Climb Mont Blanc

Arrival, equipment preparation and the welcome briefing. The six guided mountain days begin on itinerary Day 2.
Your Mont Blanc adventure begins as you arrive in the Chamonix Valley, the heart of alpine mountaineering and the perfect base for your climb. If you’re flying into Geneva Airport, our trusted transfer partners will meet you and bring you directly to our hotel in Chamonix. Airport transfers are included between 6:30 am and 7:30 pm. To ensure a smooth arrival, please share your flight details with LHO Base Camp ahead of time.

If you’re joining us directly at the hotel, your LHO Team Leader will be there to welcome you. Hotel check in usually begins at 3 pm, but guests arriving earlier can store their bags and explore Chamonix. Your Team Leader will share a curated list of recommended spots around town, from scenic walks to cafés and gear shops.

For those needing to rent equipment, we highly recommend arriving early on Day 1. Gear shops in Chamonix typically close by 7 pm, and having everything ready tonight ensures we can make an early start tomorrow. Gear checks will be coordinated throughout the day to make sure everyone has what they need for glacier travel and the high alpine environment.

At 7:30 pm, the full team gathers for a welcome dinner and the first official briefing of the expedition. This is your chance to meet your fellow climbers, your Team Leader, and your lead IFMGA mountain guide. You’ll review the plan for the week, discuss the itinerary’s flexibility and key decision points, and run through the essential preparation for the days ahead.

Before departure, review route context, acclimatisation principles and summit-day expectations in our Mont Blanc climbing guide.

This is Guided Mountain Day 1. Based at Torino Hut, today’s dedicated glacier-skills school has no summit objective and operates with a maximum of six participants per IFMGA guide (1:6). Practise crampon technique, ice-axe handling, rope work and safe glacier movement before applying those skills on the next two alpine training days.
Our first full day together marks the beginning of your high-altitude training and acclimatisation for climbing Mont Blanc. After breakfast, we leave the hotel and travel through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur. From there, we ride the Skyway Monte Bianco to Punta Helbronner, one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Mont Blanc range and an essential gateway for glacier travel and early mountaineering training.

Once we reach the top station, we take the elevator down and follow the enclosed walkway to the Torino Hut, our base for the next two nights. This hut sits at an ideal altitude for acclimatisation and offers immediate access to the glacier, making it a high-altitude base with direct access to glacier terrain used for acclimatisation and practical training. Its position allows us to train and climb without long approaches and provides several nearby peaks for warm up objectives.

After checking in and enjoying a light snack, we step onto the glacier for our first technical session. This is where you begin learning the essential skills for climbing Mont Blanc, including crampon techniques, ice axe handling, rope work, and the fundamentals of safe glacier movement. These skills are relevant to the planned Mont Blanc ascent via the Goûter route, but progression remains conditional on participant readiness, weather, mountain conditions and guide judgement.

In the evening we return to the Torino Hut for dinner and a short briefing about the next day’s plan. You will have time to rest, hydrate, and settle into the rhythm of high-altitude life as you prepare for the climbs ahead.

See how these glacier skills fit into the wider preparation in our Mont Blanc training and acclimatisation guide.

Today is the first of two applied alpine training days, with a maximum of three participants per IFMGA guide (1:3). Apply glacier and rope-team skills on moving alpine terrain, with an optional training summit selected according to conditions and participant readiness.
Training base: Torino Hut, 3,375 m. This is the hut elevation, not a fixed maximum for Day 3. The day’s maximum altitude, distance, ascent and descent depend on the training route and any optional summit selected by the guides.

Our second day in the high mountains begins with an unhurried start that allows everyone to settle into the rhythm of alpine life. Breakfast is served at 7 am and we aim to be outside by 9 am if the weather allows. Today is one of the most important stages in the Mont Blanc itinerary because it focuses on skills relevant to the planned Mont Blanc ascent.

Once we step onto the glacier, we begin training in rope teams and learn how to move efficiently across glaciated terrain. Your guides introduce the techniques used to navigate crevasses, manage mixed snow and ice and maintain steady progress as a team. This is also our first summit opportunity of the trip. Depending on conditions and participant readiness, the guides may select Petit Flambeau (3,440 m) or Aiguille de Toule (3,534 m), also known as Toula. These are optional training summits; neither is guaranteed. Summit elevations follow the IGN topographic map.

The pace is thoughtful and supportive with plenty of time for hands on learning. Many community members say this is the moment when the experience begins to feel real. The glacier becomes familiar, the gear feels natural and the skills gained during training start to come together with purpose.

We carry packed lunches so we can spend a full day on the glacier, taking breaks in incredible surroundings. In the afternoon, we return to the Torino Hut for dinner and rest. This day plays a key role in your acclimatisation and prepares you for the bigger objectives ahead.

The second applied alpine training day operates with a maximum of three participants per IFMGA guide (1:3). Glacier travel and a ridge objective such as the Marbrées Traverse put the skills into practice, subject to conditions and guide judgement.
Our final morning at the Torino Hut begins with a training climb in the Mont Blanc region. Conditions permitting, we cross the Glacier du Géant toward the Aiguilles Marbrées, a granite ridge positioned between the Dent du Géant and the Grandes Jorasses. This objective is close to the hut and can provide a combination of glacier travel, ridge climbing and exposure at altitude. The guides select the objective and route according to current weather, mountain conditions and participant readiness.

We begin by crossing the glacier and gaining the east ridge. The ascent is steady and engaging, with a mix of easy scrambling and movement over rock and snow. If conditions allow, we continue past the summit and follow the ridge toward the south side, where a short abseil provides a more direct return route and reduces the distance we would otherwise travel across the glacier. If weather or snow conditions do not support the full traverse, we simply retrace our ascent route.

