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Mont Blanc is one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. The mountain, at 4807m is significantly higher than any other in the Alps Starting from Saint-Gervais, the elevation difference from bottom to top is more than 4000m, in an area where glaciers can be found as low as 1200m. It is a complex mountain, with many ridges and faces. The routes span the whole range of alpine climbing and have something to offer to anyone: walk ups, classic ridges and faces, difficult rock climbing and frozen waterfalls. None of the other big mountains in the world are as easily accessible as Mont Blanc. There is an extensive network of trams, cable cars, huts around the mountain from Chamonix.
The mountain was first climbed in 1786 by Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard by the gentle slopes of its north face, and since then has seen numerous feats, eccentricities, and tragedies.
Are you ready for Mont-Blanc ?
Out of two persons who spends the night at the Gouter hut, only one makes it to the summit, indeed you should never underestimate Mont-Blanc. The combination of high altitude, relatively unstable weather, steep and/or exposed terrain, glacial features, can make finding your way up or down extremely difficult. Even helicopter rescue is difficult due to fog and clouds sweeping in at the end of the day You need at least to be in excellent shape, and to have previous mountaineering experience including a few long outings, use of the rope to prevent crevasse falls and climbing falls, use of an ice-axe and crampons, cold weather/storm skills. No doubt, it is better to use a guide service.
However, the regular route is more like "high-altitude hiking" than climbing, in the sense that general mountaineering skills are more important, the climbing itself being technically quite easy. The time it takes for you to be ready starting from scratch all depends whether you will learn by yourself, with experienced friends, or guides.
Novice climbers have basically two options: take a week-long course where you will have some instruction, climb a smaller peak to acclimatise, and then try Mont-Blanc. Organisations which run such a course include the Club Alpin Francais (CAF, check with the Centre Alpin du Tour), Union des Centres de Plein Air (UCPA), Chalets Internationaux de Haute Montagne (CIHM). They most likely run such a course weekly. that's the option I would recommend: cheapest and most educational. you need however to understand French.
Mont-Blanc is a marvellous mountain, therefore it is no wonder many attempt to climb it.
The Gouter route is indeed very crowded. The Grand Mulets and Trois-Mont-Blanc routes are a bit crowded. If you tackle Mt Blanc this way, well, you should be warned beforehand about this fact. It is well known, so this is only your choice to go on a crowded route. However, there are plenty of routes on the same mountain which do not suffer this affliction. For instance, when I did the first solo ascent of the Jaccoux Domenech route on the W face, I didn't see anyone during 24 hours. A route of moderate technical difficulty (PD) which sees almost no traffic is the Tournette Spur in the W face (a more ambitious project than the rating would indicate).
Key routes to Mont-Blanc ?
There are basically four classical easy routes to the summit of Mont-Blanc:
The Gouter route, PD
The Three-Mont-Blanc route, PD+
The Grand Mulets route, F/PD
The Aiguilles Grises route, PD
The above information is not designed to replace local knowledge or the need for a guide. Please ensure you hire or at least speak to a guide and have a quality guide book, the right equipment and a weather forecast to hand if you intend to climb.
Compagnie des Guides :
The oldest and most prestigious guide company in the world. Founded in 1821 to satisfy an increasing demand, particularly by the English, to attempt the summit of Mont Blanc, the « Compagnie » was formed by local men of the valley who intimately knew the mountains.
Constantly in the forefront of the profession, the Compagnie des Guides continues to advance the barriers of modern mountaineering. Today, within its structure are 250 professional mountain and trekking guides (speaking English, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Japanese).
Just to give you an idea of some of the most popular and exciting activities available with the Compagnie des Guides : Vallée Blanche, snowshoeing, off-piste skiing, Heliski, ski trekking, ski mountaineering, ice climbing...
Mont Blanc ascent courses, mountaineering, daily hikes, light-pack walks, Tour du Mont Blanc, Haute Route, first outing using crampons, alpine hikes, glacier treks, rock or ice climbing and 'junior' mountain activities.
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