The idea to climb Mont Blanc, like all great ideas, came from the pub over a few beers. After some research and a lot of saving, we turned a drunken idea into reality.
In the months leading up to the climb, we trained on the local Luss hills after work. These hills certainly toughened us up - finishing in the dark without a head torch and getting sandblasted by hailstones is not for the faint-hearted. We felt ready for anything Europe’s tallest mountain could throw at us. We also slowly built up our equipment; neither of us was prepared for how expensive mountaineering gear would be.
To get to Chamonix, we decided the best option was to drive since we had so much equipment. We set off from Glasgow at 10:00 and headed down the road to Dover. Ross had booked a hostel in Dover for the night - it was £40 for a private six-person dorm. This should have been a clear indication of the quality we could expect. After a long eight hours on the road, we stopped for the night in Dover. The room was dirty, and we thought we might get ill staying in the beds. We ended up going back to the car to get our sleeping bags and put them on top of the beds.
The next morning, we got up early to escape the hostel from hell and chanced our luck at an earlier ferry crossing. The ferry was quiet, so they had no problem accommodating us. After a nice breakfast and a snooze on the ferry, we arrived in France ready for a long day of driving down to Chamonix.
Arriving in Chamonix
Roughly ten hours later, after paying a bunch of tolls, listening to pub quiz podcasts, and brushing up on French with Coffee Break French, we arrived in Chamonix. It was a beautiful drive, especially heading into the Alps. We parked the car at Le Bossons campsite and pitched our tents. This would be our base camp for the next two weeks. After settling in, we jumped on the local bus, which runs frequently in Chamonix, and went for a pint. We were both exhausted.
Tents pitched after a long drive.
A pint at a very cool bar!
The next morning, we went for a quick walk up a glacier that happened to have a bar - of course, we had a morning beer. Afterwards, we headed back into the village for lunch and caught the finish of the Chamonix Marathon. Then it was back to the campsite to prepare our kit; we were meeting our fellow mountaineers in the evening.
A beer from a pub at the bottom of the glacier.
Gran Paradiso – Italy’s Highest Summit
We headed to the Adventure Base challet and met our fellow climbers Chris and Lawrence. We also met our guide Fede. He gave us a quick run down of what to expect and had a look at our kit to make sure we had everything that was on the kit list. After this we had a BBQ and spent the night in the challet. We would be up early to head into Italy.
Heading up to the Refuge Chabod
The next morning, we were picked up at around 08:30 by the shuttle van to go through the Mont Blanc tunnel and venture to the trailhead of Gran Paradiso. The drive felt quick, but the Mont Blanc tunnel seemed never-ending. The tunnel is a very impressive feat of engineering. However, it’s conveniece comes at a price, it costs a vehicle 60€ to travel thorugh one way.
We hiked about five miles up the trail to reach the refuge. I was surprised by how well-catered and equipped it was. It was like a hotel above the clouds. We arrived too early to get into our room, so we had lunch, and then Fede took us out for some crampon and ice axe training - which was great fun.
When we got back, it was dinner time. We enjoyed a lovely three-course meal, and after that, we were ready to check into our room and get some sleep. The next day would be a very early start.
A well-earned pint after the walk in.
Chris and Ross in our cosy bedroom.
Our home for the next two nights, Refuge Chabod.
Summiting Gran Paradiso
We woke up at roughly 04:00 the next morning for breakfast - again, very well catered, with what seemed like an endless supply of food. We then got our kit on and started walking up the glacier at around 05:00. The line of head torches clearly marked out the path, and we could see where we were heading despite the darkness.
We powered up the glacier as the sun came up and were rewarded with stunning views of the Alps. Up to this point, it felt quite similar to Scottish walking. However, that changed when we reached the ridge at the top. It was rocky, and careful footwork was needed to avoid a near-certain drop to your death. Fede kept us safe and on the right path. We climbed up the ladder - pretty tough with crampons on - and made it to the Mary statue, where we got a team photo. It was a huge relief to make it here! From here we could see Mont Blanc clearly and the huge challenge that awaited us.
We retraced our steps back down the glacier and into the regufe. We were all ready for lunch and a beer!
Heading back from the summit - pretty exposed!
Chris heading back down the glacier to the refuge.
Team selfie at the top with Mary!
Ross successfully at the top of the sketchy ladder.
Me heading up the crux, with Lawrence coming up behind.
Team on an exposed edge - don’t look down!
Beer time!
Back into Chamonix
The next morning, we had a lie-in since all we had to do was head back into Chamonix. We got up around 09:30 for breakfast, packed our kit away, and prepared for the walk back down to the trailhead. Disaster struck for Chris, who had the not-so-smart idea of attaching his boots to the outside of his bag. After running back up the hill and thoroughly checking the path, he luckily found his missing boot.
