Should I Hire a Guide to Climb Mont Blanc?

Do you need a guide to climb Mont Blanc, or is it something you can reasonably do with a friend or on your own? We try to be as objective as possible to give you all the information to decide for yourself.
(For information on Mont Blanc Guides' 6 day all inclusive Mont Blanc ascent programs please visit www.montblancguides.com)

[@frankwitte1022]

Thanks. Great video! And I am happy to finally hear someone mention the Aiguille du Midi as a nice training ridge. I have been there at several different ridge conditions and it really makes for a fairly varied setting in which to learn how to face your fears, become more secure in your crampon footing and also learn how to deal with other climbers moving faster or slower on a narrow ridge. All of this with an excellent and short escape route to fondue savoyarde down below. I see many people just "getting that ridge" done, up or down, whereas it also offers some really nice views.

[@MontBlancGuides]

Cheers Martin + agreed!

[@darwinluciano3113]

instaBlaster

[@YnseSchaap]

It's common sense, you're not just getting a guide you also get a meteorologist, a high altitude medic and if you pester them long enough also a great teacher 😁

[@duhlmann1]

Well done John!

[@neilgame8687]

great information john thank you!

[@paullangford6360]

I've been looking for a video like this for a while, thanks for posting

[@AlejandroMartinez-cl4kk]

Excellent video! Thanks

[@annaliesewedemeyer4691]

What a wonderful video thank you!

[@alexandrossimitsis6072]

Very informative, thank you!

[@hissokaaa3480]

Very informative video, learned a lot from you. Thanks

[@trufflepig1491]

Super helpful, thank you!

[@AaronRobinson67]

Great video. Thanks.

[@marcinkochanowski2955]

Very good and informative video, thank you

[@Thebluedocful]

This is a seriously brilliant video. Very educational and motivating. I’ve been wanting to do this for some time, I’d only ever use a guide

[@JohnSmith-nh9pm]

Thanks for a true objectiv point of view !! Thats what i was really having a hard time finding.

[@danc93]

What an excellent video

[@davidgriffiths7696]

Nice to see the place again with footage. I went straight past the lower refuge (selé?) and up the slope to the plateau below the col and bivied in a snow hole at 3700m for about 5 hours. Was ok, about -10’C in the morning not a perfect nights sleep, but onward and upward next day. Also I imagine ice axe reflex practice is a useful prerequisite for steep slopes if you end up on them as it’s possible to end up climbing off the snow trails on steeper slopes after losing sight of them in the dark as happened to me. I think I had 2 axes and did actually make use of them at one point on steep snow/ice, so worth having extra gear for the unexpected if you can use it safely. Lost my water bottle near my camp it rolled down a cravass, and had to make do sucking on snow so recommend 2 water bottles and tie them on don’t just put in a side pocket like I did😆

[@Dave-qj1yg]

Great video!

[@jeanvanderleyden5884]

Ja met Ann, Roel en Danny een van mooie moment van mijn sportiefs leven in 2001 de beklimming van de Mont Blanc 👍👍👍

[@footsoldierfisherman]

Epic drone footage!!!

[@seanvw7905]

Sounds like great advice and excellent video footage (on nice sunny days). Personally I wouldn't like to be up there if a storm blows in or in poor visibility without a guide.

[@brao8106]

It is very easy to get lost in windy and snowy weather conditions as witnessed by numerous fatalities on such mountains.

[@dr.lyzikofficial5857]

very interesting and educational video! Now when I see the footage I am confident I could even do the summit without a guide regarding terrain difficulty but hell I would be lost as a blind seagull if the weather changes and i couldnt find the path.

[@IanMunroArt]

Thanks John this was a really well put together video. Im planning with Adventure Base this year and I found this has hit home regarding the severity of what can go wrong.

[@MontBlancGuides]

Thank Ian much appreciated, good luck with your climb.

[@Cavaclusaz]

Great vidéo! I'm planning to go there with a guide in June. I live in La Clusaz and a confirmed snowboarder. Bu those riges at the end... My Gosh don't know if i can make that

[@jacobnadin8513]

HI John, great video; self explanatory from a laymans' point of view. And yes it's not patronising to a mountaineer who has some , but not a huge experience in a not very technical climb, but which has big objective dangers. Solid ropecraft and navigation experience are the core requirements, apart from fitness and acclimatisation. Yes use the services of a guide should you lack these skills and/or confidence. They will make your ascent much more enjoyable and safe. Richard

[@MontBlancGuides]

Thanks very much for the feedback Richard, much appreciated.

[@Dobson90]

Thanks John, great video. I have subscribed and looking forward to more videos on Mt. Blanc

[@MontBlancGuides]

Thanks appreciated!

