UKC

I am discussing the merits of 'small hour' summit bid on Mont Blanc. I estimate that more than 60% of Gouter Hut stayers got up at 01.30h for the bid on the day of my attempt, so did I. Is there many good reasons we should do that?

What about other big mountains? My Kili summit bid started even earlier.

Thank you in advance!!

In reply to Removed Userherblai:

Well on some routes getting up early will mean it's colder so the loose rock and snow will be more inclined to stay where it is as its frozen in place. It also gives you more time on longer routes just in case you might need more daylight IE emergency situations.

In reply to Removed Userherblai:

It's a standard "alpine start", to get you up and down before the snow gets too soft. On a long route it gives a bit of lee way if you are slow... Another reason around Mont Blanc is to do with the weather, quite often it's fine all morning but thunder storms build up by midday or afternoon, an early start means you are up and down before the lightning starts.

In reply to Removed Userherblai:

I suppose with enough batteries for the impressively bright LEDS around these days and good gear and energy resupply, you could probably start your bid the evening before!! (avoiding the electric storms naturally).

As a matter of interest, does anybody know the time of 'dawn' when you are at the top of Mont Blanc in July/ August ?

In reply to Removed Userherblai: leave too early in the morning and your summit photos
will be very very boring, time it for sun rise
T

In reply to Removed Userherblai:

As Bruce says, standard alpine start.

In reply to Removed Userherblai:

Thanks guys, I gather the Alps' micro-climate has something to do with this too.

Amongst the 12 climbers in 4 groups who bid together that night knew the time of sunrise (05.45h on 1 July). I actually asked before we set off as I met a guy in Llanberis who summited Mont Blanc twice because he made it in the dark first time around.

I also learned that it is best to cross the Grand Couloir before noon yet a leaflet collected in Chamonix said the Couloir is at its most dangerous between 11.00h and 13.30h?!

In reply to Removed Userherblai: when I crossed the grand coulior it was anti climactic. I had heard the stories and thought it was a death race. Provided you are efficient and careful, and keep looking up the coulior as you cross, it is no real problem. Stonefall occurs all over the place. It is a risk with the Alps. I reckon the crossing is about 50M length of exposure?

In reply to nicjbuk:

Yes, that's exactly what I always used to think. But I was wrong. Sure, I have crossed it numerous times when it's seemed totally benign - as it appeared to you. One day it wasn't and I was hit by a large spinning dinner plate across the back of my calf which cut deep into the muscle - this despite being careful, cautious, waiting till I judged the time was right etc. I saw it coming just at the last moment when I'd just started crossing but was completely powerless to avoid it - all I could do was duck down. I was in descent and it just about doubled my time down to Nid d'Aigle. After the adrenalin had gone, I couldn't walk for a week. I was incredibly lucky. If you think how close the back of your leg is to your head... especially if you duck!

If you're not convinced then it seems like time to have a look at this again:
youtube.com/watch?v=JUPjRGbeAYU&

You are at risk for a long way above the point where the traverse meets the long easy rocky rib on the far side. Depending on the size and amount and provenance of the rockfall, I'd say anything from a third to half height, though obviously less so than in the couloir itself.

But it's the same with all things alpine - if nothing happens to you, then you've a tendance to shrug it off. For instance, I've never seen a serac fall actually happen on the Tacul, but statistics tell me that sometimes it's a lottery. As is the Gouter couloir. And this is why I stopped guiding Mont Blanc.

In reply to jon:

Here's another. Quite a bit of nervous laughter going on:
youtube.com/watch?v=cr-DCBEXDzk&

In reply to jon:

This one looks more amusing - on the same page as your previous video.

youtube.com/watch?v=QVm4Ak3v-Po&

In reply to Removed Userherblai:

Yes it really is a lottery. I had my closed-shave as well: on descend at around 11.00h about 70m on the downhill track from Gouter Couloir. I stopped and packed up my harness, a dinner plate sized rock came down without warning almost hitting the guy in front. I was about 4m away, it could have hit me if.... It was all calm and still around me and the Sun had only hit the Gouter and surrounding slopes less than an hour ago. The rock probably came from the chute on the left of the Gouter Couloir/corridor/chute.

Check this link out about safety on the mountain: www.foundation-petzl.org/en

In reply to Removed Userherblai:

The last time I did Mont Blanc, we climbed it in the afternoon, came down to the Gouter Hut in the setting sun (fantastic views) and then had a lie-in when everyone else was getting up at 1.30am. Had a late breakfast and crossed the couloir quite early on the way down (and on the way up). It's the only time I've enjoyed Mont Blanc (it was an Exodus course). It was late August and the weather quite cold. So it shows it's worth being flexible.

In reply to Andy Nisbet:

I've never had any desire to climb MB (too much else to do!) but I would be tempted by a start off the first lift on a cool day with a settled forecast: - but only after a good long acclimatisation and provided I was actually fit for it at the time !

After the races against the warm temperatures we had a couple of weeks ago it actually sounds quite tempting.

In reply to dylan_the_fox:

We actually went up and down via the Gouter Hut, not via the Midi, and the team managed on day 5 of a course. Acclimatisation was well managed but it was still a good effort.