Climbing week from 15.07.05 - 22.07.05 in the Dauphiné and Mont Blanc range

Barre des Écrins	Roche Faurio	View from the summit of Roche Faurio

After 1 week of climbing in the Dolomites with my wife I went with 2 friends to the Dauphiné Alps. After climbing Roche Faurio, Dôme de Neige and Barre des Écrins we drove to Chamonix. This wasn´t so easy because of the Tour de France many roads were closed (for example the Col du Galibier). We arrived in Chamonix in the afternoon of the 15/07/2005.

Refuge Cosmique

Aiguille du Midi while descending to Refuge Cosmique	Evening light from Refuge Cosmique	View from the hut to Mont Blanc	View to Mont Blanc

As the weather forecast said that it will be perfect weather for the next 2 days we decided to make the Mont Blanc traverse.
We took the cablecar to the Aiguille du Midi. Then we descended to Refuge Cosmique.

Mont Blanc traverse

Sunrise before Mont Maudit	A great morning view	summit view	summit of Mont Blanc de Courmayeur

We slept in the Refuge Cosmique (3.600 m) and started in the night at 1:30 after a very good breakfast. The way to Mont Blanc du Tacul and Mont Maudit is really steep but as there was enough snow that it wasn´t to delicate.
At the Mont Maudit there is a scarp of 60°. There it was a accumulation - and climbers who could not wait and were reckless! Idiots! There was icefall and a piece of ice hit my nose. It was bleeding but by the cold weather after a few minutes I didn´t feel the pain anymore. Before reaching Mont Maudit we experienced a great sunrise with the Matterhorn and Weisshorn in the background. And then we saw the Mont Blanc - and after some more hours we were on the top! What a great view: Grand Jorasses, Monte Rosa, Matterhorn, Dauphiné Alps, Gran Paradiso - a perfect dream!!! At the summit at 16/07/05! Then we crossed to Mont Blanc de Courmayeur. This way was blank ice and quite delicate. Then we went back to the top of Mont Blanc - and we were alone! After enjoying the sight we descended the Bosses ridge to Dome de Goûter.

Panorama - Mont Blanc seen from Dome du Goûter

After a night in the Goûter hut we descended the rest.
The hut was completely full with people laying on the floor, on the tables and on the chairs. But as I was injured with my nose I got a bed. When the Mont Blanc climbers stood up at 1:00 I had all place in the world and could sleep until the morning! Great feeling! When we descended we had to cross the dangerous Grand Couloir. In the Grand Couloir we had much luck as a stone flew half a meter next to us into the depth. A hit of this stone may have been deadly... Thanks God!

Then we made a relaxing day in Chamonix and slept one night in Argentière. We enjoyed a great meal and a few bottles of delicious french wine!
On Sunday we drove back to Germany, absolutely happy and satisfied and dreaming of further climbs in the wonderful Alps!

It was a really long tour - but one of the greatest I ever made!

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