Mt Blanc - Hard Decision - Appreciate Input

[bunchberry]

Rock on Hanna!! I''m very excited for you. No matter how the experience turns out, I hope that you'll always be grateful you gave it a go! And I can't wait to hear all about it

-katie

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Just a comment about hiking with guides. I lived in France for 20 years and I have hiked with guides several times in the French Alps. The first hike I did was one I could have done on my own and I admit I wondered before leaving why I bothered with the guide. I very quickly changed my mind. The professional French guides are very good. I learned so much that first time it really changed my hiking. I never went up Mont Blanc while I was there because I couldn't find anyone who had already done it to go with and I didn't think I could afford a guide. I wish now I had made the effort to hire the guide. I say, don't miss the chance. Go for it and I can testify to the competence of those guides!!!

 

[Woody]

Hanna,

I see how you have been preparing for this trip. You handled your fears and climbed Great Gully very well. You will do great!

 

[bubba]

Hanna - let it rip in the Alps!! Looked like you gvae the Great Gully a whoppin last week. Can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[Motabobo]

CRAP !
Can't believe I didn't see this one
What is the route you'll be/have been using ? Went there 2 years ago and ended up doing the Miage - Bionnassay - Mont Blanc traverse which was really cool

 

[Mad Townie]

Hanna's on the Haute Route as we write. She's supposed to be on the Big White One sometime next week.

Sure hope we see a mini TR in between!

 

[bubba]

Any fresh Alpine reports?

 

[Abster]

Back in New England!

It is so nice to be back in beautiful Vermont (and Simpson-ville ) after an amazing trip in France and Switzerland. I will do a separate Haute Route TR once I get pictures back. It was a fantastic 6-day high alpine trek.

Call me a chicken if you like..... The conditions for Mt Blanc were almost perfect - a cold, cloudless day, a fantastic guide, being fit and acclimatized....but in the end my irrational fear of heights kept me from going. I am disappointed by my decision, but satisfied that it was right for me. If there is any regret I still don't feel it. As a few wise people stated - 'if it isn't fun than why do it?'

Beyond my fear of heights, there was also the consideration that ~5 people had died (fallen or frozen) on the peak within the last week. Also, Mt Blanc gets a huge draw of people during the summer, so with every day of good weather hundreds of folks (prepared and not) head to the top. Even the European guide books note to be mentally prepared for crowds of inconsiderate people all with their eye on the summit. This was the case the day my group went. A woman who went with our guide was actually shoved off the trail by an upset man heading toward the top. She also talked about coming down the Goutier Route and down an exposed icy/rocky section with crowds of others. That situation does not sound interesting to me at all.

I really enjoyed preparing for this trip - gully climbs, rock climbs, getting fit, etc., and benefited a lot from all of it.

The Alps are such an amazing place and the beauty is hard to really relay - you have to go visit!

Everyone's support and encouragement here really helped and meant a lot to me. Thanks.

Hanna

 

[yardsale]

Effect on rest of group

I agree with all the desensitization stuff already written, but what is the effect if you freeze and cannot continue? How big a deal is it to return to base camp? Will a guide have to accompany you? Does that put the group in jeopardy? I would express your concern to the guides before committing to the trip and see what they say. If I were a guide and a group member withheld this kind of info from me I would be pissed.

 

[yardsale]

Guess I should read rest of the thread, huh.
Doh!

 

[Toe Cozy]

Welcome back Hanna! I'm glad you don't feel any regrets. That definitely means it was the right decision for you. And who the heck wants to deal with crowds of rude mountain tourists!!!! Pas moi! Chip and I will look forward to dinner and hanging out at the Disco Dump to hear stories of your trip. Vermont missed you.

 

[Abster]

No Worries

No worries LS - I did actually speak with the other person who I was supposed to do the climb with and she said she wasn't concerned about it (me jeopardizing her chances at the top).

The guide whom we did the Haute Route with was the same guide to do Blanc, so I had 7 days with him and the rest of the group before the climb. He encouraged me to do Blanc and said I was definitely strong enough to do the climb. He told me he would get me through it no matter what, but that is not my style.

The point being that I was very up front with the group.

What I realized while over that is that I could not just 'try' the mountain - it was all or nothing.

 

[Woody]

Hanna,

You made the right decision. If you're not comfortable with something don't go.

I'm looking forward to a trip report on the Haute Route...with pictures!

 

[skiguy]

No thy Self

Kudos to you Abster! You made a difficult decision I'm sure but the right one. The Mountains will be there. Too many people don't make the right decision in your situation. It is particularly harder to make the decision you made for alot as it is very easy to be swayed by a group's conciouness. Good luck in future endeavors.