Climb Mont Blanc

Sev

Don't get too hung up on fine details. It's not necessary that you have the most expensive wrap around glasses etc. that needs to be bought in advance in Ireland etc. If you go out and buy brand new everything right down to the finest detail in Ireland, then your Mont Blanc expedition can get very expensive indeed. For example, any pair of Category 3 CE rated sunglasses will do. If there are gaps letting stray light in etc. then duct tape will solve that job. Never underestimate the power of duct tape.

Sometimes you might be down off the mountain early, and it might be a dull overcast day, in which case you might never even wear your sunglasses at all*.

But remember... EVERYTHING you will need to climb Mont Blanc can be bought in Chamonix for a fraction of the price you will pay in Ireland.

If I were you, I would pick up any spare bits and bobs in Technique Extreme on Avenue de l'Aguille du Midi. It's a fantastic resource... its like rambler's way on Mary St. except with climbing gear! If you don't pick up sunglasses suitable for the job there, then there is a pharmacy a 30 second walk further down the road. You'll also get rucksacks, gloves, socks, gaiters, water bottles etc....

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Chamonix,+france&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.368578,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Chamonix,+Haute-Savoie,+Rh%C3%B4ne-Alpes,+France&layer=c&cbll=45.919531,6.868747&panoid=s476Nm6chtMg-Cw4G_ZPjw&cbp=12,161.36,,0,5.3&ll=45.919423,6.868923&spn=0.001952,0.004823&z=18

*That said, the strength of the sun is extremely magnified on the mountain with all the snow and diffuse reflections through cloud etc. So even on a cloudy day you can get very sunburnt. I would carry a spare cheaper pair of sungasses and a small bottle of high factor sun cream. It would be terrible to have to abort your Mont Blanc climb or risk snow blindness because you misplaced your only pair of sunglasses in the hut somewhere.

ludzer

Well unfortunately we won't make it up to the summit of mt blanc this time, after 33 days of sun, the day we are due to begin the cloud appears and high winds and snow are due, done a few good climbs though up to 3500 and 4000 to be done Grand Paradiso tomorrow. Very p1ssed off not getting the chance but that's life.
On the equipment point I got cat 4 glasses here for 80, other items boots, gaiters, etc all seem in or around the same price as at home.

claxxix

Hi Ludzer,

Sorry to hear your Mt Blanc summit bid has been scraped. I know that feeling! Its the pits.... I was there last year and had to come home without making a summit bid due to adverse weather conditions. Thankfully, the weather cut us a break this year a few weeks ago. Your day will come man.

Regards,
claxxix

Sev

ludzer1 wrote: »

Well unfortunately we won't make it up to the summit of mt blanc this time, after 33 days of sun, the day we are due to begin the cloud appears and high winds and snow are due, done a few good climbs though up to 3500 and 4000 to be done Grand Paradiso tomorrow. Very p1ssed off not getting the chance but that's life.
On the equipment point I got cat 4 glasses here for 80, other items boots, gaiters, etc all seem in or around the same price as at home.

Sorry to hear that, that sucks. At least you got some other climbs in. Mont Blanc isn't everything. I've been to chamonix twice now for climbing and have never even considered Mont Blanc as an option, there's so much else there to do too! I don't know if thats any consolation!

At least now you know Chamonix and hopefully have a bit of alpine experience and understanding of the high mountain environment. Next time you could just head back with a friend and do it without a guide?

Do check out technique extreme, there are bargains to be had!

Sev

If you don't make it back to the Alps before the end of the season, you could pull out that ice axe again by trying Ben Nevis in the Winter.

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150801/ben-nevis.html

(That said theres still climbing to be had in the Alps in winter too)

ludzer

Sev wrote: »

Sorry to hear that, that sucks. At least you got some other climbs in. Mont Blanc isn't everything. I've been to chamonix twice now for climbing and have never even considered Mont Blanc as an option, there's so much else there to do too! I don't know if thats any consolation!

At least now you know Chamonix and hopefully have a bit of alpine experience and understanding of the high mountain environment. Next time you could just head back with a friend and do it without a guide?

Do check out technique extreme, there are bargains to be had!

I dont know if I'd risk it without a guide to be honest, saying that I would not go with the guide we took, he p1ssed us off no end, did nothing but spoke French to the other 4 in our group. We had to ask for a translation the whole time which was crap. Plenty of Irish/English/Scottish guides over there now I have learned so will be hiring one of them privately next time.

ludzer

Sev wrote: »

If you don't make it back to the Alps before the end of the season, you could pull out that ice axe again by trying Ben Nevis in the Winter.

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150801/ben-nevis.html

(That said theres still climbing to be had in the Alps in winter too)

Yeah I've climbed Ben Nevis years and years ago, but we deffinately intend to head over there once winter shows its face again, looking forward to that already.

K09

Hi,

What is the easiest but reasonably cheap way of getting to Chamonix? Aerlingus flights to Geneva are bit pricey @250euro. Ryanair don't seem to fly anywhere close.

Thanks.

