Mont Blanc Massif
Climb of Gran Paradiso, Monte Rosa & Mont Blanc
Technical lev. : 4.5 / 5
Physical lev. : 4.5 / 5
Climbing Mont Blanc in 6 days.
A mountaineering course that will allow you to progress at high altitude in the best possible way, to face the ascent of Mont Blanc in the best possible conditions and increase the chances of reaching the summit!
Two days at Gran Paradiso (4061 mt), two days at Monte Rosa (4554 mt) and finally two days at Mont Blanc (4810 mt).
A high altitude trip to discover the most beautiful summits of the Alps.
Booking Dates & Prices
The ascent
This mountaineering course was born from the desire to offer our guests the best chance to climb Mont Blanc, by creating a programme that guarantees an ideal acclimatisation, while discovering the magnificent mountains of the Aosta Valley, known for their grandeur and beauty: Gran Paradiso and Monte Rosa.
This mountaineering course, tested and approved by our clients, is very appreciated because it allows to learn basic mountaineering techniques and glacier progression and to improve your mountaineering level, by climbing three of the most famous 4000m peaks of the Aosta Valley region in one week only.
We will start with the easy ascent of Gran Paradiso (4061 mt) and then move on to the Monte Rosa mountain range, climbing the Punta Gnifetti / Signalkuppe (4554 mt), where we will visit the famous Capanna Margherita. Finally, thanks to the week of training and stay at altitude, we will climb Mont Blanc, which with its 4810 meters dominates the Aosta Valley and the Chamonix Valley.
Mont Blanc is a difficult summit, it is important to prepare and acclimatise well to achieve its ascent with this course you put the chances on your side to live a superb adventure.
To complete this information you can look at this link to the website of the Office de Haute Montagne de Chamonix which allows you to understand that the ascent of Mont Blanc is a mountaineer story.
The Program
The programme of the mountaineering course is indicative, in case of bad weather or depending on the availability of the huts at the time of booking, it may be liable to variations.
IMPORTANT
Keep a 7th day free at the end of the programme, to have flexibility in case of bad weather.
Vertical drop: + 890m
Meeting in Valsavarenche at 9am and departure for the Chabod refuge. The afternoon will be dedicated to practicing mountain safety techniques and glacier rescue with the mountain guide.
Dinner and overnight stay at the refuge.
Vertical drop: + 1350m / - 2200m
Ascent of Grand Paradis - early wake up call - departure between 4:00 and 5:00 am depending on weather and snow conditions, to enjoy a superb sunrise on the glacier.
The day starts with about 40 minutes of walking on the trail to reach the first part of the glacier. After putting on crampons and roping up following the instructions of your mountain guide, the climb continues to reach the shoulder of the glacier in about 2/3 hours. Then the last climb allows us to reach the summit slope, we reach the summit by climbing a small via ferrata in the rocks to access the famous Madonna of Gran Paradiso. The descent from the summit is via the rocky ridge along a small loop, which has made access to the summit easier in the last few years. The descent to the refuge is then made on the same route of the ascent.
Duration: about 6/8 hours - return to the refuge by 12 noon / 1pm depending on the group's fitness and progress.
In the afternoon, descent to the valley and night in a hotel or B&B (night not included in the price, we can help you organise accommodation according to your preferences).
Vertical drop: + 225m
Meeting with the guide in the morning (time to be agreed directly) and transfer to Gressoney la Trinité - cable car ride to Punta Indren and walk of about 40 minutes/one hour to the Rifugio Città di Mantova (3498 m), located in a beautiful and welcoming area, where we will have dinner and spend the night.
Vertical drop: + 1050m / - 1280m
The climb to Monte Rosa / Punta Gnifetti begins in the early morning. After a substantial breakfast, with the help of headlamps, you will start your ascent along the Lys glacier, which you will follow all the way to the saddle of the Col du Lys (4248 m).
You will reach the Capanna Margherita hut, perched on the top of Punta Gnifetti / Signalkuppe at 4,554 metres, by mid-morning. Once at the top, you can enjoy the panorama from the refuge's terrace and recover your strength by eating a slice of the delicious pizza homemade at 4500 meters of altitude ! The descent will be made by the same route as the ascent. The ascent takes 5-6 hours and the descent takes 3 hours. You will arrive at the Rifugio Mantova in the early afternoon. You can take a break and decide to stop for a good plate of pasta and then head down with your guide to take the cable car back to the village of Gressoney.
Return to Aosta in the middle of the afternoon and transfer to a hotel or B&B in Aosta or Chamonix (night not included in the price, we can arrange accommodation to suit your preferences).
