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Mont Blanc, July 2008.I’m sure that many other walkers with a passion for the mountains like myself, would have thought or dreamt about doing one of “the big ones.”
I had for many years imagined that one day I could climb Mont Blanc (I would have also liked to have had a crack at Everest, but the logistics and cost of a trek like that was always going to be out of my reach)
In the summer of 2007 we went for a holiday to Chamonix, and for several wonderful days my gaze was drawn to the massive white bulk of Mont Blanc above the town and from various walks we did in the surrounding mountains, always thinking I would love to be up there.
Mont Blanc at Dawn from Chamonix 2007, One of the images that got me thinking...At the end of the holiday we shared our taxi back to the airport with a young lady, she had just done it, and thrilled me with the tales of her trek, together with the drivers stories of when he had also done it. Oh how I was so envious, and wished it was me who was telling those stories, so that was it…my mind was made…I was determined to come back and attempt it next year
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With no glacier and little rope experience I needed to hire a guide, this was soon done. This was a weeks package which included my accommodation, some training and high altitude acclimatisation prior to the 3 day trek.
A two weeks holiday was booked for July 2009, the first week in Switzerland based in Interlaken and Zermatt, so lots of walking at fairly high altitude would be involved. And I needed to be as fit as possible, so lots of running and hill walking beforehand.
I was ready….now bring it on!
Sat 12th July 2009.I knew that another guy called Alex who was in his mid 30’s was to be my walking partner; he had also hired my guide for the same trek. When I arrived at the apartment he was already there. Now it was a bit of a worry about going with someone you have never met before, and if he is up to the task and so on, but my fears were soon dispelled, as he was really nice guy and was very fit, as well as other things being a keen long distance biker and had done several triathlons, if fact he must have thought that I was the weakest link, being almost 20 years older than him.
We also met our guide Richard that evening who checked out our gear to make sure it was up to the job in hand.
Sun 13thWe got one of the ski lifts into the mountains for a bit of snow and ice climbing/tuition, the weather was poor, snowing and clag, so we bailed out after a couple of hours.
Mon 13thThe day started badly, cloudy and wet, and snowing horizontal with no visibility at the top of the Aug De Midi ski station where we sat drinking tea and coffee for the next few hours, but with a improving forecast for the afternoon we hung about. By noon it was as bad as ever and our planned trek across the Col de Midi and the Glacier to a mountain hut on the Italian border was off with lack of time ahead, if fact Richard asked us if we should call it off and head back down?
....no way! If there was a chance of doing something I wanted to sit tight and wait….our patience was rewarded, as all of a sudden the clouds started to clear and amazingly within several minutes we were bathed in wonderful sunshine
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Our plan B was a walk down to the Col De Midi and skirt around to the ridge that leads to the Refuge Des Cosmiques (3613m) perched high near the Aug De Midi cable car station.
The route from the Aug De Midi ski station is along and down an awesome snow knife edged ridge, one that I had looked at and had been mesmerised by last year. I can’t tell you how good it was to set foot on this fabulous arête, I was entering a different world, and it felt great!
Three images of the Arete leading from Aug De Midi....
How glad I was that we had sat out the storm, we were walking in brilliant mountain surroundings with pristine and fresh brilliant white snow all around and an azure blue sky overhead….talk about wildest dreams
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We roped up for the ridge, which was technically challenging in parts, but probably no harder than doing the Aonach Eagach in full winter conditions, I was in my element.
Three pictures of the Ridge leading to the Refuge Des Cosmiques...
We arrived at the hut at about 2.30pm, a night here would be good for our acclimatisation, and what a place to spend the night! Fantastic views, cloud filled valleys.
Grandes Jorasses
Col de Midi
Col de Midi
The Matterhorn from Refuge Des Cosmiques
Chamonix valley from Refuge Des Cosmiques Later we had a 3 course meal which was finished off by a fantastic sunset.
Aug de Midi from Refuge Des Cosmiques
Mont Blanc du Taci at sunset To bed by 10pm but I did not sleep well, the altitude giving me a dull headache.
Tues 15thUp at 7am, after breakfast we set off at 8am crossing the Col De Midi & Glacier Du Geant towards Italy, again simply awesome weather and surroundings.
Aug de Midi
Crossing the Col de Midi
Crossing the Col de Midi
Carefull!Once across we climbed the steep sided Le Grand Flambeau peak (3559m) and having seen us in action on the ridge yesterday Richard put me on the opposite end off the rope to him, with Alex in the middle, this meant that I led on the downward sections, this in my mind meant that Richard thought that I was more competent in these conditions than Alex (he had had little previous experience in snow and ice, unlike me) Little things like that make you feel good
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On Le Grand Flambeau (3559m)After descending…and now it felt a lot steeper, we walked to the Torino cable car station and refuge (3371m) on the Italian Border were we were able to get the cable car back to the Aug de Midi across the route we had walked, with great aerial views of the glacier.
Glacier du Geant from the cable-car
Glacier du Geant from the cable-car
Our training ridge to Refuge Des CosmiquesThe weather forecast for the next few days was good, our Mont Blanc trip was on…now it was up to us if we could do it, another worry, because if one of us fails, we both fail, as we all have to go back down together whatever.
