Location: Alps, France/Italy
Height: 4,808m AMSL
Date Summited: August 19th, 2016, at 9:00 (CEST) – local time
Expedition: Independent (unguided, unassisted and supported)
Route: Dôme du Goûter
Précis:
Mont Blanc, the Alps’s highest peak, rendering it the most famous of all mountains in Europe. The Mont Blanc massif is located on the border of France and Italy, above the valley of Chamonix, France, and the valley of Aosta, Italy. The ascent of Mont Blanc was part of the “Great Alps Project” which included the Matterhorn and the Eiger, and was supported by Casol Villas France. The ascent of Mont Blanc was conducted unguided and unassisted. In light of a bad weather forecast at the beginning of the week, we opted to alter the trip itinerary and tackle Mt Blanc through a window of clear weather on Friday morning. Wednesday we prioritized a quick acclimatization at 3,842m, where we practiced glacier travel techniques at the Aiguille du Midi on the slopes of Mont Tacul. Thursday morning, we hiked to the Goûter Hut in poor visibility and took a break at Le Refuge du Goûter. The following morning, we set out at 4:30am in the dark for the summit of Mont Blanc. The sky was clear above us with a beautiful full moon shining over an overcast layer of alto-stratus below us. We reached the summit on the morning of Friday August 19, 2016, within the forecasted window of clear sky, yet accompanied by challenging winds.
Antoine Labranche with the CASOL flag on the summit of Mont Blanc
Antoine Labranche's Expeditions 