I'd be coming from Inverness, you see, which makes all the surrounding mountains less than a two hour drive away!
Lucky boy! There are a few bumps to climb here, not much else.
I'd say that I'm in relatively good fitness, although there's much more room for improvement, obviously. I run a lot, and regularly incorporate very hilly walks into my routine when I've got the dog out. I'll use a pack, too, so I'm no stranger to having a bag on my back when covering long distances.
Well, that's a good base. Obviously, the fitter you are, the better - even with a guide pacing you you'll need as much endurance as you can get when trudging uphill through heavy snow for a few days. Carrying a weighted rucksack, more running, hillwalking and walking over uneven terrain will be helpful, maybe even some bodyweight exercises like pull-ups and push-ups to help your upper body deal with the weight you'll be carrying.
I haven't looked much into routes up Mont Blanc yet but I'm aware that there are several, I would need to look into it more and after deciding which one I would prefer to take, then take a look into which Guide companies do those particular routes.
There's quite a lot to consider, not so much because there are lots of routes to the summit, but because comparing just a few routes includes so many details and things to take into consideration.
Equipment wouldn't be a problem either, as this is a hobby that I plan on taking very seriously, I would no doubt have my own and make sure I've got extensive knowledge and experience using the kit, such as Axes and Crampons, by the time I'd be going on a climb.
During acclimatisation you should get a day or two of training and practice with the gear. If you are going with a 5-day (or similar) package, that will likely include the above, as well as the acclimatisation climbs, nights spent at altitude, etc. As you said before, there is nothing better than going out and doing it, and that is so, so true for learning proper use of gear and general safety knowledge.
In your opinion, are there any parts of either route, which were tricky, or where you felt completely out of your comfort zone?
Obviously both climbs were challenging, but not overly so, mainly due to a few reasons:
1. I never attempt anything unless I'm 100% comfortable with what I intend to climb. I know my limits and stick to them, if I find myself halfway up a mountain and start to doubt my decision I have no issues with turning and coming straight back down.
2. I'm one of those guys who reads book after book, studies map after map and weather chart after weather chart before I agree to climb anything. I like to know the area like the back of my hand, so even, for whatever reason, I have to navigate without a map or by counting steps in poor visibility, I have a much better chance of coming out unscathed.
3. The people that I was climbing with knew each other well, had a lot of experience over a broad range of disciplines, and made good calls regarding when to climb and when to wait. I knew that if myself or any other member of our group was uncomfortable that all I/they had to do was say, and we'd be on our way back down. Full trust, that is most important.
Is Mont Blanc a relatively easy or moderate acsent, in terms of technicality?
Now for the big question. I don't know how much you know about Mont Blanc, but there is quite a lot to know - she is a little notorious, shall we say.
Technically, Blanc is an easy climb. Many people (myself not included) would call the Goûter Route (the 'beginner' route) a long, uphill walk rather than a climb, but don't let that lead you into complacency. It (the mountain) kills more climbers
per year than the Matterhorn kills in a decade, and the Matterhorn is
so much more difficult to climb. Incredibly, Mt.B has the highest fatality rate of any mountain in the whole of Europe.
I'm not saying that you will die if you climb it, but it deserves the utmost respect. With an experienced guide and the right equipment and preparation you
should be fine, but it's extremely important to understand that it is a dangerous place.
Even the 'beginner' route has some nasty bits, such as the Grand Couloir, or Rue Du Mort (Street of Death) as some French climbers like to call it. As the sun warms the mountains throughout the day, it melts the ice that holds together rocks thousands of feet up. This creates a near-constant rock fall - and something that must be crossed to reach the summit.
That's what you'll have to cross, with rocks falling every few minutes.
When it's covered in snow and the uneven boulders are covered, people choose to run across it.
Having said all that, in an ideal situation you should be starting with something a little smaller.
Don't you just love how much is involved before you even set foot on the thing.
This is why I find it so rewarding. You spend months preparing, thinking and dreaming about it, which makes reaching the summit so much sweeter.