SomeFool

Milan or Zurich or Lyon/Grenoble i suppose and train/bus from there.
Try looking at flying through London,probably the easiest option, skyscanner.net is good.

a148pro

Anyone have any views on whether going up to the Aiguille de Midi lift station and spending time up there would help for acclimatisation? Basically I don't want to have to pay a guide for acclimatisation, I thought I could just go up to the lift station and spend the day up there, reading, jogging on the spot (!), taking photos?

I think it would be too dangerous to go out onto the glacier up there on my own.

Or does anyone know of any easy hikes I could do on my own? Was thinking as well I could just climb up to the top station at Les Grand Montets, but I suspect the piste which comes down from there is actually on a glacier too?

Esel

^ It would certainly help. Bring a full (heavy) rucksack, and go up and down some of the stairs for a couple of hours at a time. Not at a fast pace, obviously.

Be very fit before you head over.

Sev

You could stay a night in the Cosmiques hut (3613m)? I've never been to it, but I believe it's a short walk (less than an hour) from the Aiguille du Midi cable car station and the route should be very well trodden. My understanding is, however, that the way is over glacier and roped travel is advised. Also the initial few steps straight out of the cable car station take you onto a rather exposed snow ridge with steepish drops to either side.

However, it really is only a short walk from the cable car station, so all you would need to do is find somebody else (or another party) with experience who are also heading to the Cosmiques hut and ask if you can join their rope. You may find somebody to team up with at the cable car station? at your hostel/campsite/hotel? at the office de haute montagne? Knowledge of French will help.

You will need to book the hut in advance however, it will fill up easily during the summer season.

Sev

I've also spent a night in the toilets of the Aiguille du Midi cable car station. This isn't really an option though. They close down the station at night, but leave the entrance open and the heating system on in the toilets for aiding stranded climbers.

a148pro

Lol at the toilets! That's determination for you!

Yes I did think about going down to Cosmiques, I'll be staying there the night before the climb anyway (doing the 3 Monts Route, hopefully).

Two probs with going down on my own though. One, the arete mightn't be roped, any of the videos of seen this year from it show it unroped. Not mad on walking down it without a rope, even with crampons. Fall to the left and I'm effectively dead.

Two, the route down from the arete to Cosmiques is over a glacier. I reckon if I chanced it in flip flops 99 times out of a hundred I'd be fine but I don't think it's a good idea to do it alone. Thanks for the suggestion of asking someone else to rope up with but I'm effectively a complete beginner as I don't remember anything of value from the last time I wore a rope and harness and I'd hate to impose on other people and have them thinking they're effectively responsible for me.

Unless other people have any views on how easy it is to get down to Cosmiques?

Also, will it not benefit me enough simply spending the day at 3800m, rather than trying to sleep there? I thought it was climb high sleep low...?

SomeFool

When are you there? Might be there in early August and if you want to rope yourself onto SomeFool and cross to the Cosmiques.

a148pro

thanks some fool (some fool indeed;)) but I hope to be there next week.

Anyway, how would I get back!?!

SomeFool

a148pro wrote: »

Anyway, how would I get back!?!

Return journey would be €50 or a nice bottle of red. Good luck next week!

Esel

a148pro wrote: »

Also, will it not benefit me enough simply spending the day at 3800m, rather than trying to sleep there? I thought it was climb high sleep low...?

No need for you to overnight, really. Climb high, sleep low would apply more to the greater ranges, imo.

If your first outing is going straight from the valley, via the telefrique, to the Midi, then planning to exercise strenuously for an extended period while there, you might well experience some mild symtoms of altitude sickness. Think nausea, lassitude, headache - feeling knackered, basically!

I know I did, first time at about 3,000m. That was after climbing to that height. It cleared up, but I remember feeling like a wet dishrag, and that breathing (gasping) didn't seem to do much for me.... It was a one-off, but a physiological response all the same.

a148pro

Thanks esel. Apart from mild paranoia I've always been good at altitude, but touch wood because there's no guarantee that'll continue. Anyway, i've never really exercised as hard as I will here, dragging myself up snow slopes with a heavy pack, that's obviously when I'm going to feel it. I remember being up one of the higher lifts when skiing and dragging myself up thirty yards up the slope to take a photo, jesus you realise why they have ski lifts....

Sev

a148pro wrote: »

Lol at the toilets! That's determination for you!
Two probs with going down on my own though. One, the arete mightn't be roped, any of the videos of seen this year from it show it unroped. Not mad on walking down it without a rope, even with crampons. Fall to the left and I'm effectively dead.

You've done your homework. Yeah, if you slide down the left you'll eventually find yourself at the bottom of the Frendo Spur. Incidentally, a British climber fell and died on this face last week.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Scottish-Climber-Robbie-Cammack-19-Dies-After-Falling-1300ft-In-A-Storm-In-The-French-Alps/Article/201106316012110

When I climbed the spur at about this time last year, there was no rope on the snow ridge. I believe this is only up in the winter season. In fact I stumbled up this ridge in the dark, blissfully ignorant to the drops on either side. But if you have a good head for heights it's not so bad, just take careful steps, the ridge is reasonably wide.

