Climb Mont Blanc in 5 or 6 Day Course

ITINERARY FOR THE 5 DAY MONT BLANC COURSE

Day 0: 

Telephone appointment with your guide for a program briefing, plus gear check, and confirm meeting time in the morning of Day 1, around 8-9 AM.***

Night in the hotel (2 or 3 *** depending availability) shared twin room on Bed & Breakfast base. Dinner is at your charge.

Your guide will bring the gear you have requested from us on day 1.

*** Have no worry, you will have enough time to go over the gear check and leave afterwards in the mountains.

Day 1: Snow & ice technical skills, Albert 1er hut

From the middle station of the Charamillon cable car, 1855 M we head for Albert 1er hut, 2702m. Getting familiar with Ice and snow climbing basics on the Tour glacier with crampons, ice axes and ropes. Steep-snow-slope security will also be covered.

Altitude covered: + 850m
Dinner & night in Albert 1er hut in dormitories.

Day 2: Climbing & acclimatisation, Chamonix

Wake up early morning, breakfast, heading towards the col Blanc, crossing a 50 degree slope to emerge between the Petite Fourche and the summit of the Tête Blanche. Fenêtre de Saleina and Fenêtre Supérieure du Tour, descend on the Tour glacier, chairlift down to Le Tour village. Upon the group dynamic and conditions climbing the Aiguille du Tour can be an option.

Altitude covered: + 530 m and – 873 m
Back to Chamonix for a good night sleep in the Hotel.

Day 3: Nid d’Aigle to the Tête Rousse hut

Take the "Bellevue"'s cable car in the village of Les Houches and then the train up to the Nid d'Aigle (Eagle’s Nest) at 2300m, then a 3 hour hike up to the Tête Rousse glacier.

Dinner & night in the Tête Rousse hut (3167m) in dormitories.

Day 4: Ascent of Mont Blanc, back down to the Gouter hut

The longest day of the whole course: 10 hours of intense effort. Leaving the Tête Rousse hut at 5 am, to reach the famous Gouter couloir. Rock scrambling will be required on the aiguille du Gouter until the Gouter hut where we'll have a short rest. We climb the Dome du Gouter and then continue to the Vallot Hut where we can stop for a drink and snack. We then climb the first technical steep slope on the Mont Blanc. The second slope is easier technically, but we will need to be motivated to counteract the effects of the altitude and fatigue before climbing the final ridge to the Mont Blanc summit.

At the summit we generally allow 15 minutes to stand on the top of Europe, look at the view over the Western Alps, catch our breath, and congratulate each other!

The descent of the Mont Blanc is via the same route, to reach the Gouter hut where we'll have dinner and spend the night.

Please note the Gouter and Tete Rousse huts are interchangeable, depending on when we are able to get reservations, and of course weather conditions.

Altitude covered: + 1700 m / - 1000 m

Day 5: Descent of Mont Blanc

An easy and short day as you should be well rested. Breakfast will be at 7am. Descent of the aiguille du Gouter, short stop at the Tete Rousse hut for a drink then following down to the Nid d'Aigle train. Cable car down to les Houches village. Your guide will reward you with your Mont Blanc achievement certificate, normally over a well-deserved drink!

Altitude covered: - 2435 m

We have refined this schedule which we genuinely believe is the best way to climb Mont Blanc, for a number of reasons:

• You are not obliged to wake up in the middle of the night to start the ascent
• You will be climbing during the day giving you extra light and warmer conditions
• You will descend the aiguille du Gouter having rested and recuperated

If bad weather is announced for day 4, we have the option to make our summit on day 5 instead, from the Gouter hut.

A bird eye view of your Mont Blanc route

For a 6 day program we will add one day and spend one more night at Albert 1er hut to climb Aiguille du Génépy above the hut which is meanly a rock climb.

