Mont Blanc Summit Course

The first day of our itinerary is the arrival day. If you’re arriving at Geneva airport, our transfer partners will meet you and take you to our hotel in the Chamonix valley. Our airport transfer is included between 6:30 am and 7:30 pm, please inform LHO Base Camp of your arrival and departure times. If you’re meeting us directly at the hotel, your LHO Team Leader will be waiting for you there. Check-in at our accommodation usually begins at 3 pm. If you arrive early, you can store your bags at the hotel and explore the area. Your LHO Team Leader will send you a list of things to do in Chamonix closer to the time. For those of us requiring rental gear, we highly recommend arriving early because the gear stores close at 7 pm, and we generally try to get an early start the following day before shops open. A team dinner and briefing will take place at 7:30 pm, hosted by your Team Leader and lead mountain guide. This will be your first opportunity to meet everyone we’ll be spending the week with, ask questions, and learn about our exciting week ahead. Gear checks will be coordinated by your LHO Team Leader throughout the day based on your arrival times to make sure you have everything you need for our week ahead.

Our first day together will start early in the morning. After breakfast, we’ll depart from the hotel and head through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur on the Italian side of the mountain. From there, we’ll take the Skyway cable to Punta Helbronner, right on the edge of the glacier. This is a spectacular destination in itself, attracting tourists from all over Europe who come to get a closer look at the incredible Mont Blanc region. Upon arrival, we’ll descend an elevator into the mountain and walk through a tunnel to exit at the Torino Hut, our accommodation for the next two nights. We choose the Torino Hut because of its ease of access, high altitude acclimatization opportunities, and the multiple summits available directly from one mountain refuge. After checking in and having a quick bite, we’ll immediately start our training on the glacier. Training will consist of crampon techniques, the use of the ice axe, and how to manipulate climbing ropes. Dinner and overnight will be at the Torino Hut.

Distance: 4.5 KM | Ascent: 362 | Descent: 363 | Max Altitude: 3,375 M

Our second day together starts at a reasonable hour. Breakfast is usually served at 7 am, and we aim to be out on the glacier by 9 am if the weather permits. The aim of the day is to learn how to walk in rope parties, navigate glaciers, and try our hand at a summit. The day is designed with maximum flexibility in mind. In some instances, conditions may be favorable to complete all the possibilities. In other instances, we may need to focus on fewer. Summits we usually attempt on this day include Petit Flambeau and La Toule. Regardless of what the conditions permit specifically, this day is always very exciting. We’ll be taking our packed lunches with us for a picnic along the trail with an aim to complete a full day of alpinism before returning to the Torino Hut for dinner and rest.

Distance: 3.4 KM | Ascent: 231 M | Descent: 265 M | Max Altitude: 3,535 M

Our second and final morning at the Torino Hut will start with a traverse of the Aiguilles Marbrées, a gigantic ridge flanked by the iconic Dent du Géant and Grandes Jorasses. This summit is ideal for its relatively close proximity to the hut, the variety of skills that it requires to climb it, and the harder technical grade than Mont Blanc. This is perfect training for the technically easier but much longer and higher Mont Blanc as it includes glacier travel, ridge climbing, and an opportunity to get used to exposure at altitude. The summit push starts with a crossing of the Glacier du Géant. Once at the col, we start ascending the east ridge with its mix of easy-grade climbing, impressive exposure, and committing endurance. The ridge is followed all the way to the summit. Conditions permitting, we try to continue past the summit and traverse the ridge along the south side where we finally reach an abseil that we use to descend to the glacier. Completing the traverse this way cuts out the need to do the long glacier crossing as we will be closer to the Torino Hut. However, conditions may not always permit. In those instances, we return along the same ridge we ascended and rejoin the glacier from the east side of the mountain. We usually return to the Torino Hut in time for lunch before descending the cable car and returning to Chamonix. Our night is spent at our hotel in the valley where rest and recovery are the order of the evening. Dinner will be hosted at a local restaurant or at the hotel.

