UKC

I was wondering if anyone knew if you could leave any excess gear in the Gouter hut on Mont Blanc summit day? Is there lockers? We are hopefully going mid September and the train to the Nid d'Aiguille has stopped for the season. We will have to walk from either Bionnassay or Les Houches preferrably in trainers. Can we leave them in the hut along with our small rack to collect on our way back down? Thanks.

In reply to msp1987:

There's a gear room but I don't recall lockable storage. People did leave stuff there though.

In reply to msp1987:

I'm wondering what you need a small rack for. If it's for the partially equipped rocks after the traverse of the couloir then it's not something you need burden yourself with a rack for, especially if you're walking up from the valley. Lots of folk don't rope up for it, but even if you do then you can improvise from of your glacier travel kit - prussiks, slings and a few krabs will make enough quickdraws to protect yourself with. However, your trainers will likely be mistaken for hut slippers if you leave them in the gear room.

In reply to jon:

Thanks for reply. Do people usually leave their helmets after the Gouter Ridge? Can't imagine they would be needed on the summit day.

In reply to msp1987:

Some do, some don't. Personally I think it's a bit overkill beyond the hut but others clearly don't - search UKC photos 'Mont Blanc summit' and you'll see. Certainly leaving it at the hut with your trainers attached to it wouldn't be a silly idea.

In reply to msp1987:


In general at alpine huts you leave your stuff (boots, crampons, axe, rope, harness, poles, helmet, gear etc.) downstairs in an equipment room and only take what you need up to the dormitories. The theory is that no one will help themselves to anyone else's. I've certainly never had anything taken.

This extends to leaving things there while you are out climbing for the day.

That said, I've noticed an increasing number of people who take their metalwork up to the dormitories. One guy, I think it was at the Monte Rosa hut, had so much stuff around his bunk that it looked like he was opening a gear shop.

In reply to msp1987:


According to this thread, not wearing a helmet on the Gouter is now against the law:

https://www2.ukclimbing.com/forums/ukh/mt_blanc_minimum_equipment_by-law...