Summiting Mont Blanc for the first time

From Chamonix we (my Dad and I) drove to Saint Gervais, left the car there and took the Tramway du Mont Blanc up to Nid D’aigle (2362 m). The tramway was a beautiful hour long trip up the side of the valley, with fantastic views across meadows up the Chamonix valley and up the Glacier de Bionnassay.

From Nid D’aigle we walked 3 hours up to the Te’te Rousse Hut (3167 m), where we had dinner and an early night. The hut was ok, but didn’t have any running water, although you were able to buy bottled water and we treated ourselves to some cake!

We had a 2am breakfast and set off with our head torches across the Grand Couloir, which is notorious for rock fall, but with the recent fresh snow it was held in place better, hence the early start to avoid the snow melt. Then up the ridge to the right of the couloir to the Gouter Hut, where we left some of our kit which we wouldn’t need for the rest of the day, this lessened the weight in our sacks and we were staying at the Gouter Hut that night in descent anyway.

From the Gouter Hut we followed a snow ridge and field with crevasses (a deep crack in an ice sheet or glacier) and seracs (a block or column of ice) towards the Dome du Gouter, which we went around on the NE (left) side, then across the Col du Dome onto the Vallot Hut (this is used as a bivouac refuge in bad weather). From there the snow slope narrows into the Bosses ridge, which had some very steep exposed sections, keeping left of the Rochers de la Tournette onto another narrow ridge leading to the summit!

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe at 4810m and what a wonderful feeling having made it to the summit for my first time with my Dad, who has climbed it many times before! The weather was absolutely perfect and the views were spectacular! We spent about half an hour sitting on the summit, we took some photos and had a bite to eat, just enjoying the moment and the total peace and quiet! This was my third attempt, previously bad weather and fitness were to blame, but not this time.

The descent to the Gouter Hut was very hot with the sun beating down on us and reflecting off the snow, but the photo opportunities were massive, so we made the most of it. We arrived back at the new Gouter Hut (3835 m) which just opened in July 2013, replacing the old hut. There were two floors of dorms filled with bunk beds and a floor for the dining area. We had a nice dinner, then went to bed and slept a solid 12 hours!

We had a late breakfast at 7am, and after we successfully crossed the Grand Couloir in the cool of the morning, we headed back down to Chamonix for some rest and relaxation in the sun!