Technical Level required to climb Mont Blanc

Climbing Mont Blanc is a big challenge, mountain conditions are becoming more and more difficult every year due to the global warming (lack of snow, high temperature). Therefore, it's very important, for your safety and to put all chances on your side to summit, that you are used to walk regularly in mountain as well as on rough terrain and even better having some rock climbing knowledge. If you have never been in high mountain, we highly recommend, that you do one of our alpine introduction course or Grand Paradis, before committing yourself to book the Mont Blanc course. These courses open up the doors of the Alps  and also give you a strong experience of high mountain technics.
Keep in mind that walking with stiff boots change the way you walk, you are constantly searching for balance, and walking with crampons it si not as easy as you would think. The Mont Blanc 5 days course will give you the basic skills of alpinism technics but your fitness, your ability will make a big difference on the terrain!  

If you take more than 2h30 to climb to the Albert 1er hut,  950 m of difference in altitude, your physical level is insufficient and you will not be able to do the Mont Blanc. If possible, a substitute program will be offered on your charge. The interruption or modification will not be subject to any refund or financial compensation.

The guide’s decision is final and he’s the sole judge of whether you are capable of can attempting to climb Mont Blanc or not.

Reaching the summit of Mont Blanc, 4810m, is just half of the effort. You will need enough energy to do the walk down. 

Climbing snow and ice up to 40 degrees. Basic rock climbing (grade II and III) in some sections.

The climb to the Goûter hut can be described as a rock scramble.

Equipment List to climb Mont Blanc

Please click here to see the required equipment list, with the rental price list.

Fitness Level required to climb Mont Blanc

There will be 6 - 8 hours of walking per day, 10 - 12 hours for Mont Blanc summit day, with vertical climbs of between 800 and 1500m.

Excellent fitness is therefore required for this Mont Blanc 5 day course.

Please arrive fit and mentally prepared. Your guide will not allow you to summit if you do not have the minimum level of fitness required and you will not be eligible for a reimbursement.

High Mountain Guide :

He is responsible for your safety. That's why you hire him. Therefore, his authority is unquestionable and must be accepted. Turning back is frustrating, but if the guide feels that the level of the participants or the conditions on the ground do not allow for the safety of the group, he must make this decision. No refunds or financial compensation will be given for the interruption.
Your guide will do his best to ensure that you reach the summit. He has an obligation of means, but not of result.

You will be roped up with another Client. At the end of the preparation days, the guides form the ropes by level or affinity. If a participant is technically and/or physically weak, your guide will anticipate by asking him to wait at the refuge. But if the failure occurs beyond the Goûter hut, the team will have to turn back.
The advantage of the collective formula is financial. But if this notion of roped party does not suit you, we advise you to take a private guide. 

Changes to the program

Beginning and end of the season :

If Albert 1er and Torino hut not opened yet:

Day 1 - rock climbing in Chamonix, night in Chamonix

Day 2 - Glacier training on the Mer de Glace, night in Chamonix

Cable cars 

* If le Tour cable car closed : cable car from Vallorcine / Col de Posettes :  count + 340 m  (1h extra walk)
or walk up from le Tour  car park : + 410 m (1h30 extra walk)
* If train TMB stop at M Lachat : + 300 m  (1h extra walk)
* If train Bellevue cable car not opened yet, 4x4 taxi up to Bellevue from "Crozet parking" St Gervais valley will be booked : + 580 m  (2h extra walk). In this case you will have to go to this parking by car or taxi which is not included in your price.

Options in case of bad weather forecast predicted on day 4:

Day 3: sleeping in Tête Rousse hut

Day 4: ascent towards Goûter hut and sleeping up there

Day 5: Mont Blanc ascent and descent towards Tête Rousse and Chamonix valley

If bad weather forecast for the Mont Blanc Range:  in accordance with you and your guide you have the choice of: 

• climb Gran Paradiso (4060 m) or Monte Rosa (4563m) in Italy (no money refunded) : 

  Change in the program which implies travelling to Italy, for Gran Paradiso and Monte Rosa : we get organized in between clients and guide's car for traveling. If there is not enough space for all the participants, we must book a taxi, which requires extra costs to be paid by the participants

• stop the course after the first two days, If you are in a group, this decision needs to be unanimous. In this case we will give you a credit proportional to the number of days lost to be used for your next attempt.
• postpone the summit attempt 1 or 2 days until better weather. This is dependent on availability of spaces in the huts, the guide and the availability of the clients in the group

Accommodation

In mountain huts DAY 1, 3, 4 , and a 2 or 3* hotel in Chamonix center DAY 0, 2 (usually the Pointe Isabelle depending availability). In the hotel you share a twin room with another participant.