Wed 16thWe got picked up by Richard at 10am, drove down to the village of Les Houches where we got a ski lift up to Saint-Gervais (500m), where the Tramway du Mont-Blanc is boarded for a spectacular journey up to the Nid d’Aigle / Eagle’s Nest (2300m).
Start of walk near Nid D'Aigle
Precarious camping spot!From here we walked up a good track to the Refuge De Tete Roussie Hut (3167m) in 2 hours. It was still hot and sunny so I spent the afternoon lazing and dozing in the sun amongst the rocks above the hut.
High Campsite Refuge De Tete Rousse (3167m)
West face of Aig du Gouter (Death gully in centre)
View from the Refuge De Tete Rousse
Refuge De Tete Rousse
High Campsite Refuge De Tete Rousse (3167m)
High Campsite Refuge De Tete Rousse (3167m)
Refuge De Tete RousseTo bed after dinner at 8pm in readiness for an early rise, but got no sleep, the thin air taking its toll again
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Thurs 17th Summit daySo after a few hours lie down!
We were up at 00.20am
, a quick breakfast, then dressed and booted up for the black and white (night and snow)
It seemed like an eerie dream getting ready with lack of sleep, me and other bodies fumbling around with gear in the confined space in the poorly lit boot room.
At 1.10am we went out into the darkness and chill of the night, the stars above were ablaze in the black sky, the moon crept above the towering peaks as if in some fantasy picture, and intermittent lines of head torches could be seen ahead and a procession zigzagging slowly up the great face of the Aig. Du Gouter, wow! I had never seen anything like this before, that image will always stay in my mind.
We made fast progress, soon reaching the steep face of Aig Du Gouter, this part is a mixture of rock and snow. There is a lot of rock fall on this face, in particular in the afternoon (early mornings are relatively safe) most of the danger is while crossing the "Death gully" where many have died, mostly from a fall while trying to avoid the falling rocks. The trick is to wait for a time when nobody else is trying to cross and no falling rocks are in sight…..Again we were quickly across
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We were catching up and passing many climbers, sometimes having to slow down or wait at narrow technical pitches where some were struggling, and many were just stopping exhausted due to the steepness and the thin air. (Later we heard that many had given up and turned back defeated by either fitness or terrain)
At the top of the face is the Gouter hut which we reached at 3am, here we would rest for 30 minutes and leave some of our overnight gear for our return later.
At 3.30am we set off again, the light of dawn slowly breaking now, gradually we started to get great views down to peaks that we had only seen from below in the days before.
Dawn, 3.30am, on route to Mont Blanc
Dawn 3.55am, on route to Mont BlancWe saw the sun rise over distant alpine peaks, again a once in a lifetime awesome sight, but sadly our guide seemed hell-bent on getting up to the summit in the fastest time possible, so I was not able to take many pictures. (Later he told us that it was the fastest time he had ever been up and down with any other clients on the summit day, I was somewhat pleased and proud of this fact, but would have liked to have stopped more times for photos, food, drinks etc. but being roped up this was not possible)
Onwards and upwards we plodded over countless massive snow covered ridges and slopes, but I felt good, my fitness was fine and the altitude and lack of sleep was not a problem, just puffing a bit more than usual!
Bosses ridge, 4am
Bosses ridge, 5.15am
Distant views en route to Mont Blanc
Aug De Midi (LHS)At last we hit the summit at 7.30am, Whoop we had done it! Absolutely brilliant! It’s all a bit of blur now, that 5 minutes we had up there, hardly enough time for a few photos, a bite to eat, a drink and a quick look around, but the views were amazing, countless alpine peaks stretching out to the far horizon.
I was on the highest point of Western Europe!
Success! Mont Blanc summit, 5.35am
Me and climbing partner Alex on summitOn our way down to the Gouter hut, our guide kept checking his watch stopped and made a suggestion that we could get all the way down that day, at that point Alex fell to his knees panting and saying that no way could he make it all the way down, and I definitely wanted to carry on with this brilliant experience and have another night high in an Alpine hut. (Call me Mr Cynical but I think the reason why our guide wanted to get down early was because he was in the middle of building an extension on his house, and had lots work to do)
We were lucky...some cloud coming in
On the way down from Mont Blanc
Aug du Midi
Looking back, our route down
Aug du MidiAt 10.05am we reached the Gouter hut (3700m) fairly tired. After some well earned snacks and drink, we hit our sacks and slept until my alarm went off at 5.30pm (set for dinner), and then back to blissful sleep again at 8pm until 7.40am the next morning! Not missing much as cloud and snow moved in during the evening.
For such a busy hut it is rather old and cramped and was extremely crowded, on average about 200 climbers are packed in, although it only has 75 places. People were sleeping on and under tables and anywhere else there was space to lie down.
Fri 18thWe awoke to blue skies above and a cloud invasion below. After breakfast we were away by 8.30am.
View from Gouter Hut
Gouter Hut, ready to decend
High above the clouds
View back to Gouter Hut on the way down
Leaving the Gouter HutI led down the Gouter face, thankful of the daylight this time, reaching the bottom safely in 1.40mins. We unroped at the Tete Rouse hut for the easy walk below the snowline and back to the Tramway du Mont-Blanc. Back to Earth and Chamonix for a shower, a lazy afternoon and a beer or two to celebrate
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