Climbing News: Mont Maudit (Blanc) Tragedy, Difficult Denali, Karakorum Drama
Just back from my own climb of Peru’s Alpamayo, no I wanted to post a quick recap of recent news for the climbing world with success, dramas and death. Let’s start with some good news. Denali Success British climbers Nick Bullock and Andy Houseman showed Denali is not a simple walk up by making a rare repeat of the Slovak Direct route in an incredible 84 hours, First climbed in 1984 by Slovakians Blajez Adam, Tono Krizo and Franticek Korl; they took 11 days and the route has only been repeated five other times. The record of 60 hours set by Mark Twight, Scott Backes and Steve House was in 2000 using a single push. The Slovak Direct takes a circuitous route on Denali’s South Face. It uses part of the West Buttress approach, Cassin Ridge and having 10,000 foot gain, requires 58 pitches, some at 5.10 rock of world-class climbing. Congratulations to these climbers on a great feat. Denali Re For mere mortals, climbing the West Buttress has been difficult this season. Once again the end of the season proved to be too tough for many teams. Heavy late season snows (up to 3 feet at the 14,000′ camp) stalled efforts to go higher. With time, food and fuel running low many teams were forced to give up. I know this feeling because it was exactly this scenario that stopped my attempt one year ago to the date. Only a small Danish team and a Dave Hahn led RMI team remain. Even the Rangers have gone. While statics show a equal amount of success for late seasons (June 15 starts onward), perhaps the changes in the climate have made it more difficult. If I ever go back to McKinley I will not start in June! The National Park Service website shows an usually low number of summits this year at 492 or a 44% summit percentage, the lowest in 13 years. Here’s a look at the summit stats for the popular West Buttress route since 2000 with the most popular summit day: Denali West Buttress Route source: National Park Service Year Total Summits % Top Summit Date # 2012 492 44% 2011 623 55% June 6 66 2010 630 56 June 21 54 2009 649 60 June 7 77 2008 652 58 May 30 91 2007 513 47 June 12 77 2006 545 52 May 29 50 2005 716 59 June 15 101 2004 628 54 June 4 71 2003 556 58 June 12 115 2002 575 53 June 13 56 2001 670 60 June 4 69 2000 556 53 June 3 71 Nanga Parbat Drama An ambitious effort on the worlds 9th highest mountain, Nanga Parbat (8125m) left some feeling a bit empty. A team of six, Cathy O’Dowd, Sandy Allen, Rick Allan, Lahkpa Nuru Sherpa, Lhakpa Rangdu Sherpa and Lhakpa Zarok Sherpa, attempted the very difficult and treacherous Mazeno Ridge only to be stopped short at the base of the summit pyramid by heavy snows and dwindling supplies after 11 days on the summit push. The ridge is more than 10 km (6 miles) long requiring crossing eight 7000 meter (23000 ft) peaks along the route and has never been completed as one climb. It is the longest ridge on any 8000m mountain. Their expedition website is an excellent resource and very well done. Their last message said the team split with climbers Rick and Sandy pushing on and O’Dowd turning back. Gasherbrum II/Broad Peak/K2 Several teams are making good progress on Broad Peak and we can expect summit attempts this upcoming week. Al Hancock is doing a nice job of documenting his effort. I reached Camp 2 on my 2006 Broad Peak expedition so can appreciate this progress. Reaching the true summit of Broad requires a dangerous traverse of the summit ridge so conditions will dictate what happens next. On Gasherbrum II, look for as many as 20 climbers to go for the summit around July 16. Over on K2, teams are making progress with Camp 1 established. Mont Maudit Tragedy On one of the most popular routes, 3 Mont Blancs, to the highest peak in Western Europe, Mont Blanc; an avalanche off Mount Maudit took 9 climbers early on July 13. The 16 inch slab avalanche hit without warning or even noise as reported by survivors. The dead included three climbers from the U.K., three from Germany, two from Spain and one from Switzerland. Fourteen other climbers were injured. And on Saturday, June 14, two more climbers died after being trapped on the Dôme du Goûter and hit by a storm. I have personally climbed this route three times and know this section well. It is common to go as fast as humanly possible through this section given the impending uncertainty. What initiated the slide is still unknown. The alps had experienced warm temperatures and rain recently. Each year, over 50 climbers are killed on Mont Blanc with 8 in one accident in 2008 and 9 in 1994. It is one of the most popular mountains in all of Europe with over 20,000 reaching the summit annually. One of the climbers lost was 55 year-old British climb Roger Payne. He made first ascents of routes in the Alps and climbed there every year from 1977. He took part in more than 20 expeditions to high and difficult peaks across the Karakoram and Himalaya – from K2 to little-known mountains on the borders of Sikkim, and Sichuan in China – as well as North and South America. He was a past General Secretary of the British Mountaineering Club. It has already been a deadly year in the Alps with 20 deaths: Mont Maudit (9), Lagginhorn (5), Eiger (2), Dôme du Goûter (2), Dent Blanch (1) and Wetterhorn (1) My sincere condolences to all who lost family, teammates, and friends. This is a video of the Mont Maudit rescue from Reuters: Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
