Standing on the roof of Europe - Climbing Mt. Blanc

Aldous Huxley said it best, "Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right" and after successfully summitting Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain (4810m), it is clear that my reference point is forever changed.

A photo of Mont Blanc Massif taken upon arrival in Chamonix.  The Gouter route essentially follows the horizon line from right to left until the summit, third mound from the right (looks smaller because of perspective)

I can't think of a better feeling than setting a goal, training hard for it, and ultimately accomplishing it even against all odds.  The safe return from the summit of Mont Blanc has been an aspiration of mine for as long as I can remember.  I first set eyes on Mont Blanc as a young child visiting Chamonix with my family.  Going up to the Aiguille de Midi and getting a glimpse of vastness of the massif with it's glaciers running in all directions set the hook of what would become a life's ambition....to stand on the highest summit in Europe.

Fortunately, it wasn't difficult to find a friend who also shared in this ambition and we quickly locked in a date for our summit attempt.  It turned out that the only time we were both available was the third week in September, the last week that most guiding companies will lead trips before the harsh winter weather makes the ascent near impossible for the unexperienced mountaineer.  We realized that we were perhaps pushing our luck but it was either then or potentially never.

The week long course was broken down into two 3 day sections.  The first half of the week was spent acclimatizing, ensuring that we'd come with the necessary physical fitness to get to the top (and back) of Mt. Blanc and to train us on the skills that would be required on the mountain.  

On the way up to the Chabod Hut in Italy.  The pointy mountain that you see if the background is the Gran Paradiso (4061m), Italy's highest mountain.  A successful summit of this mountain was the goal for this acclimatization/training trip

A short 2 hour drive from Chamonix into Italy lead us to the bottom of Gran Paradiso, the highest mountain entirely within Italy.  The plan was to hike up approximately 1000m to the Chabod hut (2750m), stay there for the night, have an early alpine start at the summit (4061m) and return to the hut that night. 

We were extremely lucky with the weather in Italy and had just the perfect day for our summit attempt.  The trip to the summit was a straight forward walk up a glacier.  This did present a few hair raising jaunts between crevasses including one 2 metre long ice bridge less than a foot wide.  Crossing this was the most frightening experience of my life as not only did it look like it could collapse at any minute but also any loss of balance would have you falling over 100 metres into the glacier.  Fortunately, both crossings of this death trap went without incident (but not without a bit of drama!)

Looking back up the glacier towards the summit of Gran Paradiso.  This photo shows the number of crevasses that we needed to navigate around (and cross over) in order to get to the summit

To reach the summit of Gran Paradiso one has to take off their crampons and scramble the last 40 vertical metres to the top.  The final challenge is to walk across a foot-wide ledge that hangs over 400m vertical to the glacier below.  This was the second experience to really test the strength of my antiperspirant.

A view from the summit of Gran Paradiso looking back along the ridge that we'd ascended to get there.  I've done some pretty hairy things in my life but this was one of the most nerve racking

It was a tremendous relief to reach the summit safely and to look out across the Italian alps towards, Monta Rosa, the Matterhorn, and of course, the goal for the week, Mont Blanc.

Me on the summit of Gran Paradiso with Mont Blanc just out of focus in the back ground

The second part of the week was the summit attempt of Mont Blanc.  Unfortunately, the good weather that we'd benefited from in Italy was forecasted to change with a front bringing high winds and cold weather to the region.  This forecast made a summit attempt of Mont Blanc impossible and so it was suggested that we change our plans and attempt a different (and significantly smaller) mountain in Switzerland.  Of course, forecasts can be wrong and so four of us decided to stay with the original plan even if that meant spending our last two days locked down in a hut and not reaching another summit that week.  On Wednesday afternoon we set out for what would become our base camp for our (hopefully) Mont Blanc summit attempt.

