UKC

MB - How long is the walk from Belle Vue to Nid d'Aigle?

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 stevev 10 Mar 2011
I am thinking of a late June MB attempt, but I see that before 2 July the Tramway stops at belleVue. How much does that add to the days climb to Gouter?
http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/pages/horaires_chamonix_tramwaydumontbla...
 stuart58 10 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev: u could stay at the tete rouse hut and go from there in a day , the trouble with walking all way to Gouter hut is the famous gully u would be passing it late in the day when I think its at its worst. The tete rouse adds MAY BE 2 HOURS Im sure other people might add more advice.
graham F 10 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev: It's about 1.5 hours extra which means Belle Vue - Gouter is a big-ish day.
OP stevev 10 Mar 2011
Cheers for that

bigger day on descent too!! Although it probably means the mountain is a bit quieter until the tramway opens fully

Tete Rousse sounds a good option although that just makes summit day even longer
 Fredt 10 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev:

Long day?

Hour and a half from Belle Vue to Eagle's nest.
Another hour and a half to Tete Rousse.
Another three hours to the Gouter.

The ascent of Mont Blanc takes 4 or 5 hours from the Gouter.
On summit day you should be back at Bellevue by early afternoon.
 funalps 10 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev: Last year I walked up from the road head in Les Houches. It took nearly six hours to get to the “Camp de Base” at the Tete Rousse. This was mainly because I am old, but it was very hot, the sacks heavy with camping gear etc. Taking the lift to Belle-Vue would only have saved about two hours. The next day I left the tent before 01.30h, arriving on the summit before 07.00h Conditions were perfect and there was a very good track in place. I got back to the Tete Rousse before the afternoon crowds starting ascending to the Gouter hut.

I do not know if theses times help as it all depends so much on conditions and the person. For example, a few days before my ascent a Spaniard took just two and a half hours to get to the summit from the road head in Les Houches. He was training for the Mont Blanc Ultra-trail.

Incidently, this summer will be the 150th anniversary of the first complete ascent of the Gouter Ridge, also known as the Voie Royale. I am hoping to celebrate this by starting from the road head in Bionnassay on the 17th July, weather and conditions permitting
 the abmmc 10 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev: Depends how you're going. First time I tried it it was snowing and blowing a hoolie and took ages and we turned back. Second time we went on to refuge des forestieres and were given best cup of coffee in our lives by a bunch of Polish folk. Next day to gouter and last day to top and back to plan d'aiguille. It's an adventure every time.

I hope you get a great trip.

Tom
 crieff427 12 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev:
is this the tram that does not go all the way to the end of the track due to the glacial lake?
I walked it last summer on way to gouter and it wasn't far. (well it was on the way down).
Also the grand couloir was very benign when I crossed it at 6pm on the way up to the gouter. trying to get a wink of sleep in the gouter annexe porch was far more detrimantal to health.
 crieff427 12 Mar 2011
In reply to crieff427:
obviously I meant detrimental.
OP stevev 12 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev: I was assuming the glacial lake is fixed now. The reason it stops at BelleVue is presumably due to the snow higher up in the early season.
 crieff427 13 Mar 2011
In reply to stevev:

my friend who lives in france said it took 8 days for a guy to come and fix his boiler - imagine waiting for a man to come out and fix a glacial lake?

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...