If you require accommodation the night before or after your tour, just let us know.

There is no tap water in the huts, so please budget for the purchase of bottled water (6 € per bottle)

For the Gouter and Tête Rousse huts, due to intense demand the accommodation needs to be reserved in advance.

We may have to be flexible with regards to sleeping arrangement depending on when the booking is made (e.g. 2 nights at the Tete Rousse if the Gouter is full).

Bring a silk sleeping-bag liner for the huts. Blankets and pillows are provided.

Meals

Half board (dinner and breakfast) provided in the huts.

Packed lunches are provided, which you carry yourself. Vegetarian options available on request.

You can bring your own extra snacks in addition, e.g. energy bars, dried fruit and nuts. Don't bring anything heavy, or food which might squash, leak or spoil.

Cost and availability for the 5 day Mont Blanc Climb course

The cost is based on a group of 4 people. If you are a private group, please contact us to discuss dates and prices. 

3380 €/person - Mont blanc 6 day course  = same itinerary as the 5 days course with 1 extra training day from Albert 1er hut with the climb of Aiguille du Génépi 3250 m for a group of 4 people.

There will be a 2:1 client to guide ratio for the Mont Blanc attempt.
If you would like a 1:1 client to guide ratio (i.e. a private course) then the additional cost will be 2620 €. In this case you can choose your preferred dates (depending on huts availability).

Our planning is changing constantly - GET IN TOUCH directly by e-mail or phone/whatsApp +33 6 95 04 23 02 as we have other different dates / program / routes available too. Don't buy any flight before we confirm your booking dates with our acknowledgement of recept.  

If you are a private group, or want to summit with a guide with a 1:1 ratio, please get in touch as we are able to offer tailor-made courses with choice of date and duration. The date of the scheddule are not fixed and if you want another date please let us know.

Cost includes:

• Organisation of the Mont Blanc 5 days course:   see itinerary
• alpinism state qualified high mountain guide (ratio of 1:4 on days 1-2, ratio of 1:2 on days 3-5)
• 5 nights accommodation: 3 nights in mountain huts (Day 1,3,4) and 2 nights in a  2 or 3* hotel in Chamonix center (Day 0+2 in a shared twin room with another participant). Extra cost of 97€ will be charged per night for a single room if you are alone in the room or if no more standard rooms are available.
• All meals (vegetarian option available), except dinner in Chamonix on day 0 & 2
• Safety equipment provided by your guide (ropes, carabiners, ice screw)
• Tramway / cable cars

Cost does not include:

• Transport to and from Chamonix before and after your course or any transportation unexpected du to unforseen reasons during the course. ( Transportation from Chamonix to "Crozet" parking in St Gervais valley in case Bellevue cable is closed, specially at the beginning of the season, etc...).
• All transport within the Chamonix valley by local bus regular line
• Dinner in Chamonix on day 0 & 2
• Personal expenses (drinks in the refuges for you and your guide, additional snacks, etc)
• Equipment can be hired from CMBG: see  mandatory equipment list   and   equipment list for hire
• Single room supplement for the 2 nights (Day 0+ Day 2) in the hotel : 97 € per night
• Alpine climbing insurance - mandatory
• Gratuities
• Any extra expenses due to unforseeable circumstances like: bad weather, injury, lack of fitness

SPECIFIC CANCELLATION COSTS:  there is a 120 € per person deposit included in the price for the booking of the huts. In case of cancellation of the course, this amount is non-refundable.