UKC

hi eveyone,

             im new here so not completely sure im posting in the right place but im looking at doing mt Blanc this summer,  im thinking Aiguille du midi and mt Tacul for acclimatization. Dont really want to go on the cable car as it doesnt offer the best acclimatization, just wondering if anyone knows of any routes up Aiguille du Midi from Chamonix that arent serious rock climbs, somehing like PD or D would be great,  any got any ideas?

    any advice is welcome!!

The south face of the Aiguille du Plan followed by traversing along the ridge to the Aiguille du Midi might suit you. I say might, as I've no idea about conditions.  

T.

I'd be tempted to spend the money, go up in the cable car and spend the night at the hut to get used to the altitude. Do Tacul and finish off with the Cosmiques Arete on the way back to the cable car. Be a fun day out

If you're looking for easy acclimatisation routes without using the cable car you may be better off looking at the Argentiere/Le Tour end of the valley.

Yeah, never thought of doing Le Tour, any idea whether they tollerate bivvying outside Albert hut? Hopefully not as bad as the Gouter!! 

I've never been up there when the main hut is open but I seem to remember seeing loads of good bivvy spots beyond the hut.

Hi, i was told you wern't allowed through the tunnel onto the arrete without a mountain guide. Dont suppose you know if theres any truth in this?

That's total rubbish.

hahaha!!!

  thats what i though/hoped!!!

There is a little gate onto the arete you can go through if you want to

Bivvying is tolerated by Albert Premier, sometimes see tents there too. Loads of good sites above and beyond hut. Tap outside hut for water, loos accessible.

    Some years you can go all the way up the Mer de Glace into the Vallee Blanche to reach the base of the Midi - completely conditions dependent. Early in the season there are some routes up the Midi from the Cham side which may be in condition. Check the guidebooks. There is always the Frendo Spur but I personally would see that as a separate route, not the first day for a Mt Blanc ascent. 

    As others have suggested acclimatise perhaps from Albert Premier base or around the Domes de Miages. Then do a 4,000m peak such as the Tacul ( lots of route choices ) using the lift and an overnight hut / bivvy or two to acclimatise further. Or you could head to Gran Paradiso or Zermatt for some further easy acclimatisation and different areas. Check conditions before you set off. For example, the normal route up the Tacul can be a pleasant stroll (albeit with seracs), an avalanche trap or even need some steep climbing skills to get past crevasses / bergshrunds. 

   Some people walk from the valley to the Tete Rousse hut, then another day to the Gouter followed by a summit day. Personally, I prefer the Trois Monts route and a descent via the same way or via the Gouter.

If you do not already know that you will cope with going straight up to this altitude for the night, just bear in my mind that it could be a hideous nightmare of headache and nausea (or worse)!

yeah, deffinitely agree, probably will do Aiguille de Tour followed by Aiguille du Midi/arrete night at cosmoniques then a shot at mt Tacul

glad they dont mind bivvying, never a huge fan of overcrowded huts!!

nope... this is definitely BS

Try the Mallory Route on North Face of the Midi..

John C

I remember about 1980, I was bivvying near the Couvercle.

Ominous thunder started, then the lightning, I huddled down.

Then someone shook me, it was the guardian. He was very demonstrative, and I thought he was telling me to clear off, but he kept gesturing to the hut, so I followed him in, though I had no money on me.

He gave me a meal and a bed, and didn’t charge a franc.

I doubt it would happen now.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, but isn't the Mallory route pretty technical? I know the last section is pretty straightforward, but isn't there quite a bit of grade 5 climbing at the start?

Something similar happened in 2012 when some friends and I were camping near the Helbronner station and a big storm was rolling in. An Italian gent working in the station had heard we were there and wanted to make sure we were safe.

Doing the Mallory would probably end up being the highlight of your trip rather than MB!  It's a big face which has the aura of being less serious than it is because of the cable car flying up and down it.  MB is a trudge with the problem of queues and rockfall in the Grand Couloir.  

I remember the gardien telling me about that. He said:

'... and there was this Brit outside bivvying. I went out to tell him to piss off. He didn't understand a word and just followed me back inside, took my dinner off the table then went upstairs to sleep, and then buggered off in the morning without paying a centime...