How fit do you need to be to climb Mont Blanc?

You need to be fit and fit in the right places! The summit day involves around 12 hours of almost constant exertion at high altitude. Whilst this is a generally tiring day there are also specific demands placed on your cardio-vascular system and leg muscles. This is best trained for by going hill / mountain walking or mountaineering. Working out in a gym is a lot better than nothing but is not a replacement for the real thing. The physical challenges of climbing Mont Blanc are often widely under estimated resulting in a lot of folk ‘running out of steam’ and having to turn around on the mountain. It is not uncommon for even very fit people like marathon runners to describe the summit day as the hardest thing they have ever done. Don’t be put off if you think you are ‘more of a tortoise than a hare!’. It is never necessary to go very fast on the mountain, more just to be able to keep moving for about an hour and a half at a time (before having a very brief drink / snack stop). It is hard to get a feel for the way the high altitude will effect you without actually trying it but be aware that it is extremely important to not get exhausted on the climb and completely run out of steam on the descent. So, in addition to a high level of general fitness, stamina and determination are also required to climb the mountain with some style and a decent safety margin.

How hard is the climbing on Mont Blanc? Do I need some mountaineering experience?

Via the 'normal route' the ascent is made on a rough rocky path, up to the Tete Rousse Hut and, in normal conditions, this should be a fairly straightforward walk. The next section leading to the Gouter Hut, often climbed in the dark, is steeper and involves some rocky or mixed (snow and ice on the rocks) scrambling sections. This is never hard ‘climbing’ but it is necessary to use your hands for the steeper sections and crampons are often worn, giving a fine mountaineering feel. This is the most technically challenging section of the route as, above the Gouter Hut the way ahead lies entirely on snow. The terrain up to the Vallot Reguge is mainly quite easy glacier walking whereas the impressive final sections of the ‘Bosses Ridge’ has some steeper snow slopes. These are sometimes icy and call for steady crampon work. The final narrow section of summit ridge is a little exposed but there is normally a good track and this provides a superb and fitting climax to reaching the summit. Climbing Mont Blanc from the Aiguille du Midi / Cosmiques Hut involves a longer and steeper ascent on snow and ice. There is one sustained steep snow or icy slope of about 60m to reach the shoulder on Mont Maudit and overall this is a more challenging route. The Italian route on Mont Blanc from the new Gonella Hut is generally not as steep as this ‘3 Monts Route’ but is very long and passes through some big glacier country giving a serious overall feel to the route. There are many other routes up the mountain but they are all technically harder than the main three mentioned here and all require a lot more mountaineering skill to climb. Whilst, on the normal routes the technical difficulties are not great it is very strongly recommended that you have a good level of experience climbing in crampons and travelling roped together on a crevassed glacier as well as the more general mountaineering skills of looking after yourself and navigating. If you don't have this experience but hire a Mountain Guide to run a full Mont Blanc course (usually at least 6 days) you can usually develop sufficient skill at the start of the course to go on and climb the mountain with the Guide.

Tips for staying in a mountain Hut

Keep your personal gear well organised and arranged according to the system of the hut eg Ice Axe, trekking poles & boots stored in the boot room. Crampons & other technical gear can stay in your pack which goes to the sleeping room as long as they are well packed away. Sort your equipment ready for the morning the afternoon / early evening before. Don’t leave it until the morning or late in the evening when people are trying to sleep. Have your head torch handy for entering / leaving the communal sleeping room without turning the lights on. Identify your allocated bed on arrival, lay out the blankets and leave some personal gear on the bed to indicate to other hut users that it has been taken! Get up promptly in the morning, fold blankets & remove all items from the room. Other people may be staying in bed & having a later breakfast. In the event of not sleeping well due to the altitude / temperature / snoring etc try to relax and just rest as much as possible!

