August 1st: to Tete Rousse.
I'm writing this waay in arrears and don't appear to have any diary, ah but I do have some notes, which I'll try to fill out. We've said goodbye to Miriam who returns home by train; it's just the three of us now.
We're in le Fayet to take the Tramway de Mont Blanc from Le Fayet up to Nid d'Aigle (GPS trace), from whence it is but a gentle stroll up to the Tete Rousse (GPS trace). There are other ways you might get there: notably, you could walk; or there's a cable car from Les Houches up to Bellevue. The tramway building is desperately cute.
It is a long way up on the tramway - about an hour - but the views are good. You can see the tramway cutting across the middle slope from the left; if you click for the big version you can (just) see the Tete Rousse hut, and roughly above it the Gouter hut, not quite on the skyline but on top of the obvious rock face. The peak to the right is the Aiguille du Bionnassay, and the glacier is of the same name.
Here's the tramway car at the top stop, and a horde of peasants, but we are not of that ilk oh no certainly not.
The way up is a bit moonscape-y but not difficult. If you're making movies you can take a chopper. At some point there's a chap who asks your name and checks you have a place in a refuge; they really really don't want you wild camping. They have composing toilets. We're not in the main refuge - which as far as I can tell is, like the Gouter, permanently 100% full (I say that but I think I mean for booking ahead; rumour says that cancellations nearer the time may be possible) - but in the luxurious Camp de Base.
Although you have to go off a bit, or to the main hut, for the toilet. There's no official water, but you can collect trickles from baby streams and snow melt.
August 2nd: recce of Gouter. GPS trace (it's about 600m up, 2 hours, and about 3km along).
We seem to have left at about 8:30 am, presumably after a leisurely breakfast, since there was no great hurry. The day was cloudy. The Grand Couloir has a reputation for danger but appears to be a piece of piss; at least, we didn't die. Or, slightly more seriously, my guess is that so much snow / ice has melted off that now it's almost entirely bare, there's less to melt and loosen rocks to fall. [OTOH, see this video from July 2020.]
We were off to recce the route, because I worried about finding it in the darkness, though of course there would be other parties. Also, having had to book in advance and not knowing what the weather would bring, I'd booked two nights, so we had a day free.
Just past the GC there are dots, presumably because they'd rather you didn't stray back into it; these fade out later but the route, being "go upwards", isn't hard to find. It also isn't hard to do. We took rope and harness and so on - indeed we even wore harnesses, in case we wanted rope quickly - but didn't feel the need to rope up. There are cables in the harder places. At the Gouter we rewarded ourselves with tea, hot choc and coffee, and a big cookie each. Here's part of the salon; it didn't seem to be crowded.
Here's the boot room (and E).
After poking around a bit we descended, but cunningly we left the rope behind (and I think some water), so that D wouldn't have to carry it up in the morning. E on the way down. It's a mixture of scrambly stuff, some just pathy stuff, and a tiny bit that's harder.
If you look very carefully at that pic you still can't see the Camp de Base, but you can in this one. And also the refuge in this one. Back at the Tete Rousse, here's an interior pano:
And D and E, tired but not exhausted.
As evening comes on, the views to Bionnassay are lovely, the sunset is glorious, and we go to bed early for an early start tomorrow.
A little later (I had to get up to go for a wee), here's E staring at the fading light.
August 3rd Saturday: summit day. GPS: Gouter to Vallot; Vallot to summit. Summit down to Gouter. Tete Rousse down to Nid d'Aigle.
We'd met with some youngish English lads in the hut; they went off at midnight which seems early to me. My alarm goes at 1:50; groan fumble around; cold; faint rime on tent door slow b'fast in hut. Off we go at 2:45 in the darkness; lights of valley are visible below (unlike the Ecrins you're never far from the bright lights here). Above the Gouter lights are a pinprick; and of course head torch lights in strings heading up. As we do. Everything weird in darkness but find path fine; cross Grand Couloir fine; up rocks fine. Good time to Gouter 4:40. I was in thin yellow top, fleece, green Rab raincoat, tracksters. At Gouter swap t'sters for w'proof trous, and put on down jacket. Rest 30 mins drink eat little choc; pickup stashed kit rope and water. Only boot room is open; salle closed; maybe could access toilets in dortoir if we'd needed.
And up to new ground. We have crampons and a ski stick each but axe on packs. And after some thought roped up. Spoiler: I'd have been happy to solo it as the conditions turned out but there are some well bridged crevasses and lots of the ridges are moderately thin and steep and would have been harder but for the expected track. We're pleased with our speed up to Gouter so press on with faith: previously we'd all been pretty doubtful we'd make it (this worth expanding on in retrospect: failing to get up Pointe Isabella had I think surprised us. In even greater hindsight, I think we didn't account for our tiredness; and a good few days rest had done us good).
Pic: D+E on the ridge just above Gouter:
Above us the misty mountain awaits.
Higher the wind starts to cold us and we start longing for the sun. There's sun below, but we're shielded by the ridge (that pic is looking down; the valley is dark below).
But when we break into sun the wind picks up and we stay cold. Perhaps we're slow to react and protect. The views are gorgeous... here's from about Col du Dome.
Grateful to reach Vallot Abri at 4360 m and respite. Get inside and shiver inside under blankets. E off to toilet returns amused and shocked by their appalling state. Some others come in who have come up from Italian side even colder. Swap fleece for new down and lend D my spare thermal top but E must continue in leggings there is a lesson for us in carrying spares. My hands were a little cold in down mitts plus outer mitts but didn't feel the wind. Pano of the interior.
We have about 400 m to go how hard can that be? Above views glorious and to sides and below if only the wind would let us rest. It's snow ridge all the way except one brief col and looks infinite. Up!
200 m to go: now near certain we will make it and in decent time. But tired. Axes on packs 'cos we can't be bothered to extract is a bit dodgy but meh the exposures are in general fine.
Note: although there are many other parties the mountain is so hugeous we're usually alone.
Note: although there are many other parties the mountain is so hugeous we're usually alone.
And so the top. 10:30 I think. Group hug. Happy. Brief rest brief selfie and pix brief look over Trois Monts side it is v windy off down. Get out axe.
I like this pic, it's my desktop background since we got back: view down to Aiguille du Midi.
Vallot: brief discussion but rest outside in the sun (going inside is a faff); the wind is less here, sheltered by hut.
Some choc but hard to eat when it doesn't melt in mouth. Really we should have eaten and drunk more. Look up to where we've been. Avoid the toilets if you can.
And a pano.
Gouter: back down at 1:30 and realise we can make last tram down this afternoon. First we have a rest for most of an hour and I practically sleep.
Off 2:25 I make Camp de Base at 3:55; pack and clear by the time D then E arrive; brief rest then off at 4:20. The last tram is at 6:30, and E assures me we took only 1:30 up so can beat that down. Actually no not quite but close and we get the train with 30 mins margin for a bit more resting; the quickish descent on stony paths has slightly mangled our feet. Chamois!
I pick a hotel on the tram down - the wonders of our modern world - in les Houches. It is nothing special, 3 beds one room probably the sort of place for Tour de Mont Blancers; shower gratefully face tender; late pizza dinner. Our faithful car was waiting for us.
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