Hi, I've been working as a mountain guide for 20 years on Mont Blanc and I thought your tips were spot on, especially about acclimatisation and not trying it over a weekend. Well done for getting to the top, looks like you had a great trip! Best John Taylor IFMGA (Mont Blanc Guides Ltd.)
Mont Blanc is not that hard of a mountain to climb. It can be easily reached in two to three days. Lets say Grossglockner in Austria is not near as high but is requires much more skill to climb in the winter. The biggest problem i see with Mont Blank is the same as it is now with Everest.... too many unskilled climbers. Otherwise, great job! ps. You do not need two ice axes to climb this routs they are used for ice climbing water falls.
@@ericman3234 join the Austrian alpine club. You get rescue insurance up to 6000m and a reciprocal rights card for your money. They have an international section so you don't have to be Austrian.
I summited Mont Blanc yesterday. Of all the tips here I wish I had remembered tip 9. Both guides wore trail runners from Tete Rousse down to Nid D'Aigle. My reasoning was I did not want to carry the weight. HUGE mistake. Thanks for the great tips. I followed your advice on acclimatisation, poles, sunscreen, buffs etc and all of it was spot on. Grateful thanks.
Lip balm indeed! Lips get well burnt on glaciers. And a mobile phone with the maps downloaded offline. It's very easy to get lost around Dome du Gouter if there is little visibility.
Yeah ski goggles is something I usually have in the pack just in case but for some reason I forgot them on this trip! Definitely handy if it's super windy!
German Mountain Association (called DAV) covers your helicopter rescue, which is really great. Costs maybe 50€ a year and you get discounts on anything from equipment, courses to hotel fees
WON-DER-FUL ! It's really great to quit your screen, and then climb "Le Mont Blanc", what else ? "Le Mont Blanc" is the only mountain in Europe and in the world, you must climb here ! For sure, never, ever, you have to know anything about mountains, beauty of landscapes and life. No, never, just only think about rescues, how to send a picture to your friends, how to be a superstar on youtube. Who give a fuck about mountains ? Nobody !!!! haha You're a superstar climbing, "Le Mont Blanc" !!! Connards de touristes qui pourrissent le massif.
Most of these are good recommendations, but to be honest, I did the mountain via the Brenva Spur and followed exactly one of the 9 ideas: know your crampon technique. Maybe two: choose your route wisely. Many thousands of ascents were made for over 300 years, only following that one (and not even that, before crampons became standard in the 1930s or so).
good talk! but one thing i'll never do, is using running shoes on heavy rocky terrain, a twisted ankle can happen just anytime- and it will ruin your day!
If you want a reminder email reminder and an early bird discount code drop your email on this page and I'll let you know when it's released! basecamptraining.lpages.co/mont-blanc-program-notification/
Back you up 100% on beginners practicing crampon technique before getting on a real climb, basically anywhere. My crampon technique is garbage, tbh. I'd also throw in that it would be a very good thing to practice walking on loose rocks (scree), especially on steep angles and at heights, if one has access to such. You ought to build up a bit of finesse for crossing angled snow and rocky terrain for the efficiency. Helps to avoid injury as well as just prevent looking like a klutz out there.
Good advice. I've climbed Mont Blanc twice and definitely acclimatisation is the big tip. It's difficult if you only have a few days but if it's possible to go above 3000m and then back down it really does help. On our 2nd summit we had already spent 4 days climbing and staying in the huts. We were then able to take the lift down to Chamonix for a few hours. Back up in the lift late afternoon and stayed in the Cosmic hut that night and left at 2.30am. We were on the summit by 6.30am watching the sun rise. Another tip take a good head torch and make sure the batteries are new and or fully charged. Love the content 👌
How do people go about giving themselves several days for mont blanc? Do you book out the hut for the whole week? Or did you not use a hut? If using the hut, you have to book so long in advance you are basically fixed to a single summit day.
