four-thousanders
MONT BLANC
Pope Route - Italian normal route (PD, I)
Südtirolalpin
IFMGA certified mountain and ski guides
South Tyrolean Mountain and Ski Guides Association
Email suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Price from:
€2,500
for 1 person
Duration:
3 days
Mont Blanc – Italian normal route
The Pope Route up Mont Blanc is the quiet, long and demanding Italian answer to the crowds on the French normal route.
3 days · Difficulty PD, I
Mont Blanc - Pope Route - normal route via the Italian side: who does not dream of standing on the highest summit in the Alps one day, only to have nightmares at the thought of the crowds attempting the summit every day via the French normal route? For all of you there is not just one but two pieces of good news: the so-called "Pope Route" via the Gonella Hut is a very beautiful and rewarding alternative on the Italian side of the mountain for reaching the roof of the Alps. And it is often forgotten that, in terms of objective hazards, this variant is the safest route up Mont Blanc.
With two such good arguments there has to be a catch, and it clearly lies in the fitness demanded of the mountaineers who choose this route, as well as in the right glacier conditions. On no other normal route anywhere in the Alps do you have to start so early and stay on the move for so long, and the season is short. Depending on the winter snowpack and early-summer temperatures, the snow bridges across the wildly crevassed Glacier du Dôme can be gone early in the alpine season, and the route is then no longer possible.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
- Complete organisation and guiding by an IFMGA certified mountain and ski guide
- All necessary reservations made in advance
Additional costs for participants:
- 2 hut nights with half board (Gonella Hut and Cosmiques Hut)
- Cable car (Turin Hut - Courmayeur)
- Expenses (hut, cable car) for the mountain guide
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per item)
Facts
Location:
Mont Blanc Massif
Best time of year:
June - mid-July
Duration:
3 days
Meeting point:
Courmayeur - cable car valley station
Requirements
Requirements:
- Excellent fitness for 1,950 metres of ascent at high altitude and an equally long, technically demanding descent
- Good acclimatisation (on request, we are happy to offer you an acclimatisation package for proper preparation)
- Sure-footedness
- Good crampon technique
- Alpine tour experience
PRICE
Participants:
1 person
Price from
€2,500
for 1 person
Depends at short notice on conditions on the mountain
PROGRAMME
Day 1: Approach to the Gonella Hut
We meet in Courmayeur at the valley station of the cable car from Courmayeur to the Turin Hut ("Skyway Monte Bianco") and leave one car there. With the second car we drive into the Val Veny to the car park at the end of the road. From here we begin the scenic and spectacular ascent to the Gonella Hut. Almost 1,500 vertical metres and about 5 hours in total.
Walking time: 5 h | ↑ 1,500 m
⌂ Gonella Hut
Day 2: Mont Blanc via the Pope Route
The day could not start any earlier. Breakfast at midnight, then out into the long night, climbing steadily by headlamp across the heavily crevassed Glacier du Dôme. We reach the Piton des Italiens. Continuing over the Dôme du Goûter and past the Vallot Bivouac, we follow the Bosses Ridge to the highest point. On the summit we will hopefully enjoy the view from Mont Blanc. We then set off on the long descent, with the technically most demanding sections still ahead of us. The Trois Monts route takes us past Mont Maudit and Mont Blanc du Tacul down to the Cosmiques Hut. Including counter-ascents, we cover almost 2,000 metres of ascent and 1,400 metres of descent in total, plus a considerable distance and, especially on the descent, steep sections that demand reserves of strength and concentration right to the very end. We will be on the go for a good 12 hours before we can hopefully toast our summit on the terrace of the Cosmiques Hut.
Total time: 12 h | ↑ 1,950 m | ↓ 1,400 m | Difficulty: PD, I
⌂ Cosmiques Hut
Day 3: Return to Courmayeur
It is rare to be able to almost sleep in at a hut this high. But after our midnight start the day before and the long tour, it comes in very handy. On the last day, all that remains is the return to Courmayeur, and for once we do not have to get up in the middle of the night. Weather permitting, we can take the Helbronner cable car at our leisure, simply making our way across the glacier to the cable car station. Alternatively, we cross the glacier on foot to the Turin Hut and then treat ourselves to the cable car back down to the valley.
Any changes to the programme that may become necessary for various reasons (weather, conditions, availability of accommodation, etc.) are always made in consultation with the participants.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Who is the Pope Route up Mont Blanc suitable for?
The tour is suitable for mountaineers with great endurance and solid experience on alpine tours. The Italian normal route is not technically extreme, but it is long, serious and only advisable in good glacier conditions. Above all, the very early start and the long summit day demand excellent fitness.
What equipment do I need for this tour?
You will receive the detailed packing list with the confirmation email. Most important are suitable crampons and a warm layering system for alpine tours. Any missing equipment can be rented from Südtirolalpin for a small wear-and-tear fee.
When are conditions best for the Pope Route?
The key factors are the conditions on the Glacier du Dôme and the snow bridges. Depending on the winter and early summer, the season on this route can be quite short. Once the crevasse zones open up too much, the Pope Route often becomes impossible early in the season.
Looking for a different tour? Send us your request
MOUNTAIN GUIDES FROM SOUTH TYROL
# MONT BLANC # POPE ROUTE # GONELLA HUT # MOUNTAIN GUIDE