Two, the route down from the arete to Cosmiques is over a glacier. I reckon if I chanced it in flip flops 99 times out of a hundred I'd be fine but I don't think it's a good idea to do it alone. Thanks for the suggestion of asking someone else to rope up with but I'm effectively a complete beginner as I don't remember anything of value from the last time I wore a rope and harness and I'd hate to impose on other people and have them thinking they're effectively responsible for me.

As I said, I've never walked down to the Cosmiques hut and can't really say how dangerous it might be, but I agree with your assessment. In any case, I still think its definitely worth asking around in Chamonix. And if you're planning on heading up to the Midi station to chill out for a day, you might as well bring your climbing gear too just in case you do meet some people who are heading to the cosmiques that will take you under their wing.

Also, as far as glacier travel is concerned, the more people on a rope, the safer. There are more bodies to hold a fall and more man power to help with any potential rescue effort. Going on a snow covered glacier in a team of two is the most dangerous way to go (solo is more dangerous of course!), and for this reason, I would happily welcome a novice onto my rope if I was crossing a dangerous glacier. That said, I wouldn't be as quick to welcome a novice for traversing a narrow snow ridge.

Unless other people have any views on how easy it is to get down to Cosmiques?

You could ask on climbing.ie?

Also, will it not benefit me enough simply spending the day at 3800m, rather than trying to sleep there? I thought it was climb high sleep low...?

From my experience at altitude (in the Andes, Nepal, Tibet, Kilimanjaro), the more time you spend at altitude, the better. This means sleep at altitude if at all possible.

You could consider getting Diamox tablets (acetazolamide). You take them a few days before and during your stint at altitude and they help the body acclimatise (They also make fizzy drinks taste incredibly strange and worth trying them for the taste altering effects alone!)

You can only get them by prescription in Ireland, but I'd say you'll have little trouble getting them if you really want them. Just visit your doctor and say you're going to climb Mont Blanc and that you're worried about acclimatisation.

Sev

Also, there's no harm in ringing the hut, booking a place and then not showing up or cancelling if things don't work out. People do this all the time.

a148pro

Thanks Sev, have posted on climbing.ie as well so getting good advice on both. Took Diamox in Chile and it certainly worked in the sense that I had no problems. Went to 5600 from 2400 and then slept like a log at 4400 the next night. Might try and get some more here actually it'll be a good idea, thanks.

Climbed down that ridge in skiboots before but was roped to a guide and there was a hand rail so I didn't really care, even when I slipped (had no crampons on). Would be a bit of a tight rope without the rope though! Grand if you've a head for heights (I'm not great in that regard) or if you've been exposed already (i.e., climbed up the route) but not a great start to your exposure. Jesus, I get nervous getting those fecking cable cars.

Hadn't realised they don't rope it in Summer. Makes sense - should only be experienced climbers / extreme ski-mountaineers / Irish gringos attached to a guide going down it at this time of year.

God I love Chamonix!

Sev

Right, so you know what to expect then. I believe, the tunnel before the exit onto the snow ridge is where everybody puts on their crampons and ropes up. Here would probably be a good place to find a group heading down to the Cosmiques hut who's rope you could join.

This video should give you some idea of what traversing that snow ridge is like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqsn9FhupGk

This site could be of some help?

http://www.climbfind.com/people-looking-for-climbing-partners/france/chamonix

a148pro

Crampons are cheating imo:

http://vimeo.com/24750626



Fcuking insaniacs...

SomeFool

Given that you have two days before you meet the guide maybe a night at Albert Premier (about 2,900 and no glacier to cross) followed by a night in the Cosmiques would work well for you. I reckon I'd go crackers spending two days hanging about the Aig du Midi station.

Actually UKC is about the best resource imo, well worth a read through.

a148pro

That's actually a very good plan Somefool, thanks. Nice regulated ascent and also gives me the opportunity to take some sunrise and sunset pics - bringing an SLR but not lugging it up Mont Blanc.

Sev

Ah yeah, the Albert Premiere, didn't think about that. The hut is situated at the point where all further travel is over glacier. It has some fantastic views over the glacier du tour and the Aig. du Chardonnet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lensscaper/5175806687/

It's a great spot to bring the camera. There's also some great views over the Chamonix valley and the Aiguilles Rouges if you decide to walk up from Le Tour. Although, I would advise getting the cable car. The walk up from Le Tour is very long indeed and not kind to those with heavy bags.

a148pro

Excellent, looks eminently reachable on my todd too, thanks lads.

Now I just wonder if I'd be better off spending a day at 3800 or day and a night at 2700?

I reckon I'll just play it by ear and see how it works out with any weather window and when the guide wants to go. Will most likely be there mid-week so there'll be less pressure on the huts.

Waiting for the weather to clear up anyway or all the climbing I'll be doing is on Youtube unfortunately.

Thanks for all your help I'll let ye know how I get on.

K09

Hi,

Any accommodation recommended in Chamonix to get good night sleep before climbing?

Thanks

Esel

^ Will you please stop saying 'hike'! You don't hike the Alps....