Small snacks are also lighter and can be easily stored in the backpack again without breaking (like a banana or other fruit) that's why the CLIF bars or caramelized peanuts and walnuts are my favorites. So you don't even use mid Hiking boots up to 2000/2.500m but rather lightweight low cut trail shoes? Interesting.
Thank you very much for such an insightful advices. I just found one thing a little odd. That people use sneakers instead of mountaining boots with ankle protection. Just one side step on a small rock and ur trip might be over :/
It’s not that simple, insurance companies are always going to pay out less than they take in. And they often find an irrelevant reason to weasel out of paying out, just get a credit card, if you have a nightmare, you can pay for it and pay it off later. In the long run you will always be financially better off
@@OmmerSyssel now this comes down to probably, with your numbers, if the odds are one in 60 then it’s a good cover, however it’s more like one in 1000 making it a terrible cover, I’m not a betting man but If I was I’d love to place a bet with you. Anyway it’s not 50 euros, it’s more like 300 I’m a ski Instructor and have been insured for 10 years for extreme activities on a full time basis, I’ve paid a fortune as you can imagine, so have all of my colleagues, in the ski school there is no one who has benefited, as they will either find an irrelevant reason to wiggle out of it or put your premium up so they get their money back pretty quick,
While I understand that different countries do things in different ways, one of the things I really appreciate about my country of residence (Norway), is that you don’t need special insurance for helicopter rescue, medical treatment, etc.
Very helpful tips Chase! I am planning on climbing this beautiful Mountain next year if things get better regarding the global pandemic. When do you think is the best time to summit it ? Also, how many days did you guys stay there ? As always, love your videos!
The best time to summit is in a good weather window, and that can happen any time, but I climbed at the end of July and that was perfect. All up the trip was 10 days. But we only spent like 3 -4 days on Mt Blanc. One entire day of resting while waiting in the Refuge for the weather to clear. I hope things get better for travel and climbing! Fingers crossed!
Hi Chase (can't find your name;), @9:48, on the more flat sections!? It seems like 45 angle? Or is that caused by the camera positioning? I would feel more secure arresting myself and/or climbing partners with an ice pick. Great video btw, your tips make sense.
Haha I just didn't have a decent piece on footage on the flat. Yeah so that is the only problem with using trekking poles when mountaineering, if there's a chance you might slip and slide a long way down, better to have just one axe.
Made it in barefoot shoes, woolen tunic and a poncho + I carried the rest of the 6kg gear with witch I traveled and also climbed Grossglockner in previous month. No crampons or picks or ropes or helmets or friends or a map or water carried. I did the easy french side but went from 1700 to the summit (4800) and then back in 14 houres. So no altitude sickness - too fast for her to catch me. I did have glasses, and utilised my trekking pole as makeshift picks and I think dating a financial advisor girl left me insured for everything. But thats all. And yeah, bit more risky if you move on glacier during day, but in late afternoon the same VivoBarefoot shoes you know, can do crampons work. And since I made it without harm in such a primitive way I think its fair to say that any neanderthal or neolithic hunter could have made it as well. And probably did. And thousends of years ago... Without insurence... With birch bark instead of glasses... Otzys gear would have sufficed.
Okay and averafe lifespan was like how long? And what if you get fucked by the weather or terrain, which can happen no matter the skill or speed. Shut up sometimes it is not skill or bravery it is plain stupidity.
I was there alone when corona was in its peak and I started the summit before anyone else from the dome, after me there was a guide with his girlfriend, they started half an hour later, they were slower, when I was getting back from the top I didnt meet them on my way down, later I heard he died and she was barely saved (both fell into a small crevasse) If she was dressed in such a way or had 0 equipment she would be dead also.
