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Advice on Mont Blanc, Gran Paridiso, Monte Rosa

PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:02 am
by olygtx06
Hello. I'm mostly interested in opinions of these mountains and about the crevasse dangers for these routes. I've been up Mont Blanc on the Gouter route before, guided, leaving from Refuge de Tete Rousse. I'm a better climber now, and I'm pretty sure that I would be ok doing it solo. There didn't really seem to be any crevasses along the way. I'm thinking that I'd like to either go back and do the Gouter Route solo or climb the Innominata Ridge with a guide. For Gran Paridiso and Monte Rosa, I think that I would like to climb with a friend and without a guide. I think that these have more crevasse danger and I'm not so familiar with them, so maybe it's not a good idea to do them solo. But I don't know. It would be a dream summer if I could do all of these. But if I had to choose a couple, maybe I would do the Gouter Route for acclimatization and then the Innominata. Any thoughts? Any recommendations for guides? Especially for the Innominata?

Re: Advice on Mont Blanc, Gran Paridiso, Monte Rosa

PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 2:08 pm
by Flachlandtiroler
Gouter route is not totally free from crevasses but generally viewed as ok to solo, as long as weather / sight is fine and trodden path given.
Innominata is a far, far more difficult route, guided or not!

Gran Paradiso has two "normal" routes, the one from Rif. V. Emanuele with very few crevasses and the other from Rif. Chabod heavily crevassed. Of course one hidden hole is sufficient so make your own decision...

Monte Rosa IMHO doesn't allow any soloing, no matter if you start from Rif. Gnifetti or from Monte Rosa Hütte.

Keep in mind that even as a roped team of two you can get into serious trouble when one of you dumps into a crevasse.

Re: Advice on Mont Blanc, Gran Paridiso, Monte Rosa

PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 2:18 pm
by Flachlandtiroler
Flachlandtiroler wrote:Innominata is a far, far more difficult route, guided or not!

Take a look here... just looked up your profile and found hiking peaks, non-technical-volcanoes etc. :?

Re: Advice on Mont Blanc, Gran Paridiso, Monte Rosa

PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 4:43 pm
by olygtx06
Thanks. I read the page for Innominata. I am ok at rock climbing. I've been trying to do more trad lately. I was thinking that up to 5.7 wouldn't be too bad. As long as the weather is good. Maybe I'd want to practice ice climbing. I guess I wonder how hard it is. If Jornet can do it solo, maybe it's not so bad. And I would have a guide. If I can find one who wants to take me. Have you been on the GR 20? I've been there. I'd like to go back right after I finish this. It would all be next year.