UKC

This is a relative question because it will be different for everyone, but I can't find a lot of info about it.

How long approximately does it take to hike from Chamonix to Tete Rousse for an average climber? I'm planning a trip for next year and don't know what time I should leave with my group in order to get to the hut for an early night sleep.

If anyone knows that would be awesome! 

Thanks 

Hi

  did it this year, but did it on the same day as a descent from petite verte so split it into 2 days.

Would say if you were only doing this then it would take you around 8 or 9 hours.

I assume you are going too early in the season for the Bellevue cable-car?

Sleep in a hut,  you should be so lucky   All that heavy breathing, belching, coughing, farting, snoring, scratching, tossing and turning and when the men arrive it's even worse.  I suspect the average climber catches the train.

Al

Thanks for the answer!

We're going early/mid May, we want to walk from the bottom instead of taking the cable car

Oh no, we're not sleeping in the hut, I don't even know if it's open in May. I've read that the only place we can tent is outside the Tete Rousse hut, that's why we're stopping there. We want to summit without a cable car. We did a few +2500m peaks during summer and winter times and now we want to summit Mont Blanc around May.

Yeah, you can only bivvy/ tent at tete rousse, and personally I agree, using a cable car is cheating!!!

id say 8-9 hours is pessimistic if you are already fit and acclimatised. it probably took me 3 or 4 but i am somewhat of a mountain goat! it is surprisingly quick as you gain height very quickly.

maybe split the difference and say an average climber will take 5 or 6?

Early/mid-May could well mean a ski tour rather than a hike ...

Well its entirely possible yo took a different route to me, I walked from Chamonix to Les Houches, then took the route over to Mont Lachat, then followed along the railway and continued to tete rousse. But to do this in 3 to 4 hours is INCREDIBLE mate. Did you take the train up half way to achieve this??

Depending on the previous winter it may not be possible in May unless you are prepared to use skis or snow shoes.  Both are likely to increase your times, the latter significantly.

Al

I assume he means from les houches to the tête rousse not from Chamonix. 4 hours is quick (especially with bivi gear) but by no means amazing, about 550m ascent per hour. 4hrs to Mont Blanc from les houches is amazing. 8-9hrs would be slow and 5-6 hours is probably about right for a fit climber heading up Mont Blanc. I also agree in May you might need skis, but don’t think it takes any longer in this case. The hut is normally open from the end of May if you decided not to bivi. 

why would you walk from cham to les houches? there is a free ski bus! and its downhill so hardly unethical!

valley floor to tete rouse in 3 or 4, another hour or two to gouter hut balcony bivy spot.

All right maybe it was just me, personally I found les houches to lachat a ball breaking leg of the journey, slow hairpining path, the rest of it was OK, especially on the train track being laid.

PS.. I included the hike time from Chamonix as OP asked for hike time Chamonix to Tete rousse

Im not disputing 5 hours, but 3 hours from Chamonix, as specified by OP, is very quick. Its about 3.5? miles trek across the valley followed by over 2200m increase. 

i imagine by 'chamonix' the OP meant the chamonix valley, like i say there is no logical reason to walk that leg!

(plus i was solo which meant i was travelling much lighter than a roped team)