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Copyright © 2002 by Manfred P.. All rights reserved.

Aug 17 - 24, 2002

High and Mighty

Rendezvous with Mont Blanc

by

Manfred P.

Keywords: France, Italy, Mont Blanc, MBT, Chamonix, Courmayeur, Gouter Route, tourist, travel trip report, travel log, travelogue.

Mont Blanc Ascent Summary

This summary is for people interested in ascending Mont Blanc and who don't want to read much text. A climber's executive summary.

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Option:

Dangers:

Weather, Temperatures, Etc.:

Things to Bring:

Cost:

References:

Photos:

We now start with the details on a day-by-day basis.

Preparation

The idea to do Mont Blanc came up for the first time in 1998, 4 years ago. We considered it last year but once again delayed it, because we put more priority on going to a hot tropical destination. This year again in spring, Mont Blanc came up as a possible summer vacation destination. I was a bit afraid that once again we would push it off for later. Weeks moved by and we didn't make any other airline reservations and eventually with all cheap airline tickets sold and with little vacation time left in general we firmly decided to try to climb Mont Blanc this year.

From the day of the decision till the actual trip we had about two months of time for preparations. In these two months I emotionally went from fear, to respect, to doubts and finally to confidence. It was a bit of a roller coaster ride. At the beginning I was ignorant about the scope of the mountain "project" and in bad physical shape. Bad might be a bit exaggerated, let's just say I was a bit out of shape. With six weeks to go we started to jog on a daily basis. As my physical shape got better and I felt my legs become stronger again I felt more optimistic about the trip. But I mad many doubts about the successful conclusion of the project. One month before Day Zero I started researching the mountain and reading up on Mont Blanc. I read through trip reports on the Internet, started studying the maps, the differences in altitudes and worked out a time schedule for the ascent. The more I knew about the mountain the more confident I felt. My confidence started to increase.

While feeling comfortable with the idea of the climb and the mountain I had my weak hours where I had fear. Yes, plain fear. I was simply scared. This is not so bad. It gives you the necessary respect of the mountain. Ten days before Day Zero, we climbed a 3,000m peak with glacier for practice and to train some more walking on ice, using the equipment, getting used to the temperature, checking the new equipment, etc. We did two more smaller mountains for additional fitness and the last days before the departure I felt perfect. I felt my legs stronger than at any point in the last two years and having a team of 3 people was another factor for increased self confidence that we will reach the summit weather permitting. The trip was planned for my girl friend Inma, my brother Franz and me. In the last moment, literally in the last hours, another friend Cham decided to join our team.

In the last days I had no more doubts, the fear had disappeared and I was mentally ready.

Day 1 - Arrival and Reaching Les Fioux

In the morning we reached Chamonix where we had our last breakfast in the van at a rest stop near the main road. We spent nearly two hours in the final packing of the backpacks. They were extremely heavy. I carried food for en entire week and besides the standard equipment like rope, crampons and ice the additional helmet and sleeping bag. It was 1 p.m. when we finally parked the van in the parking lot next to the cable car station in Les Houches. We asked someone to take the traditional departure photo in the parking lot. Now the fun could start.

The hike started on a partially paved, partially unpaved road leading into the hills. The last houses lined this small road. Within an hour we had some good views of the valley, filled with the houses of Chamonix and its neighboring village Les Houches. The views of the mountains were more impressive. Even from this low elevation (barely above 1000m) the mountains appeared majestic and very close. The white snow reflecting the intensive sun made them appear like bright shinning light.

Within an hour we also started to feel the shoulders strongly. The backpacks were excessively heavy. We packed the minimum and the only optional items I carried were the sleeping bag and a little bit too much food. The weight was a killer.

Sweating we reached the Col de Voza. It was two hours uphill and our breathing was similar to that of a steam engine. "Col" means mountain pass in French. We had reached our first pass. More than a pass it was more like a plateau with Alpine meadows. In the center of it was an upscale hotel with tennis courts. Through the plateau and up into the mountain runs an old train. Next to the hotel was a train station and people waited in its small wooden platform. It took the opportunity to rest the backpack on a fence to take the weight off my shoulders for a few moments. A rural looking coffee place with a few wooden outdoor tables lined the other side of the train station.

The train is from about 1910. 100 years of service is not bad. The train starts further westwards and climbs up to a height of 2,400m. Quite an accomplishment, especially when considering that it was built 100 years ago. There are two trains, one of a dark red brown color, another in green. Each train just pulls a single car. The car is large though and fits maybe some 80 people. The train is power by electricity and in the steep areas the train uses a rack wheel. We should see a lot more of the tracks in the next two days.