Mont Blanc Trip Report
Mont Blanc France/Italy 15,771 feet – 4807 meters Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Western Europe, at 15,771 feet. Mt. Elbrus in Russia is Europe’s highest, at 18,513 feet. It is on the border between Italy and France and is called Monte Bianco in Italy. While living in Geneva, Mont Blanc was visible on a clear day. I first climbed the Three Mont Blanc route with a guide in July 1995. It was steep and snowy, and it was one of the longest days of my life. It starts with an easy gondola ride up to the Agile du Midi – a spectacular lookout point for the Alps. Getting to the Refuge for a short overnight rest takes about an hour. This was an interesting way to start the climb since you are in the observation tower with hundreds of tourists. However, you are dressed in Gortex, gloves and crampons with a pack on your back. You get very strange looks as you leave the warmth of the building through what can only be described as an ice tunnel. The tunnel leads to a narrow ridge with steep drop-offs on both sides. The ridge, about two feet wide, drops steadily, then makes a right turn towards the Valley Blanche – a beautifully wide valley that holds the approach to hundreds of snow, ice and rock climbs throughout the year. Once at the Refuge, I found a spot in one of the several dorm-type rooms, laid out my sleeping bag and returned to the dining room, where everyone gathered to chat, read or pass the time until dinner. The evening meal was simple but tasty fare that was served efficiently, thus allowing the multitude of climbers to get to bed early. After a short night, I got up around 3:30 AM. We had a nice French breakfast of muesli, croissants and a large latte—very civilized! The hut was extremely crowded, so everyone was jostling for a spot to get dressed, top off water bottles and put on gloves, hats and crampons. I roped up to my French Guide as well as our other climber, an older Frenchman who spoke as much English as I did French! Our route was the Aiguille du Midi Route, which traverses Mont Blanc du Tacul and Mont Maudit on the way to Mont Blanc’s summit. We made good time down from the Refuge towards the first obstacle, a 20′ high snow slope that was quite steep. Ropes had been fixed, and steps were established from the many climbers on the route this summer. We cleared the wall and started climbing higher. As with most “normal” routes on big mountains, it was mostly wide expanses of snow slopes with varying degrees of angles. Soon, we skirted the summit of du Tacul and then Mont Maudit. One more wall stood between us and the summit of Mont Blanc. This one was 40 to 50 feet high and at a much sharper angle than the first. We carefully climbed the wall and continued across a wide snow-covered saddle. With one final slope to overcome, we paced ourselves as a threesome and soon stood atop Mont Blanc. The view was amazing since the sun was just rising in the east. We congratulated one another, took some summit pictures and had some food and water. It was cold, so we did not stay long. The return trip was straightforward but very tiring. At one point, we almost ran to avoid the potential danger of an avalanche-prone slope. The final climb back to the Refuge to retrieve our gear, plus the last climb up the ridge to the Agile du Midi, took my final ounce of strength. It was an unforgettable 13-hour round trip. This was my first true snow climb, and I learned a lot. It set the tone for my future climbs. The following spring, I went on a trek to Nepal and saw Everest, Ama Dablam and Cho Oyu for the first time. Remembering the satisfaction of Mont Blanc, I set my sites on Cho Oyu and used Mont Blanc, Monta Rosa and Tour Ronde as training peaks that next year. I summited Mont Blanc twice solo during my training, which took 9-10 hours each time. All I can say is merci bouc Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc Resources I have summited Mont Blanc three times. You can read about my climbs through these links: Mont Blanc Home and Trip Report Mont Blanc FAQ
Mont Blanc FAQ
