OK, I know what you are thinking, “Alan, Mont Blanc is not one of the Seven Summits!” Yeah, I know, but hear me out. On the border between France and Italy, Mt. Blanc stands at 15,771 feet or 4807 meters high, putting it between Kościuszko and Carstensz Pyramid on the “list(s).”
You know how the conversation goes if you have been following this series. By most counts, there are only six continents or maybe four? I was taught in school (yes, I did go to school) that there were seven continents, but looking a bit deeper into this, some countries teach multiple scenarios such as these:
- Seven Continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia/Oceania
- Six Continents: Africa, America (combined North + South), Antarctica, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe
- Five Continents: Africa, Europe, Asia, America (combined North + South), Australia/Oceania
- Four Continents: Afro-Eurasia (Europe + Asia + Africa), America (North + South), Antarctica, Australia
However, since we are discussing mountain climbing and Dick Bass’s concept of climbing the highest peak on each of the seven continents, that is what I’m using. But to make things even more confusing, these days, in 2024, with the war in Ukraine, climbing Russia’s Mt. Elbrus, which is generally considered the highest in Europe (yes, Russia is part of Europe, not Asia), is typically off limits to most people thus Mont Blanc steps in! Also, national pride often promotes MB into the mix. Finally, some consider Europe a separate “political” continent, given its unique cultural and political characteristics.
In July 1995, I summited Mont Blanc or as the Italians call it, “Monte Bianco,” for the first time and twice more in 1998, training for Cho Oyu. I used the Trois Monts Route each time. It was my first “real” mountain climb, and I fell in love with the sport. My first climb was with a guide, but I returned two more times to summit alone, as much as you can be alone on Mont Blanc!
Logistics
One of the best parts of climbing Mont Blanc is the village of Chamonix, France. This picturesque town of about 9,000 people sits at the base of the Massif and offers everything one could imagine. It’s a fantastic place to spend a night or two or three before and after your climb. If you climb from the Italian side, your journey starts from Courmayeur. Geneva, Switzerland, is the closest major airport. The most popular routes use trams or cable cars to reach mid-mountain, where you hike to a hut for a short night.
Difficulty
Month Blanc is a vast massif with three primary subpeaks: Mont Maudit, Mont Blanc du Tacul, and Aiguille du Midi. Most people find Mont Blanc a serious climb given the objective dangers, such as crevasses, rockfall and avalanches, but it is also a cold and windy peak. While it is usually climbed in one day, it’s a long day of ten to fifteen hours, gaining up to 5,413 feet or 1,650 meters on most routes. Summer is the most popular time to climb, but as in 2022, it can be brutally hot. If you climb in winter, you must be a highly experienced mountaineer.
All routes are ordinarily snow-covered, thus requiring crampons, but you will also encounter exposed rock. Most teams will be roped together as there are no fixed ropes like on Everest. If you are looking for a comparison, some people say it’s similar to Rainier but higher and Denali but lower.
Mont Blanc has an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 visitors yearly, with around 200 people summiting daily from June to September. The death stats are elusive but estimated to be around 10 to 20 yearly, maybe double that. However, eight people died in an avalanche in 2008, four in a fall in 2009, and six in 2014 in one incident.
A massive heat wave in 2022 created such deadly conditions that Jean-Marc Peillex, mayor of Saint-Gervais, wanted to charge climbers a €15,000 ($15,370) deposit to cover rescue and possible funeral costs. He tried to close the mountain but lacked the authority. However, he closed the two mountain refuges at Goûter and Tête Rousse, citing rockfall.
© Charlie Boscoe
Routes
It is one of the most famous peaks, attracting many climbers, most lacking the necessary experience to deal with hazards. Incredibly, there are not more accidents. No climbing fees or permits are required, but many people hire a local guide. The guides at Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix earn a good living, helping thousands of tourists each season and charging around $1,000 for two clients per day. Many people climb with a local guide, roped together.
There are multiple routes, but two are the most popular, both on the French side. Due to the crowds, reservations are required for all huts. You will be turned back without one. Technically, camping is not allowed but is sometimes tolerated.
An estimated six named routes exist, but some areas remain open to exploration. The most common route to the summit is the Goûter Route, aka “Voie des Cristalliers,” which has a daily limit of 214 people, so you must make hut reservations. This route starts from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and involves taking the Tramway du Mont Blanc to the Nid d’Aigle (Eagle’s Nest) at 7,749 feet/2,362 meters. From there, climbers ascend to the Tête Rousse Hut (3,167 meters) and the Goûter Hut (3,835 meters). Climbers begin the final push to the summit early in the morning and navigate the challenging Bosses Ridge. The route is considered non-technical, but rockfall is everpresent and deadly, especially in the Grand Couloir.
The Trois Monts Route is probably the second most popular route. It begins with a 20-minute cable car ride to the Aiguille du Midi at 12,391ft/3777m, where the impressive structure provides a 360-degree view of the surrounding Alps. Next is a short hike to the Cosmiques hut for dinner and a few hours of sleep. The route climbs steadily, traversing Mont Blanc du Tacul and Mont Maudit before reaching the summit of Mont Blanc. This is a semi-technical route, and each climber must be experienced in ice climbing, glacier, and crevasse crossing. The crux is below the Col du Mont Maudit, 40 meters of 45-degree snow. Guides usually set up and leave a fixed line attached to an anchor at the top of the step and an intermediate anchor halfway up the slope, both of which can be used as belays. It usually takes 7 to 8 hours from the hut to the summit and about half the time to return. A popular option is to take the Gouter back to the Nid d’Aigle.
Skiers take the Grand Mulets Route, starting with a cable car ride to the Plan de l’Aiguille Mid station. This was the route taken by Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel Paccard in 1786 for the first summits of MB. And if you are in Italy, take the less popular Italian Route via Gonella Hut from Courmayeur.
Summary
OK, so technically, Mont Blanc should not be included in a 7 Summits discussion, but putting details aside, it’s a fantastic climb in a jaw-dropping area. The mountain offers something for everyone and is worth your time and money. You must gain experience before going alone or with friends, or you can hire a professional guide to keep you safe and make your journey a positive experience.
If you want to cover all the Seven Summits angles, here is the list of nine climbs:
- Everest, Nepal – 29,035/8850m
- Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,902/6960m
- Denali, Alaska – 20,320/6194m
- Kilimanjaro, Africa – 19,340/5896m
- Elbrus, Russia – 18,513/5642m
- Vinson, Antarctica – 16,067/4897m
- Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea – 16,023/4884m
- Mt. Blanc, France/Italy – 15,771’/4807m
- Mt. Kościuszko, Australia – 7,310/2228m
Episodes will drop each week:
- September 15: Introduction
- September 22: Mt. Kościuszko, Australia – 7,310/2228m
- September 29: Mt. Blanc, France/Italy – 15,771’/4807m
- October 6: Vinson, Antarctica – 16,067/4897m
- October 13: Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea – 16,023/4884m
- October 20: Elbrus, Russia – 18,513/5642m
- October 27: Kilimanjaro, Africa – 19,340/5896m
- November 3: Denali, Alaska – 20,320/6194m
- November 10: Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,902/6960m
- November 17: Everest, Nepal/Tibet – 29,035/8850m
Safe climbing to all.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Video podcast version of Episode 3: Seven Summits: Mont Blanc
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