From this train station it was just another 30 minutes downhill on the other side of the "col" to reach our first possible refuge for the day. It was a charming building, like a small hotel with the balcony full of flowers. When we saw it we immediately decided to stay here and not to hike any further. They had room for us and we settled down.

The sun was shining and the views very exciting. One of the glaciers worked its way towards us. Even though some distance away it was large and imposing. We also detected the train tracks in the mountain and could follow them until they disappeared behind a turn. The Mont Blanc however was not visible from here. The weather was perfect. Good visibility, warm, maybe even hot, no clouds until 4000m and the woman working at the refuge told us that the weather the next day is expected to be the same. The weather reports from the day before also had predicted a rain-free period and no major bad front moving in.

While relaxing from the short hike up, we decided that we should start the ascent attempt tomorrow without any further delay. The weather was good and there was no reason to delay it. Acclimatization would not be an issue as we planned to walk all the way slowly to the top without any quick ascents by means of train or cable car.

We found out that the day before a Spanish climber died on the Mount Blanc. But since the news came via telephone from Spain we had no idea where and why it happened. This news didn't change my mood. I was hyped and very optimistic. Bad news like this didn't even dent my confidence. There are many reasons why people die. We won't make the same mistake.

With the decision to start the ascent tomorrow we were forced to re-pack again. This was a constant theme. Nearly every day during the next week we should pack and re-pack our backpacks. This time we repacked to leave some of the food and other items behind that we would not need during the next two days - the planned duration of the ascend and descend. This way we could enjoy the pleasure of a lighter backpack.

It was a beautiful day and I was looking forward to be at 3000 and 4000m. While we were sitting in front of the refuge we soaked up the views. We were surrounded by light forests, some open areas, gray rocks further up and a cap of glacier. One of the glaciers worked its way down into our direction like a giant tongue. The higher up the brighter its color. The further down the more it was mixed with rocks taking on a gray and partially black color. The crevasses were clearly visible even from large distances. The sunset was not spectacular, but slowly the night put a cover over the landscape.

Day 2 - Ascending to Gouter Refuge

At 5:30 a.m. we got up to leave at 6 a.m. In a few minutes we reached Col de Voza. From here on we followed the train tracks. While following the tracks we passed the train stations of Bellevue (1785m) (French for "Nice View"), Chalette, and an abandoned one and finally reached the end of the line: Nid d'Aigle (2372m). We got to Nid d'Aigle before even the first train arrived. It was still early and the sun had not made it over the mountains yet. Nature was painted in blue and cold tones. We had not seen a single person in the last 3 hours of hiking and as we were at some small distance of this last train station we saw the first train arrive and many dozens of people got off. A long line of ant-sized people started to work their way up the mountain and in short time they caught up with us. Joined with the crowd we continued the hike, in a long line of single- filed hikers.

The landscape was scree, brown rocks of small size everywhere. It was an easy hike and the time went by quickly. Five hours after leaving the breakfast table we reached Tete Rousse Refuge (3167m). Just before the hut the glacier starts and the last 300 meters have to be crossed in snow. Now the sun was out and powerful. A handful of people were working on their tan. Outside the refuge was an outhouse, built right on the edge of a vertical cliff. If you take a shit here your waste goes into a 50 meter free-fall. We took a break to experience the outhouse first hand, take some photos and put on the equipment like harness and helmet.

The most difficult part lay between us and the next refuge called Gouter Refuge, some 700 meters higher. We had to cross the glacier again and since it was starting to get steep, the crampons were necessary. Some 15 minutes uphill from Tete Rousse after leaving the glacier behind the rocks start again and the terrain becomes very steep. It turns from hiking into climbing. At the foot of the rock wall is a spot called "Death Gully", appropriately named after the fact that most of the people that die on Mont Blanc leave their lives here. It is an easy 200m crossing with little gradient. What makes it so difficult is that all rock avalanches pass by here and given that there are millions of loose rocks there are rock avalanches every 30 minutes. You wait at the edge of the gully until it is silent and calm and then you quickly cross without stopping while closely paying attention to any possible shouting or other noises from above. We had no problem.

Shortly after the gully we took the crampons off as in August the snow and ice is gone in most parts of the steep rock wall. The next 300 altitude meters we hiked and climbed with the assistance of our rope. Most people climb without rope and are hence faster. Overtaking and people coming down from the top leads to congestion in a few areas but it was not even half as bad as I had expected it. The last 300 meters below Gouter Refuge the mountain was secured with fixed ropes for added security. Now was the time when we started to get tired. The items added up: already 9 hours of hiking today, a medium- heavy backpack, the altitude above 3,500m. Tired or not we had to move on. A bit slower now but we moved on steadily.