Mont Blanc France/Italy 15,771 feet – 4807 meters About Mont Blanc : Q: Where is it A: It is located in the French Alps on the border between Italy and France. It is actually “owned” by both countries under a bilateral agreement and is called Monte Bianco in Italy. Mont Blanc is a huge massif and the tallest peak on the massif. The nearest airport is Geneva, Switzerland. It is about an hour’s drive or by train to Chamonix, France. Q: When is it usually climbed? A: As with most Northern Hemisphere peaks, Summer is best because every day is warmer with less threat of snow. I climbed it in July and August. But in recent years, ~2022-2025, the summer has been so hot that local guides stopped climbing it. Q: How hard is it? A: There are many routes that can vary from extremely difficult and technical to semi-technical. This means ropes, crampons and ice axe. Due to the danger of crevasse, you usually rope up in teams. The ice climbing can be WF4 for short sections. My personal experience was mixed. I found it very challenging the first time due to an extremely long day – 13 hours. The other times, it became easier with my improved conditioning and experience. I used a Guide from Chamonix on the first climb and climbed alone on the other two. Q: How does Mont Blanc compare with Denali or Mt. Rainier? A: It is a serious climb where climbers experience long snow slopes and some steep sections. On most routes, you use one of the huts to overnight and start early, unlike winter camping conditions on Denali, plus pulling a sled for weeks. So, while it is similar in conditions to Denali, it is not as significant in time or effort. In most respects, it is more like Rainier with the multiple routes and the fact that most climbers do a summit climb in two days. Q: Is a Mont Blanc climb dangerous? A: Absolutely. In 2012, 9 climbers were killed in an avalanche of Mount Maudit on the popular Tres Mouts Traverse route. There is avalanche, crevasse and serac danger. You should only attempt Mont Blanc with the proper experience and logistics for emergencies. It seems like each year, a rouge storm hits the mountain in the summer, creating dangerous icy conditions and multiple deaths. Over 100 climbers died just in the summer of 2008. The Swiss, French and Italians have a fantastic rescue service. Out of Zermatt, Switzerland, Air Zermatt conducts 25 to 30 rescue missions per day with three helicopters during the high season–at no charge to the victim. Q: How many people have summited, and how many people have died trying? A: 20,000 to 30,000 people attempt Mont Blanc each year, and an estimated 200 people a day summit in the summer season, making it very crowded. About 20 to 30 people die annually on Mont Banc. Some estimates have over 1,500 deaths since records were started. Training, Gear & Communication: Q: How did you train for this climb? A: I did a lot of running for aerobic conditioning and used smaller peaks in the area as training climbs. Q: Was altitude a problem on this climb? A: Climbing above 15,000′ is always challenging. Altitude can be a problem for anyone above 8,000′, much less when you are going above 22,000′. To acclimatize en route, the night in the hut helps a bit, but I would strongly suggest taking it slow and spending a few days in Chamonix. Q: Can you prepare for the altitude? A: Not really. The common approach is to move slowly up the mountain (1000′ a day maximum), spending your days at a higher altitude than where you sleep until your summit bid. The human body simply does not function well at high altitudes, especially above 8000m (26,300′). As you go higher, the barometric pressure decreases. Although the air still contains 21% oxygen, every breath contains fewer molecules of oxygen. Everest legend Tom Hornbein explained it to the American Lung Association this way: The lower oxygen stimulates chemoreceptors that initiate an increase in breathing, resulting in a lowering of the partial pressure of CO2 and hence more alkaline blood pH. The kidneys begin to unload bicarbonate to compensate. Though this adaptation can take many days, up to 80% occurs just in the first 48 to 72 hours. There are many other physiologic changes going on, among them the stimulus of low oxygen to release the hormone, erythropoietin to stimulate more red blood cell production, a physiological and still acceptable form of blood doping that enhances endurance performance at low altitudes. Adaptive changes are not always good for one’s health. Some South American high altitude residents can have what’s called chronic mountain sickness, resulting from too many red blood cells; their blood can be up to 84-85% red blood cells. The increased blood viscosity and sometimes associated pulmonary hypertension can result in right heart failure. A popular method today is acclimatizing at home in a hypoxic tent. Climbers spend 60 days sleeping with a plastic box over their heads, reaching a simulated altitude of 17,800 feet. They can be rented for about $500 per month. The ultra-high-end guides include it as part of their expedition fee. This pre-acclimatization reduces the number of rotations and significantly shortens the expedition. However, weather delays often put those who acclimatized with traditional methods on the same schedule as the tent methods. Q: What kind of equipment did you use? A: I mostly use the same gear I used on Rainier—lots of layers. My technical equipment included a long-handle ice axe, harness, carabineers and crampons. Protecting my toes, fingers, and face is critical since they are most susceptible to frostbite. I use a three-layer system: base, warmth and wind/cold. Q: Is anything special in your Mont Blanc gear? A: Layer your clothing and be prepared for extreme cold and wind. Mont Blanc is famous for its fast-changing weather. Since