really looking forward to my time there. leaving in 30 days for the start of my trip, and will be headed up mt blanc solo first week of august. seems like the grand couloir is the most dangerous part! guess i'll climb the rib to the side?

btw, what's the best site for weather monitoring for mt blanc, climbing conditions?

If you climb the rib to the left of the couloir you are going to cross the couloir higher up. While that reduces rock fall danger to yourself, you are very likely going to knock loose rocks that are going to shoot down the entire couloir thus increasing risk for people doing the regular crossing. I for one would not want to pose that risk on others let alone be responsible for someone's death - people do get killed there every year.

Weather forecast: http://chamonix-meteo.com/
Conditions: http://www.ohm-chamonix.com/fiche.php?id=00&ling=En
Avalanche bulletin (in French): http://france.meteofrance.com/france/MO ... ige/DEPT74

Have a safe trip!

Good point! Saw some utube clips of people crossing and it appears to be doable in a minute or so. That seems reasonable, all things considered.

If you are going to solo, doing the 3 Mont Blanc route (which I suggest, since in August most of the snow covering crevasses should be melted)
You can start very early from the Cosmique hut, I would say around midnight, in order to be on the summit of Mont Blanc around sunrise, that would allow you to descend the great couloir early enough to avoid bombardment from people above or from rock getting loose for defrosting.

Or ascend via 3 monts route, descend via Gouter route, stay the night in the Gouter hut, and descend the next morning. Then you'll be crossing the grand couloir in the safer morning hours.

Both options are hard ascents but I think that the last is more realistic. I know that anyone can do it in hours but I repeat that passing the night in Refuge du Gouter is better than trying the first option

eza wrote: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

Enrique, creeme que cuando nosotros subimos el Allalinhorn no había casi nadie ni subiendo ni bajando, en pleno verano. No se porque, quizás porque había estado lloviendo los días anteriores y la gente aún no se había puesto en marcha, mientras nosotros dormimos en Saas Fee

Diego Sahagún wrote:

eza wrote: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

Enrique, creeme que cuando nosotros subimos el Allalinhorn no había casi nadie ni subiendo ni bajando, en pleno verano. No se porque, quizás porque había estado lloviendo los días anteriores y la gente aún no se había puesto en marcha, mientras nosotros dormimos en Saas Fee

Bueno, nosotros también dormimos en Saas Fee pero la diferencia es que llegábamos allí después de quince días de un tiempo estupendo. El resultado fue que casi había que pedir número para pasar la última crestilla de nieve hacia la cruz de la cima...

speaking about Mont Blanc in solo along the Gouter route means climb unroped among tens of (sometimes dangerous) rope teams
Gran Paradiso is absolutely safe, but normally well frequented so that solo sounds like a dream, Breithorn and Allalinhorn ... idem

why not thinking to the normal route of Piz Bernina from Italy (Rif. Marinelli & Marco e Rosa) ? - here a solo climb report

climbxclimb, phlipdascrip, diego Sahagún,

3 monts, really? do you think the first week of august this year that it would really be safer to solo the 3 monts route rather than the gouter?

must admit that i was thinking that if i had a partner, 3 mont is my route of choice.

If I'd go alone I'd choose the Gouter route because it's shorter than the 3 Monts and less demanding. When I go alone I prefer not to try very long routes because. I end talking to my self. D'you know Boring

Gouter route : good for beginners who want to say : I've climbed Mont Blanc
3 Monts route : good to come down after the Brenva routes

both require to walk putting your feet in the footprints of hundreds of people
no risks (?), pysical effort, no difficulties, no real alpinistic satisfaction

If I were an American I would never burn my money this way ...

do you want to climb something that you will always remember ? you could think to the normal route of Grandes Jorasses

Gabriele what are the most difficult sections in the 3 Monts route Wich grade How much is the highest slope degree I haven't tried it, I've only been in the Gouter route (twice). Well, I once attempted MB du Tacul but didn't reach its summit

there's a short (80-100m) slope leading (or descending - E side) to the M.Maudit pass that is about 45° steep : I found it only once without footprints (fresh snow)
No difficulties at all for the Tacul (normally well tracked into the crevasses)
No difficulties at all from Maudit to Mont Blanc - better use the ski poles than the iceaxe

gabriele wrote:there's a short (80-100m) slope leading (or descending - E side) to the M.Maudit pass that is about 45° steep

The slope on the Bosses could be higher than that. Couldn't it

gabriele wrote:No difficulties at all for the Tacul (normally well tracked into the crevasses)

Perhaps we'll attempt the Tacul for Aiguille du Midi in a day. Is it possible to reach its summit with a slow pace and get back twice using the cableway (ascent/descent) I'd go with Nadie. Wich cableways we should take I bet that I'd had to charge the first ascent of the day tickets many days before. Could explain that well tracked into the crevasses

Grazie