5 days
2100
Mont Blanc Massif
Ascent to Mont Blanc 3 days
Technical lev. : 4,5 / 5
Physical lev. : 4,5 / 5
The highest peak of Europe over Italy and France represents the acme of a mountain range not too large (only 18 km its development) but extremely severe and sprinkled with many peaks over 4000 m.
Dates & Prices
Two people per guide during the 3 days, in order to maximize your chances of success.
Given the physical and technical difficulty of the Mont Blanc ascent, this course is only available on a private basis.
Dates available on request.
IMPORTANT : Since 2021, the reservations in the refuges of the normal way of Mont Blanc (Refuge of Tête Rousse and Refuge of Goûter) are mandatory and nominative to make the ascent. The opening of the reservations takes place in November / December for the following summer.
At the time of the opening of the reservations of the Tête Rousse and the Goûter refuge, we register the participants subject to the availability of the refuges at that time. We will confirm your Mont Blanc ascent after the huts' reservations have been validated.
We therefore advise you to start planning your ascent well in advance.
Cancellation fees will be increased by €150 per person. This corresponds to the non-refundable deposit paid to the huts on the normal Mont Blanc route.
120 € per person will be deducted from the credit note (deposit lost in the huts).
Ascent
The highest peak of Europe over Italy and France represents the acme of a mountain range not too large (only 18 km its development) but extremely severe and sprinkled with many peaks over 4000 m. The peak is represented by a large ice sheet on the French side that goes down to lower altitudes; the Italian side, also characterized by vast glacial surfaces, is however much more severe and impressive. Ambitious arrival point of mountaineers from all over the world, is an interesting place and great satisfaction.
The ascent normally starts from the Refuge du Gouter.
This ascent requires a good physical preparation because it takes between 8 and 12 hours of walking and climbing at altitude; moreover, it is necessary to have some experience in the use of ice axe and crampons.
If you do not have experience in cramponing and mountaineering at altitude, you must complete a training and acclimatization program with Esprit Montagne with the ascent of different summits in view of this great ascent (e.g. Gran Paradiso, Castor, Punta Gnifetti / Signalkuppe at Monte Rosa, etc.).
Mont Blanc is a difficult summit, it is important to be well prepared and acclimatized to achieve its ascent and to live a superb adventure.
To complete this information you can look at this link to the website of the Office de Haute Montagne de Chamonix which allows you to understand that the ascent of Mont Blanc is a mountaineer story.
Program
The program is approximate and, in case of bad weather, there might be variations to be agreed between the guide and the participants.
Vertical drop: +700 m
Meeting with the mountain guide at 12:30 in Saint Gervais Le Fayet, at the departure of the Mont Blanc Tramway, which will take you to the Nid d'Aigle at 2300m. Then a 3-4 hour hike to the Tête Rousse glacier awaits us.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Tête Rousse hut (3167m).
Vertical drop: + 1700 m / - 1000 m
The longest day of about 10 hours. Departure at 5am via the Tête Rousse glacier to reach the famous Gouter couloir.
The climb passes through rocky sections to reach the Aiguille du Gouter and the Cabane du Gouter, where we can take a short break.
We then climb the Dôme de Gouter and continue to the Vallot hut. Then we start the famous Arête des Bosses, which can be more or less technical depending on the conditions.
The second slope is technically easier, but the effects of the altitude and fatigue will start to show. With motivation we will continue the ascent before climbing the final ridge that leads to the summit of Mont Blanc.
At the summit we will have time to contemplate the view of the Western Alps, take photos, catch our breath and congratulate each other!
Then it's time for the descent, after this long climb we make a short descent and sleep at the Refuge du Gouter. We enjoy the exceptional view for our last night in altitude, the highest at over 3800 metres.
Please note that the Gouter and Tete Rousse huts are interchangeable, depending on when we can get reservations.
Dinner and overnight at the Gouter hut (3800m).
Vertical drop: - 1500 m
The night allows the Gouter couloir to refreeze, we will descend with the first light of day on the north face, quickly reaching the Tête Rousse refuge before the rock falls start again. We will then go back down by the path we took 48 hours before to reach Les Houches and then Chamonix to enjoy a well deserved beer in the mountaineering capital and a spectacular view on the Mont Blanc summit!
IMPORTANT: The programme described above is given as an example.
Esprit des Guides SA or the Guide may modify the programme if they deem it necessary due to the weather, the mountain conditions or if the participants do not have the physical or technical level required to complete the ascent.
With the exception of the periods during which the ascent of the normal route of the Goûter is exceptionally suspended, no modification of the programme can be the object of a refund and ensure the safety of all participants.
Materiel
If you have any doubts or simply need clarification on what gear to take for your climb, you can take a look at our Blog page "What gear for mountaineering?"
