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Route: Normal Route via the Bosses Ridge Dates: Jul. 28-29, 2016 Day 1: Approach to the Go鹴er Hut from Nid d'Aigle station Day 2: Summit climb and descent back to Nid d'Aigle station Grade: III/PD Route Length: ~1,500m vertical gain from Nid d'Aigle station Go鹴er hut and ~990m vertical to the Mont Blanc summit Climbers: strudolyubov (solo)
Useful maps: IGN 3531ET St-Gervais-Les-Bains Massif du Mont Blanc (Topographic map of the Mont Blanc area, French Edition; Institut Geographique National; Scale 1:25,000). (Map on amazon.com)
Approach to the Go鹴er Hut (July 28, 2016)
Most climbers make it as an overnight trip, staying at the Go鹴er (3,835m) or T阾e Rousse (3,167m) Hut. You need to reserve your place at the hut in advance (you can do it online at http://refugedugouter.ffcam.fr or at http://refugeteterousse.ffcam.fr/GB_reservation.html). As of July 2016, a cost of stay at the Go鹴er hut was 55 EUR, plus 30 EUR for dinner (optional) and 15 EUR for breakfast. There is also some camping allowed on the glacier next to T阾e Rousse Hut.
The standard approach to the huts starts at the station Nid d碅igle of the Tramway du Mont Blanc. The most expedient way of getting to Nid d碅igle station from Les Houches/Chamonix area is to take a cable car to the Hotel Bellevue, walk over to the tramway station and board a train to Nid d碅igle. As of July 2016, the cost of return ticket (cable car+tramway, one person) was 41 EUR. One can also hike to Nid d碅igle directly from Les Houches, but it adds ~1,300m of vertical ascent.
The approach to the Go鹴er hut from Nid d碅igle station can be broken into two parts:
1. Nid d碅igle station - T阾e Rousse Glacier and T阾e Rousse hut: hiking on a rocky trail and easy/flat snow.
2. T阾e Rousse Glacier - Go鹴er hut: ascending moderate snow slope, crossing the Grand Couloir (rock fall danger), scrambling to the old Go鹴er hut on a blocky terrain (some sections protected with fixed cables) and traversing an easy snow ridge.
Aiguille de Bionassay seen from Nid d'Aigle-start of the approach to the Go鹴er hut.
Local fauna
The lower part of the approach trail.
View of the upper part of the approach route. The Go鹴er hut is seen at the top (right of center).
Aiguille du Midi seen on the approach to the Go鹴er hut.
T阾e Rousse hut.
The new Go鹴er hut seen from the deck of the old one.
Snow ridge leading to the new Go鹴er hut. D鬽e du Go鹴er and the lower part of summit route are seen on the left.
The new Go鹴er hut.
Aiguille Bionassay from the Go鹴er hut.
Sunset at 3,835m
Mont Blanc summit climb via the Bosses Ridge (July 29, 2016)
The route to the summit follows a deep track and has very few crevasses (usually well bridged). The Bosses Ridge and the upper summit ridge have some steep and narrow sections and usually windy that can make passing other parties problematic.
Summit ridge of Mont Blanc: looking down into Chamonix Valley.
Early morning. Looking up the summit ridge of Mont Blanc.
Sunrise on Mont Blanc.
Windy summit ridge.
Approaching the summit.
Mont Blanc summit.
Mont Blanc: summit view southeast.
Mont Blanc: summit view northeast.
Descending the summit ridge.
Looking down the Bosses Ridge.
Descending the Bosses Ridge.
Looking back at the Bosses Ridge and Mont Blanc summit.
Refuge Vallot.
Cloud rainbow.
Looking down at Col du Go鹴er.
Glacier de T阾e Rousse with Refuge de T阾e Rousse seen on the left and Aiguille de Bionnassay in the background.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Thanks for posting, looks like an amazing experience you had...
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