A photo of the Tete Rousse Hut.  Fortunately, be the time we had arrived on Wednesday the clouds and rain that we started the walk in had parted.  A major concern for the next day (summit attempt) was that over 25 cm of snow had fallen creating the potential risks for avalanche

The plan was to attempt the summit via the Gouter route, the easier and hopefully safer of the two popular routes to the top.  However, this meant that we'd have to traverse the Grand Couloir which is notorious for pelting climbers with rocks and snow, and also scramble up 400 vertical metres of rocky cliffs that stands between the Tete Rousse Hut (3100m) and the Gouter Hut (3500m).  When we went to sleep on Wednesday night the probability of reaching the summit was zero but we were hoping to at least climb to the Dome de Gouter (4300m) or best the Vallot Rescue Hut (4500 m).  I had resigned myself to the fact that a trip back to Chamonix next year would be the only way that I could stand on the summit.

This photo is taken from the Tete Rousse Hut looking up towards the Gouter Hut (mound on the top of the rocky ridge to the left of the photo)  The first stage of the trip to the top would require a 2.5hr scramble up to the Gouter Hut

Our wake up call came at 4:50 am with the guides saying the wind/weather was good enough to at least make an effort for the Gouter Hut.  A short breakfast of bread and jam and we were quickly scaling the rocks towards the Gouter Hut.  Fortunately, it wasn't until we were most of the way up the climb before the sun rose and I could see the degree of exposure that we were facing.  Any slip and we'd be sent hurling over 400m to the rocks below.  Needless to say, reaching the hut gave me the greatest sense of relief that I've had in a while...of course always nagging in the back of my head was the fact that I'd have to descend it all again to get back.

I've heard many people refer to the climb of Mont Blanc as a "walk to the top".  I can assure you that it is anything from that.  This section of climbing between the Tete Rousse Hut and the Gouter Hut is not difficult but there is a fair degree of exposure.  Going up is one thing, coming down on tired legs is something completely different.  Do not under estimate this mountain.

The trip from Gouter Hut to the top of the Dome to Gouter was quite straight forward.  It was simple crampon walking up a relatively safe but steep glacier.  It wasn't until we'd reached the top of the dome that the true goal of the trip came into sight.  It was from here....already 4 hours of hard uphill trekking, that we got the first glimpse of the summit....and the wind, against all predictions, was still light!

This photo is taken from the top of the Dome to Gouter looking up towards the summit of Mont Blanc.  We still have approximately 500 vertical metres to the summit.  Fortunately for us, the forecasted winds of greater than 50 kms/hour had not yet materialized.

The final 300 vertical metres to the top were some of the hardest I've ever done.  Not only are you fighting fatigue, low oxygen, very steep terrain and loose snow but you are constantly aware that one false move, one slight clip of a crampon could send you tumbling off the mountain...on either side.  Fortunately, you could take comfort in the fact that you're on a rope with a very experienced guide.

We were extremely lucky to be on the summit alone.  It is not uncommon during the busy season to have multiple rope crews all summiting at the same time.  We passed this rope team on our way down.  This photo looks back onto the Dome to Gouter.  You can see the route we took up along the spine of "les bosses"

Same rope team just showing the other side.  As you can see, one wrong step at this section of the climb could send you tumbling down the mountain on either side.  You can understand now why wind conditions are such a factor for this climb.

The final 50 metres to the summit are the easiest of the trip.  I was overcome with emotion when we finally took off our packs and pulled out our flags for photos on the top.  All of the hard work preparing for this trip had paid off.  

Our rope team celebrating at the top.  The snowy mound that you can see off in the distance is Monta Rosa, the second highest mountain in the western Alps and likely my next target!

The life long dream that started when a nine year old boy peered out across the Mont Blanc Massif from the Aiguille de Midi, had been realized.  Finally, against all odds, I was standing on the roof of Europe! (4810 m)

A life long dream come true!  September 20, 2012 Jamie Slater on the summit of Mont Blanc, 4810m