Shortly after 3 p.m. we reached Gouter Refuge. It was a relief and an excellent feeling. First we could rest, second we had finished for today, third we could take the backpack off, fourth and best we had a reservation and would be able to sleep in the auxiliary hut on a mattress. They assigned 3 mattresses of 80cm (30in) width for the four of us. Space is at a premium here. Gouter Refuge is one of the highest refuges in the world and - if I remember correctly - the highest in Europe. It officially has room for 70 people put in high season up to 200 people spend the night here. I heard the wildest rumors. Rumors that, when crowded, people sleep under the tables, on top of the tables and in the restrooms. The part with the rest rooms must be fiction. I for one do not believe it. The restrooms are built again right on top of the cliff. There is not even a toilet. The floor is a single sheet of metal. You walk into the restroom, there is a hole in the floor through which you can see downhill, you squat and try to aim at the hole. At 3,800m not everyone has good aim apparently. In other words, there is shit everywhere around the hole. With absolutely nothing to sit on, with temperatures below the freezing point, with an unpleasant smell and with the floor all dirty who in his right mind would spend the night here? Nobody.

We briefly sat down in the dining room to buy water and relax for a while. It was sunny and the weather was good. A fine opportunity to take pictures of the snowfields, the glaciers, the crevasses and some nearby peaks. The peak of Mont Blanc, however, is out of sight. At 5 p.m. we started re-packing again. Tomorrow we would summit and our backpacks would be nearly empty. I put two energy bars in my pant pockets, half a liter of water, a spare pair of gloves and spare batteries for the flashlight in the backpack and that was it. Tomorrow we would travel light. At 6 p.m. we had our last planning session. We needed to decide when to leave. Most people leave at 2 p.m. I expected many people and congestion on the mountain. I was afraid of that, because if you get stuck behind a slow group and have to wait standing you will get cold and start freezing. On the other hand I didn't want to be the first and do the trail finding. As compromise we agreed on starting walking at 2:30 a.m. I set the alarm for 1:30 a.m. to give us 20 minutes to eat a bit and 40 minutes to put on clothes and gear. With that question settled we went to bed at 7 p.m.

I had my eyes closed but it was impossible to sleep. With 3 blankets it was comfortably warm, it was also dark, and I was tired. I had no excuse, but it was impossible to sleep. The expectations, the nervousness, the excitement kept me awake. Some people complain about headache but I didn't even have that. All I had was a case of pre-summit nervousness. At 10 p.m. I had to get up to go to the toilet. That was easy as I "slept" with all my clothes put on. I looked at the night sky and the stars above us and the lights in the villages in the valley. There were clouds in the sky and the night was not fully clear. It worried me a little bit. A clear night would indicate good weather for our ascent, clouds in the night sky could indicate possible bad weather. I went back to bed to continue my vain attempt to sleep.

Day 3 - Reaching Mont Blanc Summit and Returning to Les Fioux

At midnight I got up again. My stomach was full of gases and I needed to go to the restroom again urgently. I tried to empty my stomach as well as I could. On the way back from the outhouse to the refuge I studied the sky again. It had not changed. There were some clouds. This was not perfect but it would hopefully be good enough to enable us to reach the top. Without too much worrying I went back to bed. I should use the last hour to attempt one more time to get some sleep. That attempt failed again and without any sleep at 1 a.m. the alarm clock rang. We were one of the first ones up, and one of the last ones to leave the refuge. We needed more than an hour to put on the equipment. How one could be so slow I don't know. But with no light, just the flashlight, with crowded hallways, etc. we managed to leave the hut as the last ones. At 3:15 a.m. we started walking, using a rope, crampons and ice axe.

In front of us was an incredible scenario. Like in a procession of kids with their candles or lanterns, a worm of small, tiny lights worked its way in zip-zap up the mountain. We formed the tail of this several kilometer long worm. It was more or less clear sky and we could clearly see the head of this worm of lights far away and far higher than us. I estimated that there were 70 people ahead of us. With the flashlights mounted on our heads we followed the clear trail in the snow and ice. It was easy terrain, just snow and ice but no climbing.

The guide book had described the first two hours climbing the peak of Dome Gouter (4304m) as a "gentle hill". We had also seen the dome from the valley and it looked very flat. From the distance it might look flat, but now we realized that perceptions can fool. There was nothing gentle about it. It was a steep uphill slope and even though the trail zigzagged it was still steep. In a bit more than an hour and a half we reached the peak of the Dome du Gouter. My team members wanted to take a short break. I turned into a harsh, heartless slave driver. No breaks. We would only get cold, get frozen fingers or toes. The sooner we get up and down the mountain the higher our chances to avoid any potential bad weather front in the afternoon. No breaks. Eventually I had to compromise with my team mates. 1 minute break. Of course the one minute turned into two, but after this micro break we moved on again. Now was some easy downhill to the Col du Dome (4240m).