[@FlyingSalsero]

Great video! Thanks for this. Do you also know a guide who conduct hike and fly from the top? (paragliders) Thanks!

[@LinusWilson]

Nice drone footage

[@waynerenshaw-multi-outdoor4521]

Just subscribe.. awesome info .. 👌many thanks 😊

[@MontBlancGuides]

You're welcome and thanks!

[@Chris-eo5zs]

Hi, I'm very keen to do this when I've built up my fitness. I'm just getting into hillwalking here in Scotland. Would you say I should wait until I'm comfortable on the likes of the Aonach Eagach and the Cuillin Ridge before attempting this? Also, I guess some lessons in winter mountaineering here would be benefitial, but would they be essential prior to coming? Thanks.

[@MontBlancGuides]

Hi Chris, if you join one of our guided ascents it's really all about aerobic fitness; scrambling and/or mountaineering experience would certainly be useful and give you an idea of what to expect on Mont Blanc (we also run North Wales training courses with this in mind), but it's not essential as we provide training in the use of axe, crampons, etc. during the week. Have a look at the fitness page on our website www.montblancguides.com if you want to get an idea of the level required.

[@Chris-eo5zs]

@@MontBlancGuides Thank you very much, very informative. As I thought I'm a good way below the required fitness level now, but my plan is to do this before my 40th birthday, which will give me 3 years to get ready. I'm not a million miles away to be fair; 1,400m in a day over the Ben Cruachan range is my max currently, so I'll keep working at it. Many thanks for your response, and I'll hopefully see you in 3 years!

[@richardjohnson4696]

The biggest problem is getting info about climbing Mont Blanc. I live near Seattle and have climbed Rainier multiple times. I tried studying the routes for Mont Blanc to get a clearer picture and it was almost futile. once I got there in 2017 for a month and half, from August till the last part of September. It was night and day just in the weather patterns alone between the two months. There were at least 4 people who died while I was there. I was alone most of my time there, but I had a chance to travel down to the Cosmique hut to see all the climbers who were acclimatizing for their summit attempts, I also had a chance to climb the Gouter route and check it out. I was able to piece together the area and the different routes available. Honestly.. It comes down to the weather more than anything. August is a sh!t show in the valley and I would tell anyone to avoid that time if possible. September was a whole different experience once all the tourists weren't there, but the weather worsened so quickly by then. I would like to see Chamonix in June and July. I spoke with a few Brits who climbed with a guide at the refuge de tete rouses. They were worked, but all had a grin on their face for completing their climb. The huts alone change the game for climbing Mont Blanc. In the States, we don''t have that availability to us. Fast and light is what you see in Chamonix. The clunky heavy gear you see in the States isn't the norm there. They can use the huts so they don't have to carry extra gear. Any local who I spoke with.. They all have a story about losing someone they know in a climbing accident, or a story about the deaths that occur quite frequently. The mountain is no joke at all.

[@MontBlancGuides]

Dear Richard, I agree Mont Blanc is much more serious and much harder than people generally think, however most of the accidents involve people who have neither hired a guide nor learned the required skills to go it alone, but simply launched up there. Regarding weather, the difference between months can vary 100% year on year and it is not always as you experienced it in 2017; sometimes September is much better than August. Take our success record for June over 3 consecutive years as another example: (Year 1): 11 out of 11 courses summitted; (Year 2) 10 out of 11, (Year 3) 1 out of 11. It's the same for August ans September, every year is different and there is no reliably better month overall between June and September. We are currently campaigning for the huts to stay open into October as this month seems to have as good weather as any in the main climbing season, and it's just tradition that the huts close earlier.

[@anthonymendoza1327]

Richard, there is nothing on Rainier that I know of that looks like these photos of Mount Blanc. Although the snow ridges do kind of look like a long version of El Dorado.

[@richardjohnson4696]

@@MontBlancGuides That is great information. I was totally turned off by August and the amount of tourists who ruin the valley and the hikes all around it. I saw human feces just laying on the trails and then a group of Chinese tourists just beyond that. I very much enjoyed September in the valley over August. Your videos give the most amount of information I have seen yet. Thank you.

