Alpine 4000ers and Mont Blanc

Please see the Essential Information for the Alps page for info on guiding fees, preparation, accommodation & travel, equipment, and an explanation of fitness levels and mountaineering experience.

Is This The Right Course For Me?

Giving more time to a Mont Blanc attempt will always improve the chances of success. By allowing ten guided days out of twelve days, a number of 4,000m peaks can be attempted in the acclimatisation process, and a good deal of the time will be spent in high mountain huts. The course is twelve days in total, with ten days guiding and two flexible rest days. The course starts off in the Chamonix valley, with the majority of the days being based in the Saas valley in Switzerland, and returning to Chamonix for the ascent of Mont Blanc. The programme will be adjusted as needed, for example in poor weather. The two Mont Blanc days are done at 1:2, with the rest of the programme at 1:3.

What Will The Programme Look Like?

We design each course programme individually, but we give itinerary below gives a good idea of what you can expect to achieve. Please be aware that we often have to adjust an itinerary because of weather, snow conditions, fitness, lack of acclimatisation, etc.

Day 0: Arrive in Chamonix. Meet in the evening for a gear check and a chat about the week

Day 1: Skills training on the Mer de Glace: movement on rock, snow & ice in boots & crampons; Alpine rope work. Return to valley

Day 2: Drive to the Saas valley. Take the Felskinn cable car, and walk to the Britannia Hut (3030m). Practice crevasse rescue from the hut. Overnight in the hut

Day 3: Ascent of the Allalinhorn (4027m), and descend to the Tasch Hut (2701m). Overnight in the hut

Day 4: Ascent of Alphubel (4206m) and return to the valley. Overnight in Saas Grund

Day 5: Rest day and overnight in Saas Grund

Day 6: Walk to the Almageller Hut (2894m). Overnight in the hut

Day 7: Ascent of Weissmies (4023m) and descend to Hohsaas Hut (3000m). Overnight in the hut

Day 8: Ascent of Lagginhorn (4010m) and descend to the valley via the Hohsaas cable car. Drive to Chamonix valley, overnight in Chamonix valley

Day 9: Rest day and overnight in the Chamonix valley

Day 10: Walk to the Tête Rousse hut (3167m), via the Bellevue cable car and the Tramway du Mont Blanc. Overnight in the hut

Day 11: Ascend Mont Blanc (4807m) from the Tête Rousse hut. Descend to the Goûter hut. Overnight in the hut

Day 12: Return to the valley. Celebrate!

What Dates Are Available?

See the calendar for availability for Alpine mountaineering

What Will I Have To Pay?

See the Essential Information for the Alps page for info on guiding fees, hut fees and cable car costs.

Here are some examples of what our clients expected to pay in 2023, based on the programme above.

With THREE clients with one guide for the first nine days and two guides for the last three days (ten guided days out of twelve):

Guiding fee per person: £2340
Share of mileage charge for travel to Switzerland and back: €40
Out of valley expenses per person, including personal expenses and share of guides expenses: €620 + 760CHF

With TWO clients with one guide for ten guided days out of twelvw:

Guiding fee per person: £2150
Share of mileage charge for travel to Switzerland and back: €60
Out of valley expenses per person, including personal expenses and share of guides expenses: €600 + 850CHF

With ONE client with one guide for ten guided days out of twelve:

Guiding fee per person: £4100
Mileage charge for travel to Switzerland and back: €120
Out of valley expenses per person, including personal expenses and share of guides expenses: €780 + 1100CHF