1786
4,809 m
Michel Gabriel Paccard, Jacques Balmat
MONT BLANC
Trois Monts Route (PD+)
Südtirolalpin
Certified Mountain Guide
IFMGA - Mountain Guides Associations
Mail suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Prices from
1.800,- €
THE MOUNTAIN
Standing on Mont Blanc is more than just reaching a summit – it is the roof of the Alps and for that reason so alluring.
3 days · Difficulty WS+ (alpine tour)
The highest summit in the Alps. This title alone gives Mont Blanc a very special standing among mountaineers and alpinists. The White Mountain has long held climbers under its spell. Nearly every possible line of ascent on all sides of the mountain, and in every conceivable grade, seems to have been climbed.
Chamonix at its foot is considered Europe’s mountaineering mecca. Elite alpinists mix with the many recreational alpinists and amateur mountaineers. Added to that are countless cable-car tourists, who are carried comfortably by lift to almost four thousand metres in order to view this immense colossus of rock and ice up close. Yet far finer still is to stand on the roof of the Alps yourself.
Although the route presents a number of technical challenges, taken as a whole it is entirely manageable for well-acclimatised mountaineers with some alpine experience. I will take care of the ropework and safety-related challenges, so that you can enjoy the ascent of the highest summit in the Alps as fully as possible. We will be travelling via the Trois-Monts Route – a serious alpine tour, but also a truly beautiful line on this great mountain.
ABOUT THE TOUR
The Trois-Monts Route is more demanding, but also quieter than the normal route. As the name already suggests, the route crosses three summits: Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Maudit and Mont Blanc.
Much has changed since the first ascent of Mont Blanc. Cable cars and huts have been built, and in the summer months the mountain is climbed by countless mountaineers. We too will not forgo the support of the lift system and the comfort of a secure hut. In return, however, we are on a route that is far less frequented than the normal route.
Wild glacier icefalls, steep and impressive snow and ice slopes, and sweeping drops into the valleys below make this line something special. It is precisely the combination of a great mountain, varied terrain and the traverse over three striking summits that gives this tour its own character. If you do not want to climb Mont Blanc just somehow, but instead want to experience a truly fine alpine tour, this is exactly the right route.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
- Entire organization and guidance by a state-certified mountain guide
- All necessary reservations are made in advance
Additional costs:
- 1 overnight stay with half board at the Cosmiques Hut
- 1 overnight stay with half board at the Gouter Hut
- Cable car tickets
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- Expenses (accommodation, cable car) for the mountain guide
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per piece of equipment)
Facts
Location:
Mont Blanc Massif
Best time of year:
Mid-June - end of July
Duration:
3 days
Meeting point:
Chamonix - Valley station of the Aiguille du Midi cable car
What you need
Safety-relevant requirements
- Surefootedness
- Safe walking with crampons and ice axe
Requirements for enjoyment
- Fitness for climbs of 1,800 meters at very high altitudes
- This requires proper acclimatization beforehand (we can gladly join you for an acclimatization tour to another 4,000-meter peak beforehand - just inquire directly and I'll put together a great package for you).
PRICING
Participants:
1-2 people
Prices:
1 person:
2 people:
2.500,- €
1.800,- €
If you have any questions or need further information, please write them in the comment field of the inquiry form.
Before submitting your request: Please read the "important information" about risks in mountaineering carefully.
Dates:
upon request
PROGRAM
Day 1: Arrival and approach to the hut
We meet in the early afternoon in Chamonix at the valley station of the Aiguille du Midi cable car and, after a short equipment check, get our ticket for the ride up to the top station. So on the first day the cable car takes us comfortably high up the mountain. From the top station at Aiguille du Midi, we continue on foot to the Cosmiques Hut, which we reach after a short walk.
Total time: 0.5 h | ↑ 50 m ascent | ↓ 250 m descent | Difficulty: WS (alpine tour)
⌂ Cosmiques Hut (3,613 m)
Day 2: Summit day on Mont Blanc
The next morning – or rather, still in the middle of the night – we set off towards the summit after a short breakfast. By the light of our headlamps, we pick our way through the maze of crevasses and the steep flanks of Mont Blanc du Tacul. This means we are already high on the mountain when the sun rises and bathes this immense scenery in marvellous light. The early start, the early rising – all of it is forgotten in that moment. Yet we still have a substantial stretch ahead of us to the summit. In total, 1,800 vertical metres must be climbed to reach the top at this great altitude. Next, the steep slope on Mont Maudit awaits us, the crux of the tour. The summit now seems close, yet it still drags on until we stand on the highest point of Mont Blanc. Once we have taken in the view to our heart’s content, we begin the descent. This leads us along the usually well-trodden track of the normal route down to the Goûter Hut.
Total time: 9 h | ↑ 1,800 m ascent | ↓ 950 m descent | Difficulty: WS+ (alpine tour)
⌂ Goûter Hut (3,835 m)
Day 3: Descent to Chamonix
On the third day, we descend back to Chamonix. Early in the morning we go down through the Grand Couloir to the Tête Rousse Hut. Here we can pack harness and crampons into our rucksacks and follow the walking path on to Nid d'Aigle. From there, we return to Chamonix by cog railway, cable car and bus.
Total time: 3.5 h | ↓ 1,450 m descent | Difficulty: WS (alpine tour)
The story of the first ascent
On August 7, Paccard, a doctor from Chamonix, together with Balmat, with whom he had already been on the mountain, dared to do something no other expedition on Mont Blanc had ever attempted before: they spent the night at 2,300 meters near the Bossons Glacier; this was their key to success. All previous expeditions considered it far too dangerous to spend the night at such a high altitude and started lower. On August 8, the two struggled for many hours through a then-unfamiliar landscape of rock and ice and reached the summit at 6:23 p.m. Completely exhausted and on all fours, the descent became a life-threatening hell. On the morning of August 9, snowblind, they reached Chamonix at the end of their strength. Mont Blanc was conquered. Today, this first ascent is considered the birth of modern mountaineering.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - (FAQs)
Who is a Mont Blanc ascent via the Trois-Monts Route suitable for?
The tour is suitable for well-acclimatised mountaineers with some alpine experience. You should feel comfortable on steep snow and ice and have good fitness for a long summit day.
What equipment do I need for the tour?
You will receive the exact packing list with the confirmation email. The most important items are properly fitting crampons and warm clothing for the altitude. Missing equipment can be hired from the Südtiroler Bergführern for a small wear fee.
How does the overnight stay work on the tour?
We spend the night at the Cosmiques Hut and, after the summit day, at the Goûter Hut. This allows us to divide the tour sensibly and puts us in the best possible position for the long ascent of Mont Blanc.
