Mt Blanc - Hard Decision - Appreciate Input

[Lawn Sale]

Start small. Climb to where you are nervous, and spend some time there, even if it takes multiple times going up. Then go a little further, and so on. Eventually you will be able to overcome it.

I learned to fear heights when I was about 6 after falling from a rope swing. I'm now 38 and it's only been in the last 2 years of ice climbing that I'm starting to overcome my fears. Today I can climb lower stuff easily, but anything over 75 feet still gets my heart pumping. Standing on a cliff looking down isn't a problem anymore though, so you can work though it. Fears are psychosomatic, thus they can be overcome. The time in which you overcome them is up to you and how intensly you want this climb?

Knife's Edge is a good one to practice on, as is the Precipice Trail in Acadia, if you're out this way. If neither are available, have a climber top rope you from something in Crawford Notch or one of the many cliffs in VT. The presence of the rope won't matter the first few times, but it may give you the edge you need to start the process.

 

[dvbl]

Part of me wants to tell you to go, because I want to go but can't, so I want to live vicariously through your trip. But...

Unless you won the trip for free, or you're going for a ridiculously low price, my advice is don't go. The two keys are your fear of heights (ledges), and that the price is fairly steep. I don't know the cost of this Mt Blanc trip, but I'm guessing you could spend maybe 1/2 or 1/3 of that money on a fantastic trip to Grand Tetons / Yellowstone or Glacier NP or Rocky Mountain NP, and do some amazing hikes with amazing scenery, on trails with almost no vertigo factor.

 

[Abster]

In France Anyway

This trip up Mt Blanc would be directly following the Mountaineers Haute Route, which I am signed up for. The Haute Route is a 9 day, ~50 mile trek - trails and glacier - from Chamonix to Zermatt in Switzerland. I will already be over there, so this is the right time to consider Mt Blanc.

The climb would cost $800.

I would like to 'save' trips in the US because they are more accessible - I would rather do the more involved ones now.

 

[tgoodwin]

In reading through the posts so far, I think I can add something having actually climbed Mt. Blanc. Assuming that you are doing a "beginner's" route, it's mostly a snow walk with virtually no exposure except for the final few hundred feet. When I climbed it, the final ridge had a solid shelf just down the Italian side for the uphill traffic and the top of the ridge had been flattened to about three feet wide for the downhill traffic. I shared the summit with about 40 other climbers - many of whom like myself were unroped (my partner had wimped out about 1,500 feet below the summit.) If you do the Haute Route before your climb, you'll be well-acclimatized and probably have experienced more exposure that you will on Mt. Blanc. Go for it!

 

[ChrisB]

My .02 -- Do it!

Hi Abster,

I encourage you to do the climb. Here's why...

On Mt. Blanc there are two easy "tourist" toutes: Grand Mulets route and the Gouter route.

I did the Gouter route (a long time ago) self-guided, and it is just what you are looking for. A night at 12,000 feet in the Gouter hut, and then a really nice climb up a ridge on the Dom de Goute to the summit.

Here is why I think you can do it:

1. You'll be well acclimatized to both big mountain scenery and situations, and higher altitude after skiing the Haute Route.

2. You will be in the care of a French Guide, who will assume responsibility for your safe passage and, if you are lucky, provide encouragement and support all along the way. (Be prudent in choice of a guide - some herd clients like cattle up these routes.)

3. You are young, and the achievements you are capable of will continually surprise you.

ALSO -- While you are in Europe, do consider a side trip to Zermatt or Grindlewald. In Zermatt, there is great hiking around the base of that quintisential mountain peak - the Matterhorn.

In Grindlewald, a pligrimage to the base of the Eiger North (death) wall, fabled in film and story, is well worth the hike, (plus there is a nice restaurant there (Kline Schiedig) from which you can watch climbers on the Mort Wand!

All the best,

cb

 

[iceNsnow]

go go go!

Abster!
I don't know you or know anything about the route, but like you said it is a once in a life time opportunity and even if you get turned back (for whatever reason!) it will be an extreme adventure pushing you out of your comfort zone, experiencing a different level of mountaineering and memorable!
Go and Enjoy, but be sure to come back to give us a report!

As always -
Inge

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

I think since you'll already be there, you should go for it. I would love to do the Haute Route. It sounds like you are doing the high route versus the walker's route, so you will probably already be familiar with some of the techniques you might need on Mont Blanc (roping up, etc). We did the Tour Mont Blanc for our honeymoon and it was gorgeous (part of the TMB matches up with the Haute Route). I agree with the poster above who said also spend time in Zermatt if you can (since you will be finishing/starting there). We spent four days there after the TMB and staying at Hornlihut at the base of the Matterhorn was a highlight.

 

[percious]

Go!

I think giggy put it the best. Even if you get most of the way up and decide to turn around, you still didn't miss a lifetime scale opportunity. Go now and don't look back wishing you had gone later.

-percious

 

[lamerunner]

Hi Hanna

I don't know if this helps but there is really only one very exposed ridge on the Gouter route ( the summit ridge), plus a semi-exposed ricky section up to the hut. Most of the route is a long walk in the snow, strenous and high, certainly need to be able to walk in crampons but not terribly exposed or technical. The summit ridge is a bit of a knife edge.