Distance: 3.3 KM | Ascent: 805 M | Descent: 0 M | Max Altitude: 3,167 M

We’ll start our day late, usually around midday. This gives everyone the chance to rest fully and prepare for the big ascent. We’ll first catch the Bellevue cable in Les Houches before taking the Mont Blanc mountain train to Nid d’Aigle. From there, we begin our 3-hour trek to the Tête Rousse hut/base camp. This is just a sustained inclined trek and will not require the use of any technical gear. Sometimes, it’s possible to see mountain goats that regularly graze in the lower-altitude portions of the trail. We’ll pause for a picnic lunch at the plateau near the Rogne Forestière hut before pushing up the last part of the trail to the small Tête Rousse glacier just outside the hut. Crossing this glacier does not usually require technical gear, although it may sometimes be necessary during particular seasons. After checking in to the hut, we’ll try to get some rest. The guides and Team Leader will be getting the latest information regarding weather and conditions from the guardian in order to determine the best plan of action for the following two days on Mont Blanc. A summit briefing will be held as a group and within individual rope parties after dinner.

Distance: 10.2 KM | Ascent: 1,743 M | Descent: 1,063 M | Max Altitude: 4,810 M

Typically, our aim is to leave the Tête Rousse at around 4 am. This ensures that conditions are cold while also enabling us to see when we arrive at the tricky Grand Couloir. The importance of cold temperatures cannot be overstated. Heat and warmth cause movement in the couloir that can result in rockfall. That is why we are very keen to cross it as early as possible while also being able to see using early daylight. The ascent between the Tête Rousse and the Gouter Huts should not take more than 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete. Taking longer can result in being overexposed in higher altitudes later in the day, which is not safe. Upon arrival at the Gouter Hut, we usually take a break of about 45 minutes where we take off our gear and go to the hut coffee shop for something warm. This is also an opportunity to offload things we don’t need for the summit since we aim to be back at the Gouter Hut later in the afternoon. Once back on the trail, we will be met by the Dome du Gouter, a gigantic 4,000-meter summit that we practically summit along the way to Mont Blanc. The ascent of the Dome du Gouter is characterized by long and sustained switchbacks on its northwest face. Once at the summit, we’ll be able to see Mont Blanc in full view for the very first time. There is a brief descent as we approach the Vallot Hut followed by a sharper series of switchbacks to reach the hut. The Vallot Hut is an emergency cabin that we sometimes use to protect ourselves from the wind and take a break away from the elements. From there, we ascend the moguls, a series of false summits that gradually merge with the sharp summit ridge. There are 6 moguls with the first and third being the most challenging due to their incline, exposure, and size. The last section of the trail is the summit ridge, a 100-meter stretch that requires sure-footedness and composure. The summit itself is quite wide with plenty of space to take pictures. When the weather is good, we can usually take our time, but if we are expecting weather changes later in the afternoon, we usually prefer to keep our stay brief. The way down retraces our steps all the way to the Gouter Hut where dinner and rest await!

Distance: 5 KM | Ascent: 9 M | Descent: 1,500 M

If the team pushed for the summit on the previous day, then this day will be dedicated only to descending the mountain. We try to once again get an early start to descend the couloir before the sun warms the ground. Depending on the time of year and the ever-fluctuating train schedule, we may have breakfast at Tête Rousse hut or have our picnics for breakfast further down the trail. We usually arrive at the train around 11 am and back to Chamonix no later than 12:30 pm. As some of our guides have to travel long distances back home, it is customary to have a drink and a quick bite at the bottom of the cable station before heading back to the hotel for a shower. The afternoon will be dedicated to returning gear, buying souvenirs, and relaxing in the vibrant town of Chamonix. A team dinner will be held at 6:30 pm, hosted by your Team Leader and any of our LHO guides who are able to attend. If we pushed to the summit during our second Window, then it is likely we will arrive in Chamonix in the late afternoon.

Our final day together will be dedicated to airport transfers and farewells. Breakfast is included on the day. Please make sure that you provide us with your correct departure details when filling out your team details form as we use it to book your transfers to Geneva airport with our transfer partners. If there are any changes to your travel itinerary, please let your LHO Team Leader know as early as possible so that arrangements can be made.