An hour after the Dome Gouter we reached the emergency refuge Vallot (4362m). Everyone wanted to take a break again. I was against it. We compromised on a 2-minute micro-break again. This was time enough to take a sip of water, time enough for my girl friend to take some glucose tablets, time enough for my brother to lie down on the ice for 60 seconds. As slave driver it was my job to get them moving again. We get cold, we get out of shape and restarting after a break is twice as difficult.

Walking up the slope to the peaks of the Bosses the trail got even steeper, the hike more exhausting. Interestingly the Big Boss (4513m) is smaller than the Small Boss (4547m). We heard my brother breathe loudly like an old steam engine and my girl friend told me that she can't follow this pace anymore and that we need to take a break. The response was heartless and as cold as the ice surrounding us: "No, we won't stop. I know that you can continue. Stop talking, save your energy, and keep walking. We must keep walking, we can walk slowly but we must keep walking." At 4,500m the body will not recuperate. We could take 30 minutes of break but we would feel equally tired after the break because of the thinner air. With little to gain from a break and with the knowledge that the sooner we are in lower elevations the safer, we pressed on at a steady pace.

It was 6 a.m. and it was started to get light. It was not necessary to use the flashlights anymore. Lucky for me, because my first set of batteries had failed some 20 minutes ago and I was too lazy to get the new set out of the backpack and I also didn't want to break the rhythm of the climb. We had the first views but for most of the time the view was glued on the trail just a few feet in front of our feet.

Other teams were in worse shape and we passed several teams walking the narrow crusty snow ridge to Tournette (4677m). This was no time to enjoy nature. The ridge was a little bit less than a meter wide and with steep slopes on both sides you do not want to slip or fall. The peak was close now and that gave us extra motivation.

At 7:15 a.m., exactly 4 hours after leaving the refuge, we stood on top of the highest peak of Western Europe. We were on top of Mont Blanc (4808m, 15,770ft). We did it, and we did it without any problems. Time for a break. For the first time we took the camera out and my brother took a few pictures. We shared the peak with some ten or fifteen other people. One of them was kind enough to take a picture of all of us. We sipped a bit of water. And in the time it took to eat an energy bar the surface of the water in the bottle had frozen. -15C (5F). In literally two minutes water starts to freeze here. I had planned a short break on the top but assumed that my colleagues maybe wanted to break a bit longer. I was surprised when after only 3 minutes on the top everybody agreed that it is time to head back because we were getting cold fingers and toes. After walking 16 hours from Les Houches to reach this point we spent only a total of five minutes here.

The views are good but not the most spectacular. There are more impressive views on the way up or down than from the top. The sun was still very low and some clouds obstructed the view. It was okay weather, acceptable, but not the very best. After the five minute stop on the summit, we walked back the same route. It was a pleasure to walk downhill. It is so much easier. Gravity did all the work and since you walk on ice and snow it is also comfortable on the knees. Well, what I want to say is that it is less painful walking down ice and snow than hard rocks.

The sun kept rising and it got a bit warmer. The weather stayed stable. Turning around various times we could see that the clouds had covered the peak during several occasions. We were lucky to be on top with good view and with clouds only below and to the north. Now the clouds had moved in and were occasionally between us and the peak. With the weather fine below us we could afford to stop various times to take pictures. That was the job and responsibility of my brother.

Downhill from Mont Blanc, via the Bosses, Vallot, Col de Dome and Dome de Gouter we reached the Gouter Refuge in 3 hours; one hour faster than on the way up. In the sun it got sufficiently warm for me to take off the jacket and the gloves.

We were not done yet. Down to the Tete Rousse Refuge was again difficult and I considered the mountain "safely done" only once we reached the Tete Rousse Refuge, past the Death Gully. With extra attention to safety and secured twice to the fixed rope we descended. We were slow but we safely reached the Death Gully in 2 hours and a half. On the way down we saw a massive rock slide. It started with a handful of rocks of the size of a fist and ended up with some rocks as large as a human head smashing downhill at high speed jumping up to 50 meters through the air. At the entrance we waited till it was empty of people (you don't want to have a traffic jam here) and hurried across it. Moments later we reached the glacier at Tete Rousse. Now we deserved a break. From here on it would be easy; still many hours of walking were missing. It would be long but easy. We took all gear off and stored it in the backpacks.

