Price includes
: UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guide and relevant expenses, half-board at the refuges as specified in the programme.
Price does not include
: Transfers, beverages, lifts, snacks, insurance and everything else not mentioned in the previous section.
Equipment: -50-litre backpack -A “classic” ice axe; twelve-point crampons; Trekking poles (useful but not indispensable) -Harness; 1.8 mt rope, 7 mm. thick; 2 karabiners; one jumar ascender. -Mountains boots (rigid or semi-rigid, warm, waterproof, fitted for crampons and, if possible, made in leather). -Gaiters, gloves, sun hat, cap, sunglasses, sunscreen. -Fleece pants and wind/water proof pants; Fleece jacket; Wind/water proof jacket -Warm underwear, light dressing for the mountain lodge (sweatshirt and pants), comfortable shoes. -Toiletries (few), towel; water bottle or thermos, Head lamp, Small first aid kit, -Sleeping-sheet bag (it’s a sheet shaped as a sleeping bag, recommended in the refuges) -Watch out the weight! you have to carry your own backpack.
Mont Blanc Super Tour
A magic trip through one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world
The vast and complex Mont Blanc range is irregularly divided among France, Italy and Switzerland. Its morphology, mainly rocky crests and slanted walls, seldom offers ways of easy access. The awesome and abrupt Italian side is the most difficult. The French side has more varied and wide structure: long glaciers descent from high altitude glaciers to reach the Arve valley where Chamonix, the navel of the mountaineering world, lies. In the Swiss portion we find more gentle glaciers, lower peaks and the easier way to get in this high mountain environment.
This program is a sort of high altitude trekking that in six days will lead us to the very top of Europe alternating gentle footpaths and harder glacier crossing. Without being fanatic, we’ll try to limit the use of cable car in order to fully appreciate the dimensions of this mountain.
Spirit of our “Alpine Tours”
Our journeys to the Alpine glaciers are meant for two reasons: visiting and discovering the great Alpine massifs and learning the basic techniques on how to walk on glaciers as well as simpler snowy/icy slopes. At this stage, the guide plays a co-ordinating and teaching role. Along the itinerary, participants will be tied together and will proceed under the guide’s supervision. Apart from showing them the way the guide will provide didactic instructions, correct potential mistakes, and will implement additional security measures on the “mauvais pas”. Participants must strictly respect the guide’s instructions regarding security and behaviour on the glacier. The guide is allowed to set a participant aside if his/her presence on the glacier endangers the other participants’ security. When climbing up, a participant proving unable to keep up with the rest of the group may also be set aside.
Daily program
Day
Itinerario
pern.
sist.
1
Meeting in Courmayeur at the bar of the bus station (Monte Bianco square) at 15 hrs. Transfer by bus (30 min.) to Arnouva 1769 mt, head of Val Ferret . Walk to Refuge Elena (45 min.) where we stop for the night.
refuge
HB
2
By hiking on the easy trails of Tour du Mont Blanc we get to Grand Col Ferret (2537 m) enjoying great views over the East Face of Grandes Jorasses. A long descent (4 hrs) through grassy pastures leads us to the quaint hamlet of Ferret (1700 mt.) located in the Swiss portion of the Val Ferret. The afternoon is dedicated to equipment check and to safety techniques on glaciers. Overnight in Ferret at the hostel.
hostel
HB
3
Bus transfer to Praz de Fort (1150m) from where a path in the forest takes us to the Barrage de Saleina at the foot of moraine rocks that makes a difficult access to the Saleina Valley. A path with chains and iron steps helps to overcome this difficulty. We follow a nice section through rhododendrons and bilberries, then a moraine and finally the path that leads us to our aim, the Cabane de Saleina (2681m). Approx. 5 h
refuge
Hb
4
From theCabana de Saleina, along the homonymous glacier we arrive at the foot of the imposing northern wall of the Aiguille d’Argentiere. From this point a short walk on a steep slope to the Fenetre de Saleina (3267m) to enter to the Plateau de Trient, where we hike a short stretch to Col du Tour and down along the homonymous glacier to the little village of Tour. Bus transfer to Chamonix. Approx. 5/6 h
hostel
HB
5
Early in the morning we go up with the rack rail to Montenvers station (1913m). From this point we make a panoramic tour called “Le Balcon de la Mer de Glace”. From Montenvers we go down the glacier to cross it and go up the valley that descend from the Drus. This is an equipped path (like via ferrate) with many staircases but never really steep or too exposed. We reach the “Bivacco della Charpoua” (2841 m), a real eagles nest in the width of fantastic walls and granite spires. Turning just a bit on our steps we hike to our aim of the day, the Rifugio del Couvercle (2687m), passing at the feet of Aiguille du Moine with fantastic panoramas of the Grand Jorasses and the Mont Blanc. Approx. 5h
Refuge
HB
6
Return to Montenvers on a comfortable path that winds at the feet of the gorgeous barrier of granite of the Aiguille du Midi from where we arrive to the Refugio dei Cosmiques (3613m).Approx. 5h
Refuge
HB
7
Final day and final goal of our trip: the Mont Blanc summit. Wake up at 1 a.m., departure at 2 a.m. A long and boring uphill – good to find the pace and catch the breath – takes us at 4000 mt, on the shoulder of M. Blanc du Tacul. A short break before facing the only “technical” part: the final crevasse and the slope leading to the Col du Mont Maudit (4345 mt) and to the Col de la Brenva (4303 mt) both struck by the early sunlight. The final stretch, a long and even uphill heading for the summit, demands all our patience and endurance: if everything runs smooth we should be on top at 8:30 a.m. Cold permitting, we make a well deserved short-break before starting the descent through the same way we came up (4/5 hrs). Fatigue and sun are now increasing: this is time where a higher level of concentration is needed. The last step is the uphill from the Col du Midi to the cable car. Trip ends back in Courmayeur.
Extra notes
The cost for only the ascent of the Mont Blanc is € 765 per 1-2 pax
Guide / participants ratio: 4/5 pax: 1 guide for the whole trip + 1 guide for the Mont Blanc ascent
6 pax: 1 guide for the whole trip + 2 guides for the Mont Blanc ascent
7 pax: 2 guides for the whole trip + 1 guide for the Mont Blanc ascent
8 pax: 2 guides for the whole trip + 2 guides for the Mont Blanc ascent
Extra information:
The itinerary is carried out in Switzerland, France and Italy: please remember to bring local currency (Euro & Swiss francs) and a valid document.
Please bring some extra food for the day, i.e. dry fruits, chocolate, parmesan cheese, energy bars. It is possible to buy them in Chamonix al well.
Last day is long tiring. It is advisable to consider an overnight stop in the area. (this mainly goes for those of you who have to face a long trip back home.)