We usually return to the Torino Hut in time for lunch. After gathering our equipment and taking a short break, we board the cable car and descend to Courmayeur before driving back to Chamonix. The night is spent at our hotel in the valley where rest and recovery become the priority. Dinner is hosted at a local restaurant or at the hotel, giving the team time to relax and prepare for the next stage of the Mont Blanc itinerary.

The three-day Mont Blanc phase begins today. A maximum of two participants per IFMGA guide (1:2) applies throughout the approach, conditional summit attempt and descent on itinerary Days 5–7.
Today marks the beginning of the Mont Blanc summit phase. We start later than usual, often around midday, to allow for rest and recovery before the climb. From Les Houches, we take the Bellevue cable car and continue on the Mont Blanc mountain train to Nid d’Aigle. This is one of the classic starting points for climbing Mont Blanc and offers spectacular views of the Bionnassay Glacier and the surrounding peaks.

From Nid d’Aigle, we begin a steady three hour trek toward the Tête Rousse Hut. This approach does not require technical equipment and provides a smooth progression in altitude. Along the lower slopes it is common to see mountain goats grazing on the rocky terrain, one of the many unique experiences of the Mont Blanc itinerary. We stop for a picnic lunch near the Rogne Forestière hut before continuing toward the Tête Rousse glacier. The guides decide whether and how technical equipment is used according to the actual glacier and snow conditions.

After checking in at the Tête Rousse Hut, the focus shifts to preparation. The guides and your LHO Team Leader meet with the hut guardian to review weather and conditions before finalising the plan for the Mont Blanc summit attempt. A detailed briefing takes place after dinner, delivered both to the group and to individual rope teams. This is when you learn exactly what to expect on the Goûter Route, how the ascent unfolds hour by hour and how to prepare for the crossing of the Grand Couloir. This evening sets the foundation for one of the most exciting stages of climbing Mont Blanc.

For route context, hut sequencing and the main ascent options, see our Mont Blanc route guide.

The Mont Blanc phase continues at a maximum of two participants per IFMGA guide (1:2). Today’s summit attempt remains conditional on readiness, weather, mountain conditions and guide judgement.
Summit day begins early at the Tête Rousse Hut. The guides choose the departure time and the approach to the Grand Couloir using the current weather, mountain conditions and team readiness. Timing is intended to manage exposure, but rockfall remains an objective hazard and cannot be eliminated.

The route continues over the Dôme du Goûter towards the upper mountain. After a short descent, we reach the area of the Vallot emergency shelter. The shelter is for emergencies and is not a planned rest stop.

Beyond the Vallot emergency shelter, the upper route continues towards Mont Blanc along the exposed Bosses ridge. Snow cover, ice and the shape of the ridge can change, affecting the line taken and its difficulty. The guides assess current conditions and team readiness and may change the plan or turn the team around.

The final section is an exposed summit ridge requiring concentration, controlled footwork and guide-led movement. Reaching the summit and continuing beyond each decision point depend on pace, readiness, weather, mountain conditions and guide judgement. If the team reaches the top, the summit opens into a broad dome with wide views across the Alps. There may be time for photographs and a short pause before the descent, depending on conditions and guide direction.

After the summit, we carefully retrace our steps down the route and return to the Goûter Hut for dinner and a well earned rest.

The final day of the Mont Blanc phase operates at a maximum of two participants per IFMGA guide (1:2), whether the guides choose a second summit attempt or descent.
If the team reached the summit the previous day, this day is focused on the descent from the Goûter Route back to the Chamonix Valley. The guides choose the descent timing using current weather and mountain conditions. The Grand Couloir remains exposed to rockfall, and crossing decisions and timing remain with the guides.

Depending on the season and the mountain train schedule, breakfast may be served at the Tête Rousse Hut or lower down on the trail as a picnic. We usually reach the mountain train by late morning, arriving back in Chamonix around 12.30 pm. It has become a tradition for the team to stop near the cable station for a celebratory drink or snack before heading to the hotel for a well deserved shower.

The afternoon is free for returning gear, relaxing in town or exploring Chamonix. Many community members enjoy walking through the centre, visiting outdoor shops or simply unwinding after a major alpine achievement. A celebratory team dinner is held at 6.30 pm and is hosted by your Team Leader along with any LHO guides who are available to join.

If Mont Blanc was not reached on Day 6, a Day 7 attempt may still be possible, including after an unsuccessful attempt the previous day, provided the team remains physically capable. The guides decide whether to proceed using team readiness, weather and mountain conditions.

For a Day 7 attempt, we usually leave the Goûter Hut at around 3am, aiming to summit and return to Chamonix the same day. The Tête Rousse-to-Goûter leg has already been completed the previous day, so the attempt starts from the Goûter Hut. The return to Chamonix may be later in the afternoon, and the schedule adjusts accordingly.

Regardless of timing, this day gives everyone the chance to rest and reflect on the week in the high mountains, whether the team summited, turned around or completed an alternative objective.

For the full planning picture—including timing, weather windows and descent logistics—see our Mont Blanc planning guide.

Our final day together is dedicated to airport transfers and farewells. Breakfast is included, and the morning is relaxed so you can pack, recover and enjoy your last moments in the Chamonix Valley. To ensure a smooth departure, please provide your correct flight details when completing your team details form, as we use this information to arrange your transfer to Geneva Airport with our trusted transfer partners. If your travel plans change, let your LHO Team Leader know as early as possible so updated arrangements can be made. This final morning brings the expedition to a close and gives everyone time to reflect on the experience of climbing Mont Blanc before beginning the journey home.