Additional Items to Take to a Mountain Hut

Headtorch Earplugs! Very light silk / polypro sheet sleeping bag liner Plenty of cash to pay the bill for you (usually around 45-60 euros but can be more for example on Mont Blanc) and the Guide (usually around 30-45 euros) Alpine Club membership card if you have one Very little else – keep your bag as light as possible! Toilet bags / bathroom products are not required as invariably there are very limited washing facilities.

Do I need any specialist mountaineering equipment in addition to my hill walking gear?

Yes. You will need good quality alpine mountaineering boots suitable for taking crampons and warm enough for climbing in snow in temperatures well below freezing. You will also need, crampons, a harness, ice axe, helmet and rope. To state the obvious, you also need to know how to use it all!

Alpine Mountaineering Equipment List

A summary of technical equipment & clothing required for summer alpine mountaineering. The alpine style involves climbing with a small & light pack that has all the essentials, sufficient emergency equipment, and nothing else!

This is an important principle to bear in mind when packing your gear. You need all the technical items required plus a clothing layering system that will function well in both hot & sunny AND cold & windy conditions. So ditch your toilet bag, book / kindle etc but not your warm jacket or sun hat!

Please note that if you are planning on, or thinking about, climbing Mont Blanc or the Matterhorn after your Gran Paradiso trip we also have specific equipment lists for Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn so refer to those instead.

Alpine Mountaineering Equipment

Summer mountaineering in the Alps involves a mixture of weather and conditions from hot & sunny glacier travel to cold & windy climbing at high altitude. Thus the mountaineer needs to be prepared for both with a suitable mix of light & cool clothing & sun protection that can be quickly added to with other layers to deal with cold & windy conditions.

Technical Items

Mountain Boot – Boots designed for alpine mountaineering and thus able to take crampons effectively (B3 or B2) but are still comfortable for walking in, neat for scrambling in and not too hot (see below). The new Scarpa Mantas or Ribelle Lite are good or Sportiva Trangos if they fit your feet better. Note these are lighter, less warm and neater for rock scrambling than boots designed for Mont Blanc like Scarpa Mont Blanc or Phantom Guide. See our Mont Blanc equipment list for more details.
Boots can be hired from us or in Chamonix if you don’t have a suitable pair.
Crampons and bag – 12 point mountaineering crampons with anti-balling plates, essential. The Petzl Vasak crampon makes an ideal crampon, this comes with 2 different binding systems Leverlock Universal (clip for front & back) and Flexlock (plastic bale) the best combination is to have the Flexlock on the front and the Leverlock clip for the rear. When packed in your rucksack they are best stored in a bag to stop them from damaging anything else. Avoid both very lightweight walking / ski touring crampons or heavy technical ice climbing crampons.
Ice axe – A simple mountaineering ice axe is ideal and preferable to technical climbing models. Petzl Summit Evo, Black Diamond Venom, Grivel air-tech and, cheapest but still totally fine, DMM Cirque. Any straps or leashes on your ice axe should be removed.
Harness – General mountaineering harness ideal e.g. DMM Super Couloir / Centre or Black Diamond Bod, with 2 X screw gate Karabiners. If you already have a rock climbing harness this will be fine as long as it is large enough to wear over multiple bulky warm layers. If you are buying one specifically for Mont Blanc, choose a lightweight alpine mountaineering harness or a good general harness for both rock climbing & mountaineering like the Petzl Corax.

Harness Crampons Axe — Petzl Corax Harness, Vasak Crampon & Summit Ice Axe

Helmet – General mountaineering helmet essential e.g. Petzl Elios or other Black Diamond or Petzl mountaineering helmet.
Hardware – This kit will be provided by the guide but, if you have your own then please bring a belay plate / Karabiners / Sling (120cm).
Rucksack – A 30-50ltr rucksack is required. When it comes to fit it’s best to try some on before buying. Key features to look for are: adjustable waist and shoulder straps; easy to use buckles for opening/closing sack; 1 ideally 2 ice axe attachment points; side compression straps; durable/waterproof fabrics. The sack should come with either a waterproof liner or use some dry bags to keep clothing and other kit dry and separated in your pack. You should be able to get all the kit listed here inside, it’s best to avoid having any kit attached to the outside of the sack other than your axe(s) and if we give you a rope to carry! A good example of a suitable rucksack is the Arc’teryx Alpha AR 35 Other suitable rucksacks can be viewed HERE.

