Gouter W face and across the Tete Rousse glacier to reach its SE edge. Continue up to reach the ridge which divides the the Tete Rousse and the Bionnassay glaciers and up the ridge to reach the Grand Couloir. The Grand Couloir is the most dangerous place on this climb as it is very prone to rockfalls. You wan to reach it very early in the morning and cross it very quickly. The couloir is only about 30 m wide but the path immediately before and after the couloir is also exposed to the rock falls so make sure that you stop on a safe place to get ready for the crossing.
After the couloir, the path leads up and right over a south side of the ridge to the Aiguille du Gouter (3863 m) and on to the Gouter hut (3835 m). Today is the first opportunity to reach the Mont Blanc summit so if the weather is good and you have reached this point in a good time, you will continue up the NW face of Dome du Gouter (4303 m). The climb is relatively mellow passing around few crevasses. the path then leads From the Dome down to the Col des Domes (3564 m)to the Bosses ridge. A 100m of a steep snow climb will take you to the Vallot hut and then on over the Bosses ridge to the summit of Mont Blanc (4810 m).
You will then descent back to the Gouter hut where you spend the night and down to Chamonix the next day. If you haven’t reached the summit on the second day of your climb, you will try on the third day. You will leave the Gouter hut at 1:30 AM, climb up to the Mont Blanc summit as described above and descend down to the Chamonix. The climb from the Tete Rousse hut to the Gouter hut takes about 3 hours and the Mont Blanc summit from the Gouter hut 5 - 6 hours.