We headed back through the Mont Blanc tunnel and had the rest of the day to relax and visit the shops in case we needed any more kit for Mont Blanc.
Heading up to the Tête Rousse
The next day, it was time to start the main event - the reason we were all here. We excitedly got ready to make our attempt at summiting Europe’s highest peak. We left the chalet around 10:00 and took the shuttle to the gondola, which carried us up the first part of the mountain. From there, we boarded a train that took us even higher. The walk to the Tête Rousse took no time at all, and we were settled in by early afternoon.
Unfortunately, it was far more basic than the luxury we had come to expect at Chabod. There was no running water, no flushing toilets or showers, and all water had to be purchased at a premium. In fact, buying a bottle of beer was cheaper than a litre of water.
We had an early dinner and then retired to our huge dorms. I struggled to sleep with anticipation - but no matter, we’d be up at 03:00 the next day anyway!
Approaching the Tête Rousse.
Ten-man bunk beds - pretty cosy.
Tête Rousse sitting above the clouds.
Team on the Tête Rousse beach. Ready to take on the summit!
Mont Blanc via the Goûter Route
In the morning, we had a simple breakfast of dry bread and Nutella, you could feel the excitement in the room. The first obstacle of the day would be the crux of the route - the Grand Couloir, sometimes called the “Corridor of Death.” This is a rock chute that claims many climbers every year. It’s the reason we set off so early - when temperatures are cooler, the rocks are frozen in place and less likely to fall. We crossed it quickly in the morning without any problems. Thankfully, we were staying at the Goûter Hut that evening, so we didn’t need to worry about crossing it again in the much more dangerous afternoon.
We powered up the scramble until the Goûter Hut came into view - it looks like a Martian spaceship! Inside, we dropped off all the gear we didn’t need for the final push to make our packs lighter. After a quick water break, we were off again, heading for the top. The next couple of hours were much easier than the scramble. It was steep but not technical. However, when we reached the last push at around 4,200 meters, we started to really feel the altitude and each step became much harder. The effort required for the last kilometer felt similar to the final six miles of a marathon.
It was a huge sense of accomplishment when we reached the summit. We stopped, took some photos, and soaked in the vastness of the Alps. We didn’t stay long because it was very cold and the wind was starting to pick up. We retraced our steps and headed back to the Goûter Hut for a well-deserved pint and snooze.
The forecast for the next day for our return home didn’t look good, so we had set our alarms even earlier to beat the weather. We carefully negotiated the Couloir again and then we were on the home stretch. We could change out of heavy boots and back into our much more comfortable trainers. Unfortunately, because of the wind, the gondolas weren’t running, so we had to take the path all the way back down into Chamonix. This didn’t really take long at all and is how we should have gone up in the first place.
We got on the public bus and headed back to the chalet, smiles all round!
I hope it doesn’t collapse on us!
The final push.
Coming back down - relieved to have made it to the top!
Summit selfie with Gareth.
Our excellent guide, Fede.
Ross looking happy to have made it to the top!
A wall of ice and snow.
Grinding up the steep ascent.
Passing the wall of snow, ready for the final push.
Metres away from the top.
Some final words of wisdom before we push for the top.
Summit selfie with Fede.
Mistakes would be fatal here…
Relaxing Week in Chamonix
Later on, we met Caitlin, who had flown into Geneva and then taken the bus to Chamonix to meet us upon our return from the mountain. She met the rest of the team, and then we went out for a celebratory meal and drinks. Later that day, Lawrence and Chris headed home, while Ross, Caitlin, and I went back to our little base camp in Le Bossons.
The next week continued the action-packed adventure. We took the bus to La Flégère and tackled the Via Ferrata des Evettes - it was epic! We then continued along the path to Planpraz, where we caught the gondola back down into Chamonix. One evening, we also did some climbing at Gaillard Chamonix. We drove to a local lake for a swim, and in the evening, we enjoyed plenty of wine and Raclette.
Our time had come to an end, and we made the long journey back to Glasgow. This time, Caitlin provided the in-car entertainment. We stopped en route for a swim in Annecy and then powered along the road to Dunkirk. We caught the ferry the next morning, and Ross powered through the drive. We even made a pit stop at Diddly Squat Farm before finally heading home.
Ross with the Mont Blanc Massif in the background.
Caitlin with the Mont Blanc Massif in the background.
Caitlin coming down.
Caitlin going up.
So What’s Next?
Ross and I have been discussing returning to the Alps to take on the infamous Matterhorn. I’ve also started skiing lessons so that I can return to Chamonix in winter and see how it compares to summer.
Overall, it was an incredible trip and everything seemed to go to plan. Chamonix is an amazing place, and I can see why people call it the outdoor capital of the world. I’m already looking forward to going back - whether for a ski trip or to tackle more big mountains!