Arcteryx Alpha AH Rucksack – A suitable rucksack for Alpine Mountaineering

Clothing

Waterproof Shell-Jacket – Gore-Tex material or similar that provides a high level of waterproofness and breathability. A helmet-compatible hood, external & internal pockets and waterproof zips are good features to look for. Avoid a softshell material it is can be a gamble if conditions are wet. A good example is the Arc’teryx Alpha AR jacket available in both men’s & women’s.
Waterproof Shell-Trousers – Gore-Tex material or similar that provides a high level of waterproofness and breathability. Side-zips on the legs are a useful feature as it makes it easier to put them on in tricky situations. Arc’teryx Beta SV Bib Pant is a good example, available in both men’s & women’s.
Down Layer – It is essential to have a down jacket with you for colder conditions, a jacket with a fill of around 700 – 750 should do it. It should be packable, warm, and have a helmet-compatible hood. Example Arc’teryx Thorium AR Hoody available in both men’s & women’s.
Mid-Layer(s) – It is best to have a number of lightweight layers to make up your clothing system. Fleece layers are ideal for this as you can add and remove them according to how you feel and the conditions. Stretch fleece jacket, half or full-zip options all work well, an example is Arc’teryx Kyanite LT hoody available in both men’s & women’s.
Base Layers – this should include your underwear (pants!) and base layer top and legs. Wearing natural fibres like merino wool next to your skin is good for comfort, breathability, and warmth; not to mention they smell a lot less than synthetic fibers. Merino or a similar wool base layer for your top and legs is ideal, Smartwool, Icebreaker and other brands all make suitable products.

Examples of Outer Jacket, Down Jacket & Baselayer suitable for Alpine Mountaineering

Hat / Balaclava – You should bring a warm hat for cold conditions and if you have a balaclava, bring it. Neck gaiters / ‘buffs’ can be useful. You will need a sun hat or cap for warm summer conditions to keep the sun off your head / face, this can sometimes be worn under your climbing helmet.
Gloves – Ideally a liner pair, a thinner pair for dexterity holding an ice axe, with a grippy leather palm and fingers and a pair of thicker, warmer, insulated gloves. Examples here.

Gloves for Alpine Mountaineering — Softshell Glove and Water/Windproof Glove suitable for Alpine Mountaineering

Socks – It is best to only wear 1 pair of socks inside your boots, a medium thickness pair, possibly in wool is a good choice.
Gaiters – These will help to keep snow out of your boots and your feet warm and dry as well as your laces away from your crampons, ideally, they should be breathable. Examples can be found HERE. Boots with built in gaiters also work well and generally mean that you don’t need an additional pair.

Accessories

Head Torch – With new batteries. Petzl Swift RL as an example. Necessary for pre-dawn starts and moving around in the mountain hut at night.
Walking Poles – you may wish to bring 1 or a pair of walking poles for walks in & out. Lightweight, foldable poles are ideal; example Black Diamond Distance Z poles.
Sun Glasses & Goggles – Good quality dark sunglasses that form a good seal with your face and fit securely. Category 3 or 4 for use in strong sunlight with reflection from the snow. Goggles are also useful incase of windy / snowy weather. If you have ski goggles, bring them. If not you can wait and see what the forecast is and buy goggles in Chamonix.
Sun Cream & Lip Protection – Bring both and use liberally every day regardless of the weather. At least factor 30 and factor 50 preferable. Small bottles are ideal to save weight.
Water Bottle – A tough 1L ‘Nalgene’ style water bottle is ideal and can be supplemented with another bottle of sports drink etc. for the summit days. Hot sweet tea is sometimes available in the huts and a good way of keeping your drink warm for longer. ‘Camelbak’ style hydration systems can work well for lower altitude treks and warm high summer conditions, but they are rarely suitable for high altitude trips as they often freeze or leak!
Snacks / Hill food – Bring your favorite snacks for the hill, flapjacks, cereal bars, dried fruit, cake, chocolate, energy bars etc. Things can be bought in Chamonix before departure and in the mountain huts which also provide lunch.
Personal Medical Items – Blister kit, plasters, painkillers, glasses / contact lenses as necessary
Personal Admin Items – Mobile Phone, Cash, Passport if necessary, Insurance details – see our Insurance FAQ