I don't think Air line comes close, but you might try to sign up for an ice climb or glacier travel day here soon to help work through some of your fear and try something similar to what you will be doing.If you go with someone who has climbed or guided over there, even better. It is very different also to be on a rope and to have done this sort of thing before. It took me several rock and snow climbs to get really comfortable with exposure. Once you trust the rope and guide, you are in good shape.

I did Mt Blanc by the Gouter route in 2003; the hut is awful though in a beautiful location. You might ask about doing it by the traverse route over Mt Maudit etc. I don't know if that is more or less exposed ( though it is longer and not an option if there is any weather risk; that was our issue).

Also, there are many other wonderful snow climb options near Mr Blanc which could provide a back up climb if you decide Mt Blanc is not wise or if weather/conditions knock you out. I would go in a heartbeat and just do whatever you can.

 

[JohnL]

Some photos of the route are here and here .

JohnL

 

[cbcbd]

Lol, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I'm still working on my vertical abilities and there are others here that have done lots scarier stuff than I have... yet

So, I agree with everyone here... who said you should go

Whenever I have pushed my limits and had to turn back (safely) I never regretted it - it's usually a great learning experience. As long as you are hooking up with a qualified/certified guide you'll be in good hands and can safely push your personal boundaries without feeling pressure to commit to something - the guides are not there to judge.
If you don't even give yourself that chance then you'll never know what amazing things you can do!

And yes, I too am jealous

Doug

 

[giggy]

hannah - just bang out the north face of the eiger while your there - the exposure isn't that bad.

http://www.summitpost.org/image/4038/150228/eiger-north-face-classical.html

I think the consensus here is - give it a go - give it some thought, and in the end only you can make the right call for you - (I say go!

have fun on mont blanc!

 

[DougPaul]

hannah - just bang out the north face of the eiger while your there

It's only 5.6* or so... (At least it used to be before the icefields started melting.)

the exposure isn't that bad.

Is that why one section is called "the traverse of the gods"?** (No this is not the part shown in the picture.)


Hanna,

From others' descriptions of the route, I'd say, go for it. Add in a bit of (real, not gym) rock climbing and you shouldn't have any problem, conditions permitting.

Doug


* In perfect conditions. Good luck finding them...
** The traverse of the gods is a scarey, exposed, sloping, sandy ledge high on the 1938 route.

 

[Abster]

Thanks!

JohnL - thanks for the great pics! It helps to get a visual. Looks incredible to me!

 

[Abster]

Eiger

Holy sh*&!!! I can comfortably say that I am more than happy to cheer someone else on for the Eiger - from any direction!!

Okay - I am tentatively signed up for Mt Blanc!!!! I will work with a friend for rock climbing and stand on every ladder I can find until July.....

Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm!!! Wish we could all go together!

 

[DougPaul]

Holy sh*&!!! I can comfortably say that I am more than happy to cheer someone else on for the Eiger - from any direction!!

The Eiger is easy to look at from below. (There are cow pastures at the base...) The train up is a nice ride. Nice views from the window partway up and from the Jungfraujoch at the top of the train ride. You can even hike the Monch (next peak over from the Eiger) from the back (it has to be easy--I did it!). Read "The White Spider" by Heinrich Harrier--it will give you a sense od the history of the Eigerwand.

Okay - I am tentatively signed up for Mt Blanc!!!! I will work with a friend for rock climbing and stand on every ladder I can find until July.....

Thanks for living our fantasies for us!

Doug

 

[Rick]

Hi Abster,
What might also help is to work on your balance. I read somewhere (was it here?) that as we age, the messages our leg muscle and nerves send our brain aren't as sharp as when we were younger. I have been doing 2 things and In the last few months, I have really seen an increase in my comfort level on higher elevations. (All this after 4 surgeries including reconstructive knee surgery).
You might already doe these as part of your training regimen - If not, I found the first 2 to really help my sense of balance and confidence.

1. Using one of those half balance balls- start by standing, then working on stepping, squatting and lunges using both the flat side down and then the more difficult round side down. Half Balance Ball
2. If your gym has one, get on an Elliptical rider and set it at it's lowest level. Hands off the bars and arms straight out, pedal 2 revolutions forward, stop and pedal in reverse 2 revolutions, stop and reverse - keep repeating this and playing around with the revolutions before reversing. Vary your speeds and resistance settings.Elliptical rider
3. Lunges - stand at one end of a room and take a long step and lower your weight on the forward leg. so that your trailing knee comes closer to the ground - complete the step and repeat with the opposite leg. Walk across the room (or do them in place)
Lunges

Good luck and think positive. You'll get there, do it and then wonder why you worried so much!!!! (....and probably want to walk back on that narrow ridge just to do it again!!!)

 

[bubba]

The price is fairly steep so I don’t want to sign-up only to wimp-out on the mountain.

Hanna, just keep thinking about how much money this is costing... you should safely forget about any height issues. Money would win over fear for me!!

 

[Mike P.]

Find an indoor gym for an earlyhead start. Katahdin, Huntington, KR, 6H's Ladders would all be good warm ups.

 

[Abster]

Thanks

Thanks for all the suggestions - I have a lot of stuff to do!!

Bubba - this will be a big $$ hit, but I'll forget about the money and the memory will live on....