Any suggestions? Is Gran Paradisio possible?

Of course it's possible. If you are stuck going solo, stay close to a group. You should have plenty of company during the peak season.

Woodie

Check out the guidebooks, keep clear of routes with cravasess, an early start would also be recomended, good luck

tdoughty wrote:Any suggestions?

Do you mean only in the Alps

tdoughty wrote:Any suggestions? Is Gran Paradisio possible?

Possible, probably. Safe, not really, like all routes involving glacier travel. The only two glacier free routes on 4000m peaks in the alps that come to mind are the normal route on Lagginhorn and the south ridge of Weissmies from Almageller hut.

Check out some old threads on the same topic, you will find more detailed information on these routes there.

CB

If you are not just looking at the alps, Toubkalis a good and easy 4000'er. With relatively little dangers. So if the goal is to just solo any 4000'er, I suggest this one.

If you want something harder, I'd say anything is possible. Depending on how good you are obviously. Just look at what Uli Steck is doing.

Of course depending on you skills you can climb anything solo....but two very easy routes which do not require any technical climbing, but just some flat glacier crossing and snow slopes up to 35 degrees are the normal route on Mont Blanc du Tacul and the normal route on Breithorne.
Also the Normal route on Mont Blanc (Gouter Route) should be ok...

climbxclimb wrote:Of course depending on you skills you can climb anything solo....but two very easy routes which do not require any technical climbing, but just some flat glacier crossing and snow slopes up to 35 degrees are the normal route on Mont Blanc du Tacul and the normal route on Breithorne.
Also the Normal route on Mont Blanc should be ok...

I have soloed the Mont Blanc traverse (up Mont Blanc du Tacul/Mont Maudit/Mont Blanc, down Gouter), and I only did it because it was a very dry year and all the crevasses were uncovered. The col du midi area is pretty crevassed and generally not safe to solo. There are also a few when you get to the shoulder of Mont Blanc du Tacul, and the bergschrund on col du Mont Maudit can be tricky. So I would be careful if you decide to do the Mont Blanc du Tacul. On the other hand, crevasse-wise, the Gouter route is as safe as it gets.

Thanks for the feed back! Speaking of snow coverage, what's this year been like? Here in California it's been unusually wet, with the backcountry still buried deep.

tdoughty wrote:Thanks for the feed back! Speaking of snow coverage, what's this year been like? Here in California it's been unusually wet, with the backcountry still buried deep.

Not as much as last year, but still above average.

Breithorn

tdoughty wrote:Any suggestions? Is Gran Paradisio possible?

Did it ten days ago. Nearly no-one on the glacier was roped.

In summer + especially as the route from Rif. Chabod is concerned, the crevasse risk is somewhat higher, of course! Occasionally there is also a bergschrund (?) right under the summit. Nevertheless there are more dangerous glaciers routes and the path from Emanuele hut is quite frequently soloed, even in summer.

The final meters scrambling to the summit won't require any belay. The helpless people there in the crowd acting with provisional to useless belay are just a nuisance...

The only two glacier free routes on 4000m peaks in the alps that come to mind are the normal route on Lagginhorn and the south ridge of Weissmies from Almageller hut.

As said before, with some climbing skills other peaks are possible, too: I saw soloists on Combin and Weisshorn as well...


Martin

If the consensus is that the Gouter route on Mont Blanc is relatively safe to solo (minimal crevasse danger), then I'd really like to do that. (if the weather cooperates) As my time frame is the first week of August, I'm sure that I wont really be alone!

Gran Paradiso alone its not a problem untill you get to the top where you have to pass this...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21641329@N05/2095107955/

and Mont Blanc by Gouter mhhhhhhhh I did it alone and its not dificult only the finals aereal ridges (no wind that day) can be a serious problem if you are not roped to anyone, anyway I dont recomend it durind the second part of the summer lots of rock falling at the traverse to the Grand Couliour....d-d-d-danger, russian rullet..saludos amigos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21641329@N05/3659144577/

I know, it's nothing when compared to Gran Paradiso or the Gouter route of Mont Blanc, but Allalinhorn would also be feasible for a solo climb from Mittelallalin via the Feejoch. Only thing, there's a lot of people up there usually and you would never be really alone