While walking down across the rocks, a helicopter flew overhead half a dozen of times to deliver cement to the Tete Rousse Refuge where they are building a new auxiliary hut. From here are also wonderful views of Aiguille du Midi (Midi Needle). This needle juts out into the sky. The needle actually consists of 3 needles, all close together. On top of one of them at 3,842m is a cable car station. Yes, you heard right. From there they have built a bridge at the center needle, which is also the highest one. From Chamonix you can go directly to 3,842m without breaking a sweat and in about 30 minutes. From Aiguille du Midi you can continue in cable car all the way to Italy and cross the entire Mont Blanc Massif without walking. From the distance were we were one could see the artificial tower on the peak of the central needle and the bridge connecting two of the three needles. Breathtaking even from far away.

Around 5 p.m. we reached the train station at Nid d'Aigle (2372m). Many day trippers come up here by train to walk the short distance to the Bionassay Glacier. There is also a small snack bar inside an industrial container. 100 people were waiting near the train station and the next train was fully sold out. It didn't bother us, as we had planned to walk anyway. We followed the train tracks and our knees slowly gave signs of complaints. For my team members the first blisters set in. When we reached Bellevue we knew we were close. At 6:30 p.m. we had finished the day. We had reached Les Fioux where we stayed in the same refuge as two days ago. We were down at 1600m.

What pleasure to take off the backpack, the boots, the steamy socks, and to wash for the first time in two days. To celebrate we even took a shower. We have done it. It was a long day. We got up at 1 a.m. and we walked nearly 16 hours with only two breaks. Today we had climbed 1000m (3000ft) and descended 3200m (10500ft). We were tired but with satisfaction in our bones. We had all reason to feel the accomplishment. After the shower we were like new born. I washed my T-shirt and underwear in the sink while the others got ready for dinner.

It will not surprise you to hear that we had a hearty appetite and finished the dinner up to the last breadcrumbs with ease. I remember above all the desert. A large slice of a flat, delicious blueberry cake. Mouth watering. Not having slept at all last night we all were looking forward to go to bed. Showered, with the stomach modestly filled, and our heart full of accomplishment ... These were the best conditions to fall instantly into a deep all absorbing and recharging sleep. We slept the sleep of the innocent and slept for close to 12 hours.

Day 4 - Mont Blanc Tour to Miage Refuge

At 9 a.m. we got up feeling wonderful (but with weak knees). We were ready for another day. Cham wanted to leave us today to head back to be with his family and no matter how hard we tried we could not convince him to stay with us the rest of the week. To say good bye to Cham we headed down to Les Houches. At the van we once again re-packed. Cham got all his stuff and we saw him off to his return trip by public bus and train. With Cham gone, we left all equipment and unnecessary items like sleeping bag in the van and went back up to Bellevue, this time in cable car since we had done this leg already once before.

Our objective for the next days was to do part of the Mont Blanc Tour (MBT). The Mont Blanc Tour is a well kept trail that runs all around the Mont Blanc massif. The idea of the MBT is to walk in a circle around the Mont Blanc without walking up to it. It is designed for average people and kids of all ages. It is designed to be easy. The highest part of the MBT is 2665m (8740ft). No skills are necessary and lots of wonderful views can be enjoyed all along the trail. In 7 to 9 days one can circle the full mountain massive. The MBT bridges three countries together: France, Italy and Switzerland. Most people start in Chamonix but since it is a loop one can start the MBT anywhere. Along the way is a series of refuges to spend the night(s) and eat.

As we got off the cable car in Bellevue we realized how very lucky we were. Today the good weather had gone. The higher elevations were packed in dense clouds and up at 3000m or higher the visibility must be zero. It didn't take long and it started to rain. Yesterday was the last day of the good weather and without knowing it had used this last opportunity of the closing window. Down here, especially knowing that we had done the peak already, the rain didn't bother me the slightest. No matter what the weather would do in the next days, I didn't care anymore. Nobody could take our triumph away from us anymore. We didn't have to wait for good weather and fear. We had the summit already in the pocket.

In the rain we walked down to the river fed by the Bionassay Glacier. On an adventure- style hanging bridge we crossed the river Pasarela. It was made out of steel cables and wood boards. Were it made of vine instead of steel it would be the perfect backdrop for an Indiana Jones scene. Once passed the rapid and cold waters of the river we climbed the Col de Tricot (2120m). Remember "col" means pass. We were partially soaked. Even a rain jacket is useless after hours of rain. Rain clouds moved up and down the slopes of the pass and across the mountains, making it a spectacle.