There really isn't much information about climbing Mont Blanc for individuals or small groups climbing on their own. Anything you try to look at is shoving you towards hiring a guide. I went up just to scout for future climbs all over the valley. I was there for a month and a half, from Aug thru Sept 2017, at least 4 people died on the mountain while I was there. I really enjoyed talking with the European climbers and watching them, I was also completely disgusted by so many of the people I saw who hike and climb those trails on the mountain. The weather turns so quickly from Aug to September. September had snow falling and August was a hot slushy slop of conditions. I learned a ton about the area while I was there.
Lots of people doesn't grasp that the highest mountain in Europe isn't for beginners. Loads of questions and comments indicates the majority hasn't any qualification dealing with this serious level of mountaineering. Statistics tells the rest 🤔🙄💯
this is completely the wrong way to go about things. Safety is always the first priority. Accidents happen, even if you’re nismdai or shackleton you are not guaranteed to avoid a twisted ankle or broken bone on the mountains.
About the insurance: most european alpine clubs include such an insurance with their membership fee. As a CAI (Italian Alpine Club) member, I never have to worry about having to pay my rescue. (Fortunately I never needed it so far, but an italian friend of mine needed to be saved on the top of a Jungfrau glacier, with helicopter and all the rest, in a foreign country, and he didn't have to pay a cent) Such memberships are usually much cheaper than any insurance extension, and they also give you other advantages, like paying less in mountain huts that belong to an alpine club, so I suggest you see if it is possible for you to become a member of one such club before you start such feats.
I'm not disagreeing regarding the travel insurance as it is important, but I thought helicopter rescue in France (excluding winter ski resorts) is free. Not sure about Italy however.
I failed on here last year I wore big heavy mountain boots and walked from belle vue without any acclimatisation with have my house in my backpack the time I got to gouter hut I was dehydrated and completely run down. The trail boots is a great tip like the rest, one day I’ll go back 😩 look forward to the final cut when you release it lol
Chase Mountains I hired a guide very expensive he was worried about the grand corridor so he pushed me hard I just wasn’t prepared for it. Looking forward to your video I will go back soon it’s hanging over me.
@@bennevis6843 ah well, this is why my channel exists! we'll get you to the summit! Anyway, thats mountaineering, sometimes its just a collection of colossal failures! The thing is to keep going and fail a bit less every time!
Chase Mountains thanks yes it’s good you give people honest advice it’s not easy and I’m new to the whole thing so it good to get new tips and see where it went wrong
Helicopter rescue is free in France, it's made by the government (so do not abuse it). Free for french and for foreigners, but after, you will have to pay hospital fees if you are not french.
A guide friend of mine used to catch the cable car to the top of the aiguille du Midi at 13,000 feet and spend the day there at the beginning of the season.
Great video! Crampons are clumsy things. I managed to stab myself in the back of the knee last August. Luckily there were no severe consequences. Sharp tools are also worth considering as their own hazards e.g. avalanche risk. See avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/acc_report.php?accfm=rep&acc_id=717
So first off the C is silent in Mont Blanc it's just how it's pronounced in French. Secondly tip 3 how to use your basic gear, seriously. This is when you are going to learn how to use crampons. Though now that I have finished the video, perhaps its just slightly misnamed. This is how to be a beginner mountaineer. It's not mountain specific to Mont Blanc just any beginner mountaineering.
If you are using crampons for the first time, you also probably have never done a boot-ax belay, or put in an ice screw or picket, done a self arrest, pulled your partner out of a crevasse, etc. etc. Have you used your stove to melt snow? Have you set up a tent in the wind? These are all things should should have practiced in a safe setting so you can take the time to do them smoothly and efficiently. Actually, my partner and I came across a party a bit above the snow arete on the Frendo Spur late in the afternoon. This party of two were native speakers of English but I won't guess where they came from, but they came from somewhere and were well over their heads; they couldn't go up and couldn't go down. We had one rope; they had one rope. So we roped together half a rope length apart, climbed through the night on head lamps with ice screws for anchors and took the first telepherique down. The turkeys never thanked us. Halfway up Mont Blanc is not the place to learn basic mountaineering technique. You need to know before you go.
