Mont Blanc Challenge

In July 2014 I travelled to Chamonix in France, with the aim of climbing Mont Blanc at 4,810m (15,781 ft) the highest peak in western Europe. The weather was however initially poor and so I went across to Italy and successfully climbed Gran Paradiso at 4,061m (13,324 ft), the highest mountain entirely within Italy. In my final day the weather around Mont Blanc improved and I had the opportunity and the energy (just) to climb the infamous Grand Couloir up to the Gouter Hut at 3,835m (12,582 ft) on the high slopes of Mont Blanc. Photographs from the challenge are shown below.
 

We travel into northern Italy, and to better weather – hiking through beautiful woodland to the Chabod refuge   

We get glimpses of Gran Paradiso, shrouded in cloud towering above us ...

Outside the Chabod refuge at 2750m ...

 Our climb for the summit begins at 4 o’clock in the morning ...
 

 We get to the snow line, the start of the main glacier, fit our crampons, and rope together in fours

We stop at the top of the glacier, and refuel, ready for the final climb, although it doesn’t look it the temperature was below minus 20 with the wind chill ...

 Our final approach to the top ...

On top of Gran Paradiso, holding on to the statue of the Madonna ...!
 

The stunning and beautiful Gran Paradiso, 4,061m (13,324 ft), the highest mountain entirely within Italy.

... back to Mont Blanc ... climbing down a steep rock face to the Mer de Glace glacier ...

 

 .... ice climbing training ....
 

 .... and stepping across a (small) crevasse ... !

 

Looking up the Grand Couloir, a 670m, (2200 ft) climb from the Tete Rousse refuge, towards the Gouter refuge on the ridge ...

 

The spectacular and space age Gouter refuge 3,835m (12,582 ft) at the top of the Grand Couloir, on Mont Blanc.  ( ...not my photo!)

... we had amazing views from the Gouter refuge ... almost 1000m below the summit of  Mont Blanc.

Mont Blanc - 4,810m (15,781 ft)