As the sun broke through we could finally see the tiny village of Miage in the valley in front of us. We were still far away but up to now the village was hidden behind clouds. Now with the sun coming out and pushing the clouds aside, we could see how beautiful this valley was. Lush green slopes, a river coming down from the mountains, sheep on the slopes far away visible as white dots, a couple of horses on a meadow close to the village and just a dozen of idyllic rural houses.

From here it was another hour to a small refuge in the mountain meadows called Truc. This was our planned final destination for the day. We climbed from Miage up into the meadows and were fascinated by the giant snails that crossed the path. Obviously the rain had brought them out. They were beautiful, with a light brown yellow colored shell and larger than the average snail species. At sunset we reached Truc Refuge and to our disappointment they informed us that they were full. The next refuge was another three hours ahead. It was close to getting dark. It was too late to walk another three hours and we were too tired. It was easier to turn around and walk back to Miage. That was only one hour away. Said, done. In darkness we reached Miage, quickly ate and hit the sack.

Day 5 - Mont Blanc Tour to Balme Refuge

Like in most refuges we were the last ones to go to bed and the last ones to get up. We usually got up at 8, but by other people's standards that is late. Today was a sunny day again. The sun had not yet climbed over the mountain tops and in the valley everything was wet from yesterday's rains and the dew. The air was fresh and clean. It was invigoratingly cold in the shadow. This coldness was pleasant as it prevented you from sweating while walking. While moving the body stayed comfortably warm. As we climbed the ridge and reached the Truc Refuge where we had already been yesterday the sun greeted us. People were taking coffee outside on the wooden benches. It looked like one of the most charming huts on the Mont Blanc Tour.

Not long after Truc the trail met up with a forest road and we were met by many families with kids on the dirt road. I especially remember two young mothers, each one having a child in a buggy asking us how far it is to Truc. The distance is not the problem but the last hour getting there is steep, passing over many steps, roots of 30 cm height, etc. In other words, it is a rough trail, not very suitable for buggies. It is doable but only for the ones really committed to reaching Truc. We explained that to them and they decided to go for it anyway. I hope they got there and didn't give up.

We were close to several villages now and passed one of them in the outskirts. The lowest point of today's hike was in a place called La Frasse. From there on it was uphill again for hours until we reached Tre-la-Tete (1970m). On the way we saw western views of the Mont Blanc massif and a lake, some 30 minutes away from our trail. In Tre-la-Tete is a large refuge. It is an old cement building and not too inviting. It is lacking the charm of most of the huts. Too big, too austere. Next to it is an abandoned ski lift that once led directly to the hut from the valley. A handful of villages in the valley are within view from here. On the opposite slopes of the valley were more modern ski lifts. Obviously a popular skiing region during winter.

On a bench in Tre-la-Tete we made lunch break. My brother was some distance behind because he was stopping frequently to take pictures. When he didn't show up after half an hour we already got a bit worried. We had to be more patient. He eventually showed up on the horizon. When we asked if anything had happened he just showed us his dark blue lips and explained that he made a lengthy stop at large raspberry and blueberry fields to fill up on fresh vitamins.

Tre-la-Tete is the starting point of a hike to a nearby glacier and other climbers' delights. Climbers with serious equipment passed by our lunch bench in a never-ending stream. The run-off of the glacier is captured in a dam further downhill to generate electricity. During the next hours the trail led downhill through a forested area until the tiny village and refuge of Nant Borrant. Just before getting there we got to enjoy a small waterfall that carved its existence out of the rocks.

We were nearly done for today. Only one hour remained and this was on a flat stretch of a dirt road. My brother's toes were pushing against the tip of his boots on the downhill stretches for the last two days. His toes were swollen and red, irritated and highly sensitive. Now he could take the pain anymore. He took off the boots and started to walk barefoot on the dirt road. With the weight of the backpack this is not a pleasant proposal either. Not many minutes passed by until this option was also too painful. He now marched cross country through the fields.

Around 7 p.m. we arrived at Balme Refuge where we decided to spend the night. A nice place. The second time this week we took a shower. As the sun disappeared behind the mountains it got chilly and we had to put on all our clothes while dining on a table outdoors.

Day 6 - Mont Blanc Tour to Elisabetta Refuge

We were lucky again. Today was another sunny, magnificent day. From the refuge we could already see our first goal, the pass of Bonhomme. Once again we were surrounded by meadows, above the forest line. Some of the green fields were lined with sheep. The trail worked its way up in zigzags. We passed the Plan de Dames where according to legend several centuries ago a strong wind had killed a noble lady and her maid. In their remembrance you are supposed to throw a rock on top of their grave. We added another couple of rocks to their three meter high piles of a grave. Once we reached Col de Bonhomme (Pass of the Good Guy) we could finally see down into the next valley. It was wide and without villages. A dammed lake as its centerpiece and with the first views of the south-western areas of the Mont Blanc massif. The trail ran nearly flat. In front of us was a large group of Japanese tourists with a guide. The group was some 20 people strong and walked as orderly as a set of robots in an automated car factory. They were also as disciplined as only the Japanese can be. The whole group stopped and stepped aside to let us pass.