N.B. Consider a change for when you are back to the hut (you can leave some stuff at the hut).
IMPORTANT: if a person is not properly equipped and dressed, the mountain guide may decide not to allow him/her to take part in the climb. We ask you to read carefully the equipment list provided in the programme PDF and to call us if you have any doubts.
Level
Long route purely glacial that requires good training, good technical level and good ability to concentrate. Some short sections are steep (55 °), sometimes icy, and require a good mastery in the use of ice axe and crampons.
This ascent requires good physical preparation because it takes about 10 to 12 hours of climbing at high altitude; moreover it is necessary to have some experience in the use of ice axe and crampons.
A good previous mountaineering experience is necessary. The ascent of Mont Blanc is accessible to people with very good mountaineering experience, with a very good physical level and good previous acclimatization done 1 week / 10 days before the climb.
The guides only take people to Mont Blanc who have recently acclimatized, who are physically fit and trained for this type of ascent and who are technically prepared. If you are a beginner in mountaineering, we offer two options: the 5 day Mont Blanc course or a 2 or 3 day program with technical preparation and acclimatization (please contact us).
The climb of Mont Blanc is a long purely glacial route that requires good training, a good technical level and a good capacity of concentration. Some short sections are steep (55°), sometimes icy, and require a good command of the use of ice axe and crampons.
Good altitude acclimatisation is necessary to increase the chances to reach the summit and to avoid mountain sickness: it is necessary to have already climbed a 3500 meters summit or to have slept at altitude one or two weeks before the Mont Blanc.
You will be climbing on a high mountain itinerary, you must be aware of the dangers associated with this activity and this climb (crevasses, serac falls, rock falls, avalanches, very low temperatures).
We are at your disposal to answer your questions.
It is very important that :
you are in excellent shape for the ascent: +1700 m ascent on summit day - you need to train to be able to do this ascent without too much effort; the day of the ascent should not be the first time you have done +1700 m ascent;
you are well acclimatized: for this, we recommend training on summits between 3000 and 4000 meters and sleeping in a refuge at 3500 meters altitude 10 to 15 days before the ascent (example: the Torino refuge on the Italian side of Mont Blanc).
Useful infos
Attention! The success rate for climbing Mont Blanc with a guide is about 70%. Most failures are due to the weather. It often happens that, above 4000 m, wind or bad weather make the ascent impossible or too dangerous. We try to anticipate these factors as much as possible and make the best decisions in order to maximize the chances of achieving the summit.
In any case, the priority will always be safety. The mountain guide will evaluate the feasibility of the ascent and will make the decision to continue or not the ascent.
Based on the weather forecast, we confirm the possibility of attempting the climb three days before departure. However, it can happen that the weather is different from the one forecasted (frequent case in Chamonix). In this case, on the morning of the departure, the guide can still decide to change the program or to cancel the ascent.
If the group does not reach the summit for different reasons (bad weather, bad mountain conditions, fatigue or illness of one of the participants...), no refund or compensation is foreseen. Please check our Terms and Conditions.
If the mountain or weather conditions do not allow the climb to take place as planned, if possible an alternative programme will be proposed and the price will be adjusted accordingly.
The guides only take people who are recently acclimatized, physically fit and trained for this type of ascent and technically prepared. If you are a beginner in mountaineering, we offer two options: the 6 day Mont Blanc course or a 2 or 3 day program with technical preparation and acclimatization (consult us).
In order to guarantee the safety of the group, if your technical level and/or your physical condition do not correspond to those required for the ascent, the guide and the organization reserve the right to interrupt your ascent. This interruption will not give rise to any reimbursement or payment of compensation.
If you wish, we can arrange a taxi for you from the airport: please ask for details when booking.
Meeting with the mountain guide at 12:30 in Saint Gervais Le Fayet at the departure of the Mont Blanc Tramway: click here to see the map.
The group will say goodbye in Saint Gervais, at the Mont Blanc Tramway departure, between 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.
You can park your car in front of the Saint Gervais train station, there is a free parking.
Guiding: 2 people per guide during the 3 days, to optimise your chances of success.
If the group does not reach the summit for any reason (bad weather, bad mountain conditions, tiredness or discomfort of one of the participants...), no refund or compensation is provided. Check our Terms and Conditions.
Cancellation and repatriation insurance is mandatory, as is mountain search and rescue insurance (minimum cover of 10,000 Euros).
Esprit Montagne offers the following insurance: https://www.assurance-multi-sports.com.
When you register online, you can choose whether or not you wish to take part in the car-sharing scheme to get to the starting point of your course. Once you have made your booking, you can log back into your Esprit Montagne account to access a section dedicated to carpooling. Here you will find the contacts of the other participants who are interested in car-sharing, so that you can contact them directly.
Any question?
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