Vertical drop: + 1450m
Transfer to Chamonix in the morning. You will then reach the village of Les Houches, where you will take the Bellevue cable car and then the Tramway du Mont Blanc in Saint Gervais, to reach the Nid d'Aigle at 2372 meters of altitude.
This day is dedicated to the ascent to the Goûter hut, located at 3817 meters of altitude. It is a 5 to 6 hour walk from the Nid d'Aigle to the hut. After about two hours of walking, you will reach the Tête Rousse hut (3167m) and continue towards the Aiguille du Goûter by crossing the Grand Couloir. Once at the summit, you will continue towards the mythical Goûter hut at 3835 metres.
Dinner and night at the refuge.
The next day, you will finally climb to the top of Mont Blanc!
Vertical drop: + 1000m / - 2440m
Departure around 2 or 3 am, headlamps in position, you will leave the Goûter refuge. You will walk on the glacier in the direction of the Dôme du Goûter, then the Col du Dôme (4250 m), which you will reach at sunrise after a three hours walk. You will continue to the Vallot shelter at 4362 metres, along a short snowy slope. Then, the vertical passage on the Bosses ridge, the Rocher de la Tournette and finally the summit ridge will take you to the top of Mont Blanc. From the summit, you will enjoy the view on the border between France and Italy!
The descent is made on the same route as the ascent until you reach the Nid d'Aigle, then you will take the Tramway du Mont Blanc and the cable car back to Chamonix.
IMPORTANT
Reservation of the huts for climbing Mont Blanc must be made 3 to 6 months in advance.
Normally the preferred hut for the Mont Blanc ascent is the Refuge du Gouter, however the route to the summit may vary depending on the hut booked, but we will always have a spare day (as recommended at the beginning) to ensure flexibility in case of bad weather.
Equipement
Mont Blanc is a small expedition, it is a difficult summit that should not be underestimated, the ascent is only possible in good weather with little wind, at almost 5000 meters of altitude the weather can change extremely quickly despite a good weather forecast. You must therefore have all the equipment on the list!
First layer on the skin - underwear:
Second layer:
Third layer:
Last layer:
Do not forget:
Difficulty
Programme designed for intermediate mountaineers: during the week, you will undertake increasingly difficult climbs, which will train you and allow you to acclimatise in preparation for the final ascent of Mont Blanc.
Useful information
Cancellation and repatriation insurance is recommended, as well as an additional insurance policy covering search and rescue in the mountains (approximately 10,000 euros of coverage).
4 people per guide for the Grand Paradis and Mont Rose ascents, one person per guide for the Mont Blanc ascent to improve the safety of the group and to increase the chances of success for everyone.
If the group does not reach the summit for any reason (bad weather, bad mountain conditions, fatigue or illness of one of the participants...), no refund or compensation is provided. Check our Terms and Conditions.
The week before your departure, you will receive a reminder by email with all the information concerning the meeting and the guide in charge of your group.
Esprit Montagne / Esprit des Guides SA takes care of the hut reservation, you do not need to think about it.
Meeting with the guide in Valsavarenche at 9.00 am.
You can park your car in Valsavarenche at the car parking next to the river and before the bridge. Click on the picture below to see the parking area.
The group will leave Chamonix at the end of the afternoon on the 6th day.
This programme has been designed to ensure optimal acclimatisation, with evenings in the valley alternating with stages at altitude, to allow you to rest properly in the hotel, to enjoy the good Italian cuisine and to recover your energy before heading back to the mountains for the next race.
All participants in the course are expected to be independent with their own transport to reach the meeting point on the first day and to move from one valley to the other during the week.
It is also possible to arrange common transport with the guide, please mention it when booking so that we can organise this at best.
Nights in mountain hut included in the price: DAY 1, DAY 3 and DAY 5.
Nights on DAY 2 and DAY 4 are not included in the price, to give you the freedom to choose the accommodation you prefer and the place in the region where you wish to stay.
Tips:
On DAY 2 you descend from Gran Paradiso and arrive in the Valsavarenche valley, where you collect your car.
Recommended accommodation:
On DAY 4 you descend from Monte Rosa into the Gressoney valley and the next day you go to Chamonix.
For the night of DAY 4 it is advisable to stay as close as possible to Chamonix or to stay in Chamonix directly.
Recommended accommodation:
When it comes to mountaineering boots, these are the types of boots you should have: Scarpa Triolet GTX
You can rent them at Le Pilier du Sport in Morgex (AO), Gal Sport in Aosta or Ravanel or Snell in Chamonix.
Italy is in the Eurozone, so the currency is the Euro (€).
The shelter has a credit card terminal, however, we strongly advise you to bring cash!
Photo gallery
Any question?
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