Extra Kit For The Mountain Huts

Very thin / light sheet sleeping bag / liner is required in huts (compulsory for hygiene reasons). This is a very small / light item and not a normal sleeping back (which is not required). Examples can be found on the Needlesports website here and similar or cheaper / heavier ones are also available in shops in Chamonix
Spare socks
Ear Plugs
Toothbrush
Hut discount card / Alpine club membership (e.g. BMC / Alpine Club / Austrian Alpine Club etc)

Optional Items

Trail running shoes for the hut approach
Additional mountaineering hardware including 2 prussiks, belay plate, 8ft sling, Ice screw, 1 screw gate and 3 snap-link karabiners
Goggles (generally only used on Mont Blanc)
Trekking poles
GPS

Equipment Provided by your Mountain Guide (but carried by the group as a whole)

Rope(s)
Climbing hardware / protection
First aid kit
Group emergency shelter
Map & compass
Topo / Guide book

For More Technical Climbs

For alpine rock climbs only – rock boots / chalk bag
For ice & mixed climbs – 2 x technical ice tools

Pack Weight and Packing Tips

If you have packed all these items and nothing else, and have modern lightweight gear, your pack should weigh around 5-7kg. Less is fine, if you have everything. If it weighs more than this you may be carrying more gear than is required which is energy sapping and reduces performance both physically and technically.

Early summer can be a cold time in the high mountains and likewise autumn often arrives in September, thus at these fringes of the season or during unusually cold & snowy periods extra gear and warmer boots may be required.

If you have packed things that are not on this list, check with your Guide that you actually need them because excess baggage really slows you down, tires you out and can spoil your enjoyment of being in the mountains. Common items taken in to the mountains but not required are overly large wash bags, deodorant, books, headphones etc. Keep it light, neat and simple…and remember these 2 things….

Light + Light = Heavy!
The Only Thing That ‘Weighs Nothing’…Is Nothing!
Pack the items in your sack according to how frequently you use them. Snacks, sun cream & hat, light gloves, water bottle all packed in top pockets or at the top of your pack followed by things like your crampons, jacket, warm hat etc. The bottom of your sack is reserved for things like duvet jacket, warm gloves and goggles. Think about using your pockets if you can for handy items like your camera and lip barrier cream so you don’t even need to stop to get them out.
Develop a system for where items are stored in your rucksack and stick to it.
Take some time adjusting the straps on your rucksack so the main weight of the pack sits on your hips and the shoulder straps keep it in place.

With Mont Blanc East flank beyond. This is the 3 Monts route from the Chamonix / Aiguille du Midi side of the mountain with the Gouter Route on the right hand skyline.

Buying New Kit?

If you plan to make some new kit purchases for this course then we recommend a few places to look online that not only provide a good range of clothing and equipment but also some excellent advice on suitable products for your chosen sport. They are:

Needle Sports – An independent climbing gear shop that supplies mountaineering, rock, ice, alpine & expedition climbing equipment. They have a shop in Keswick in the Lake District.

Facewest – with 20 years of providing an excellent online retail experience and plenty of knowledge and enthusiasm, they stock a wide range of products for climbing, skiing, running, and hiking.

Sport Pursuit – is an online retailer, mainly of clothing who sells, at highly discount prices, end of lines, and unsold stock from shops and brands. If you look carefully through their website you can find some excellent clothing items at a really great price.