Mont Blanc: Climbing to the summit of western Europe’s highest mountain
Editor’s note: John Wutzer, who works for the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Europe District, wrote this after climbing Mont Blanc last year.
As I check
into my hostel for a weeklong climbing class in Chamonix, France, the hostel
manager asks me if I had heard that a freak ice and snow avalanche buried eight
climbers on their way to the Mont Blanc summit via the de Tacul
route.
This was a
stark reminder of the unforeseen dangers the mountains can present.
I had
enrolled in the class to hone my climbing skills that included climbing Mont
Blanc at the end of the week. I had intended to enhance my knowledge of how to
use an ice axe, crampons and the rope. Additionally we would learn how to climb
various rock pitches, navigate glaciers, safely cross crevasses, scale walls
with solid holds, belay the guide and generally use our clothing to maintain a
comfortable body temperature — all the while taking in some of the most
incredible mountain views the great French Alps have to offer.
Remi was my guide, a truly fit and
knowledgeable French mountaineer with 20 years experience. His strong climbing
skills provided a comforting sense of security, making the week more enjoyable.
Additionally the weather was excellent and provided us with unrestricted access
to climbing and the panoramas.
From a
small town outside Chamonix near Les Houches, we took
a gondola to a train and then the train to the last stop
at 7,545 feet (2,300 meters). From that point we started the climb along with
several others.
I was
traveling light, as was recommended, with a 25-liter pack.
Our first
target was to go to the La Gouter refugee at 12,529
feet (3,819 meters), a popular hut for over-nighting.
The 4,984-foot vertical ascent involved steep hiking and mild technical rock
climbing. Fixed cables on the climb did exist on steeper sections to aid in
navigating safely.
Encountering
French, Swiss, Italian, German, U.S., English and climbers of other
nationalities provided a multi-cultural experience with shared greetings in
many different languages.
I arrived at the hut in about four hours. As I ate the lunch I had carried — fruit and sandwiches — I could feel my body re-energizing almost immediately. I sat the entire time to rest my legs and mentally prepare for the long journey to the top.
The hour
break was well needed but went fast. The climb is often broken up into two days
with an overnight at the hut and an early start in the morning. Continuing on
allowed us to have the mountain essentially to ourselves and avoid the 1 a.m.
mass rush to the top in the dark.
The
transition to the snow and ice began immediately above the hut. This was a
welcome break from the dusty rock face. The change was dramatic with the sun
gleaming on the snow and ice. Pulling out the ice axe and crampons, it was off
to the summit.
It was now
2 p.m. This portion of the climb consisted of crossing vast snow fields and a
large glacier with numerous crevasses. The ascent vacillated from generally
gentle flat glacier hiking to sharp, inclined ridge trekking with steep
drop-offs on both sides. At times, it was a series of up and down ridge climbs.
Up, down, up, down and whatever it takes to get to the top. My legs were very
fatigued. We had covered so much vertical.
Hard
to prepare
This is
difficult to prepare for when not living in the mountains. I told myself to
just march on, regardless of the effects of the altitude, exhaustion, negative
thoughts, visions of being in a place where I would be experiencing less
fatigue discomfort. Deep drop-offs and narrow, steep ridges challenged my
self-confidence.
I proceeded
on. With only a 60 percent summit success rate among guided clients, I made an
effort to not waste any time or energy. At times, just walking at this altitude
on a slight incline can produce a heart rate of 130-140 beats per minute; the
same as runnng on flat ground at sea level.
Many breaks
were taken in the afternoon. Some prompted by myself, others by Remi. Each one was a welcome relief to relax the legs, the
body and the mind along with replenishing ourselves with food and fluids.
It had now
been more than four hours since lunch and about nine hours since we started the
climb.
At
last, at about 6:15 p.m., we summitted — above the
clouds. The view
was stunning. The long journey up was at an end with a surrounding view of
everything.
I embraced
the satisfaction of standing atop the highest point in western
Europe 15,774 feet (4,810 meters). We spent about 15 minutes at the top eating
and drinking and taking in the vast vistas while recalling the effort it took
to get to that point. There was a truly calming sense of having accomplished
something big.
We
descended virtually alone and experienced a beautiful sunset on the return
journey to the hut. The mountains were extremely quiet and the journey of
genuine solitude was as peaceful as peaceful gets. I was tired, but going down
was easier than going up. And the sunset was a nice distraction from the weariness.
We returned
to La Gouter just as darkness set in two-and-a-half
hours later. Toward the end of the 11-hour effort, I felt every step. My legs
were physically drained. I was neither sick nor bitten by altitude sickness,
just simply worn down from the long day of climbing. I cannot remember ever
feeling as exhausted as I did that evening. But the true and lasting rewards of
having accomplished the climb easily outweighed the discomforts that would soon
vanish.
The service
to the open seating area in the hut was closed but we quickly joined the staff
in the small kitchen for the last meal to us select few. Every bite was like a
reenergizing scoop of power. It all tasted better than good, but more
importantly it was the way back to having normal body energy.
Shortly
after dinner, I attempted to sleep in a super crowded, overly warm hut.
Climbers were sprawled everywhere, sleeping on the floors and tables with bunk
beds stuffed to the hilt. But it didn’t matter, as long as I was horizontal.
Closed windows, warm temps in the hut and high altitude air only allowed a few
hours of sleep, but I felt far better.
The next
day we had a simple breakfast and descended to the train station via the same
trail and greeted all the new climbers going up, eagerly ready to tackle the
Mont Blanc summit challenge.