Next on the itinerary was Croix de Bonhomme with a refuge. From there it was still another small piece uphill to the highest point of the Mont Blanc Tour (MBT): Col du Fours (2665m). Col du Fours is the gateway to yet another valley. At this elevation nothing grows anymore. Just rocks, and a tiny bit of snow that still survived the force of the sun. New mountain peaks come into view, some quite impressive. Also impressive is the steepness of the new valley into which we needed to descend. From here we could see our trail for kilometers. Until we reached the bottom of the valley it was steeply downhill. Another pain-resistance test for my brother who continued with his swollen and aggravated toes.

We followed small creeks and cascades on the way down and even saw some groundhogs. Eventually we reached Ville des Glaciers. Our guide said about Ville des Glaciers, that it calls itself "Ville des Glaciers" (Village of the Glaciers) but that it is not a village and that there is no glacier. Okay, it might not be a village, but there are 3 or 4 houses. It might not have a glacier but one is visible from here and the views on a day like today on which the sun is reflected by the ice and snow are pleasurable. The valley is nice. A river runs through it, the valley floor is flat and while the left and right slopes are green, the end of the valley is dominated by a large snow covered peak with its glacier. Clearly, this place is known for its beauty. The overflowing parking lot with its 50 vehicles was proof enough. In one of the few houses in Ville des Glaciers my brother stocked up on home-made cheese. Delicious!

Strengthened by the cheese and a break in the shadow of the farm building we were ready to climb the next pass. Leaving Mottets Refuge behind, we climbed in altitude until Col de la Seigne (2516m), the border crossing between France and Italy. There is of course no border post, you just walk across. With rocks someone had drawn a line on the ground and formed the words "France" and "Italy". There was also a pile of rocks with some left over barbed wire to indicate the border. A few steps from it a metal plate indicates the names of the surrounding mountains. Dome du Gouter and Mont Blanc were visible from here. Once again, the dome appeared to be a gentle slope with barely any incline. From down here it appeared that there was hardly any difference in altitude from the area where roughly the Gouter Refuge is to the peak of Mont Blanc. What is in reality more than 1000m difference appeared like nothing at all. A lot more spectacular from here were the needles further to the south. The were a lot lower, without snow, but sharp, as close to vertical as mountains can get. Clouds were playing with these needles, moving behind and between them giving them an even better 3-dimensional perspective. The views are outstanding from here, one of the best places on the MBT trail for a wide range of views.

We were standing on another pass, with another valley in front of us. This time an Italian valley. We were a bit nervous. It was getting late in the afternoon, and we had no reservation in the next hut. We were tired and were the next hut to be full we have yet another 3 additional hours ahead of us. Given these thoughts we hurried down the mountain making sure nobody would pass us, and in turn attempting to pass as many as possible.

The views of the before-mentioned needles stayed stunning. As we walked through the valley new mountains appeared on the horizon. The trail turned into a dirt road and as we turned around yet another curve we could finally see the Elisabetta Refuge between the road and a glacier. A tall building of rocks surrounded by a handful of crumbling shabby buildings that seemed to be from the Mussolini era. Nervous I asked at the reception if they have room for us to which the lady replied "No, we have no more rooms". "Shit," I thought. Then she continued "But you can stay in the dormitory, there are plenty of beds available there". What a relief. Anyway, this is exactly what we wanted.

It was still early, maybe 6 p.m. This gave us time to wash, to get comfortable, to stroll around the refuge, enjoy the views, relax and take it easy. The glacier nearly touched the refuge; it came close to 100 meters from the refuge. The wind was cool and shortly the sun disappeared behind one of the many peaks. We sat outside in the chilly air to eat and later as it was getting dark we did another stroll around the hut to see if there were any spectacular colors on the horizon, but that was not the case. No red or pink sunset, it was just getting gray, dark and the night moved in.

While it got dark outside the atmosphere in the dining room of the refuge picked up. A French group got their musical instruments out and started to play and sing folk songs. From the kitchen came heat and in the center of one of the tables stood a giant pot, brought by the French, with steaming soup. It was our last night in a refuge and the musical "show" was the closing highlight.

