Guides: Graham McMahon and Jamie Holding (both British Mountain Guides)
Itinerary
Day 1
Team assembles in Chamonix (hotel: Les Gaillands). I walked from la Flagere to Brevent for a warm-up.
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| La Flagere |
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| Mont Blanc |
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| View from Brevent Summit |
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| View of Mont Blanc from Brevent Plan Praz |
Lift from Le Tour and walk to Albert Premier Hut. Glacier training during the afternoon.
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| Departure from Les Gaillands, near Chamonix |
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| Alongside the Glacier du Tour |
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| View from the Albert 1er Hut |
Ascend Le Tour Glacier to Col Blanc with short climb on to Tete Blanche 3429m above it. Roped down to cross the Trient plateau to reach the Cabane de Trient 3170m. Overnight in hut.
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| Alongside the Aiguille du Tour |
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| Early start on to the Glacier du Tour |
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| View down on to the Plateau du Trient |
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| A descent over the bergschrund beckons! |
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| Preparing the lower over the ice cliffs |
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| Stumpy descending the ice cliffs |
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| Descent from Col Blanc |
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| Descent to the Trient Glacier |
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| Approaching the Cabane du Trient 3170m |
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| At the Trient hut |
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| Sunset on the Aiguilles Dorees |
Descend the Glacier d’Orny to La Breya lift, then down to Champex. Lunch in Champex followed by bus transfer to Lac du Mauvoisin. Ascend to the Chanrion Hut 2462m via the Col de Tsofeiret 2630m. Overnight in hut.
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| Clochers du Portalet |
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| Descending into the Combe d'Orny |
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| Descending to the Glacier d' Orny |
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| Glacier d' Orny |
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| Steep ice on the Glacier d' Orny |
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| Lac de Mauvoisin |
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| Lac de Mauvoisin from the path to the Chanrion Hut |
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| Glacial melt from the Glacier d' Otemma |
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| Glacier du Mont Durand from above Chanrion Hut |
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| At the Chanrion Hut |
Ascend the Glacier d’Otemma to the Cabane des Vignettes 3157m. Long glacier plod with serac danger on final approach to the hut from Col de Chermotane.
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| Ascending the Glacier d' Otemma |
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| Crossing crevasses on the Col des Vignettes |
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| Pigne d' Arolla from the Vignettes hut |
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| In the Cabane des Vignettes |
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| The marvellously exposed situation of the Cabane des Vignettes, with the Pigne d'Arolla above right |
Dawn start to climb Pigne d’Arolla 3772m, then descent via Glacier de Isijiore Noupe to Arolla. Overnight stay in hotel.
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| Pre dawn start from the Vignettes hut |
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| Ascent of Pigne d' Arolla |
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| Summit of Pigne d'Arolla 3772m, Mont Blanc in far distance right |
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| Glacier descent to Arolla |
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| Pigne d'Arolla |
Ascend to Cabane de Bertol 3311m. Weather deteriorating.
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| View to Cabane de Bertol from above Arolla |
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| Approaching the Bertol Hut |
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| Ascending steps up to the Bertol hut |
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| Cabane de Bertol |
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| Steep ice below the Bertol |
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| Dent Blanche from the Bertol |
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| Supply helicopter for the Cabane de Bertol |
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| Storm brewing on Dent Blanche |
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| Storm clouds off the Matterhorn and Dent d' Herens |
Wait at Bertol for storm to pass.
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| View back to Pigne d' Arolla and Vignettes hut from Bertol ascent |
Dawn start to cross the upper Mont Mine Glacier towards the Col de la Tete Blanche. Ascend Tete Blanche 3724m, then descent NE down heavily crevassed Stockji Glacier. Then traverse down rognon to Zmutt Glacier, passing the Schonbiel Hut and on to Zermatt. A long day!
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| Dent d' Herens |
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| Matterhorn from Tete Blanche 3742m |
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| Starting the descent from Tete Blanche |
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| View to Matterhorn above Stockji Glacier |
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| View west from summit of Tete Blanche 3742m |
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| Zermatt Giants from Tete Blanche 3742m |
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| North face of the Matterhorn |
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| The long descent to Zermatt! |