Day 7 - Descent to Courmayeur and Return to Chamonix

At night it started raining and when we got up in the morning it had not stopped. As we left the refuge it was still drizzling. The rain clouds were around us and not a single mountain could be seen. Even the glacier - just 100 meters away - was out of sight behind the clouds. Even worse, there was no change in sight.

For the last time it was uphill. Col Checroui was the highest point for the day and from now on it was just downhill. Time was dragging on as we closed in on the city of Courmayeur, the Italian base for Mont Blanc tours. As we reached the paved road outside the city we could see the Mont Blanc tunnel. The tunnel connects Courmayeur and Chamonix, Italy and France. It is 12 km (8 miles) long and perfectly straight. The tunnel reached fame in the late 90s when a fire broke out, followed by chaos in the tunnel that cost the life of many people. Today the tunnel operators try to prevent a similar accident by allowing cars into the tunnel only at a rate of 1 every 30 seconds. With the timed entrance, a constant flow and a safe distance between cars is tried to be obtained. At the same time this causes long waiting lines outside at the tunnel at the entrance and toll booths.

We reached Courmayeur at 2 p.m. and the next public bus to Chamonix was at 3 pm. - giving us an hour to kill. We strolled around the inner part of the town. Certain parts of town had their charm, other less. In the old part of town is a memorial statue to the mountaineers. The nicest house in the town square is that of the Association of the Mountain Guides. There is still a small number of people making their living as professional guides. The church next to it is at the point of collapsing. The cracks are nearly as big as the crevasses on the Mont Blanc glaciers. It is closed off and - I guess - waiting for eventual repairs. Courmayeur didn't quite convince me. It has such a unique opportunity to play the role of a base station for mountaineering and rural vacations, but the town was a mix of express roads, lots of constructions, ugly new apartment buildings and only a very small preserved historical area. It's an okay place, pleasant enough for half a day, but given the potential it is poorly taking advantage of the natural location and vicinity.

In ten minutes we crossed the tunnel after waiting 15 minutes in the line at the entrance. In total it was a 45-minute ride for the 20 kilometers. My brother wanted to catch a train from Chamonix back to Austria and time was running very tight. I personally thought it was impossible to catch it. I was nearly sure that he would miss it. In the last hour of our relaxing mountain stay suddenly stress broke out. We rushed to a taxi, asked the driver to speed in order to get us quickly to our van parked in Les Houches. We drove off the parking lot like stung by a bee; my brother packed his bags while I was rushing to the train station. And to my surprise we made it in time. There was even time left to buy a ticket and to come back to say good-bye. With my brother gone it was only my girl friend and me. We looked for a parking lot and starting a brief sight seeing tour of Chamonix.

Chamonix acts up to its name. It is a center for tourism all year round. In winter is attracts the skiing crowd, in summer hikers and mountaineers. The city center is well restored, with pedestrian areas and flower decorations everywhere. It was sunny and hot again. What a change to the weather in the morning on the Italian side. A wedding was ongoing outside the small church in the city center. Town hall was a well restored building, in contrast to the modern glass structure that acts as tourist information center. A river flows through the town center. It is nearly white water and people use it to perform white water sports like riding down it in wetsuits and boogie boards. It is funny to see groups of a dozen people zip right through the town floating on the waves. Stores are also plugged into the mountaineering theme. About every third store sells you hiking books, compass, jackets, helmets, ice axes and all sorts of other gear. Anything your heart could desire. And in town, people walk around in their hiking boots and mountain sweater even if they us just buying a pack of cigarettes. All this together gives the town its special flair. The mountaineering museum and the two special mountaineer statues form the icing on the cake. One of the statues depicts the first guide and the first sponsor that successfully climbed Mont Blanc. They stand side-by-side with one stretching his arm out and pointing at the real peak. The views from this statue are also called one of the best of the Mont Blanc itself and the Mont Blanc massif. You can always use the finger of the statue as guide if you are in doubt which one of the peaks is Mont Blanc. From here, it does not appear as the highest one and Dome du Gouter seems to be higher or at least equally high. We through a last glance from here at the Mont Blanc with the satisfaction of having stood on it and appreciating the luck we had with the weather.

Having returned from the vacation I posted my brother's photos on the web and mailed notes to my friends. Many friends returned my comments with statements like "What's your next goal? Going to the Himalaya soon? Which peak is next?" I hadn't thought about anything yet, I had no plans, I had not thought of any new mountain. But with all the hints of my friends I felt pushed to have a look at future possibilities. I did a nights- worth of research and found a few options. Without giving any names, let's just say that there are a few peaks I found that are within my range of capabilities that are well known and significantly higher than Mont Blanc. And no -- don't worry -- I will not attempt Big "E" (Mont Everest) anytime soon.

    

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