[@richardjohnson4696]

@@anthonymendoza1327 It is different for sure. We carry 55lbs plus when we climb Rainier. I try to go light on Rainier, but I also want to eat real food and not that freeze dried crap. I was in Zermatt and on my way up to the Matterhorn I had a chance to speak with two French climbers, the one guy found out I was from Seattle and we spoke about Rainier. He knows someone who moved there and wants to climb Rainier if he visits. I showed him my past photos on my phone and he was confused about the hut at Muir, he thought it was just like the huts they have in Europe. That there is no guarantee that you will find a spot in the shelter is why most climbers bring a tent for the glacier. Rainier is also so different between the main climbing months. June compared to September is night and day. Even from August to September is huge in how much the glaciers open up and the routes change. Rainier is no joke for its elevation not being super high. It takes out plenty of people and with most accidents you hear about.. The human error is the reason. I still remember the story of the guide on Mont Blanc who was killed falling off onto the Italian side, most likely being pulled down by his client. They both died on a clear night. Other climbers were interviewed who saw their headlamps going over the edge. On Rainier.. The guide companies take clients up the mountain no matter what the conditions are. They will turn around even though they knew there was no chance to make it. That is why they want the clients to have the heaviest and warmest gear on them . It is their milk runs. Do Mont Blanc guides do the same thing? I am guessing yes, they take the money and go as far as they can with those in tow. I am a fair weather climber for sure, I study the weather and choose the days I go from that. I know people who go based off of the dates they have chosen. A day earlier, or a day, or two later, they would have been in awesome weather and made the summit no problem. It is weird being on Rainier when you know a day earlier, or a day later that someone died right where you were on the mountain. I think that is the great thing about climbing. It isn't supposed to be a safe adventure to be on. Then there would be no real adventure to it.

[@MontBlancGuides]

@@richardjohnson4696 YW!

[@AlphaToEpsilon]

I wouldn't do this without a guide, however could you recommend any places in the UK which has similar terrain and elevation for the sections between Tete Rousse hut? My initial thought would be Tryfan, or can you recommend better? And where would you recommend going to get the same level of exposure as the summit ridge? Thanks

[@AaronRobinson67]

Crib Goch is an obvious answer for the ridge exposure. Tryfan scrambling looks shorter/easier that the bit in the video.

[@tomaskralik2537]

fantastic video, I am all in. what month was the video done?

[@MontBlancGuides]

Hi Tomas, mostly end of August / beginning of September.

[@j0rit053]

Great video! I’m really interested in becoming a guide myself, do you have any tips on how to progress towards that?

[@MontBlancGuides]

Hi James, it's a very long and hard process, but very worthwhile. The longest part is getting enough experience to be considered to join the training scheme, that's normally something like 7 or 8 years of alpinism, then the training and assessment is another 4 years after that. It's very much a lifestyle choice, but it's fun along the way though. There's a page all about what you have to do on www.bmg.org.uk, have a look if you haven't already seen it. Good luck! John T.

[@grandwizzard666]

Good info John, thanks you. Are you still working as a Guide?

[@MontBlancGuides]

Absolutely! Any thoughts of retirement went out the window with covid...

[@manbehindtrees]

how much it cost for 6 day training and summit?

[@alannorman4097]

Did not watch the video but the answer to the question is - YES

[@tatian_H]

Is this on the French side or Italian? Thanks

[@grahammcmahon8139]

It’s the French side but the Italian, gonella route, joins at the dome de goûter and finishes the same way.

[@MontBlancGuides]

@@grahammcmahon8139 Cheers Gra.

[@3vimages471]

To think I did higher than that on my trek to Everest Base Camp. I remember well the altimeter clicking to 5000 meters

[@johnslocombe2777]

What is your company's website?

[@MontBlancGuides]

Hi John, www.montblancguides.com

[@TehFoxit]

I heard somewhere that it isn't even legal without a guide.. is that true?

[@MontBlancGuides]

Not at all, anyone is free to attempt Mont Blanc. Nor is the mountain ever "closed" as you often hear, in bad conditions it is strongly recommended against but that's all (you would want to think very carefully before going up under those circumstances however). What is illegal is passing yourself off as a guide (IFMGA qualified) when you are not. The gendarmerie are quite happy to come up in a helicopter to arrest people if they hear this is happening!

[@TehFoxit]

@@MontBlancGuides Aha, so I must have misunderstood... Can you clarify if booking of the huts (gouter primarily) is only available for guides? I have tried the website, but I can only find a booking for guides.. I summited last year with a guide, and next year I plan on going solo if possible

[@MontBlancGuides]

@@TehFoxit Hi Theis, no it's open to everyone, you have to get in super early though (6+ months in advance) to be sure of getting the places you want. Good luck with your ascent!

[@andvil01]

Never hired a guide. Started climbing with experienced friends. But there is an important difference. You rely on a guide to take decisions about safety, with friends you have to take those decisions about yourself. You have to be a solid part of the security in the group. You cannot expect them to watch your every step. I was very outdoor experienced even in winter conditions. But not much climbing and never above 3000 m. I read and watched. Alot. Bought my gear and took a winter trip in the swedish lower mountains. Learning the gear and walking techniques with crampons. Training all the spring with climbing and climbing gear. Then I was prepared for go with friends to the Alps (Breithorn, Castor, Pollux...) as a true member of the group. The next year I went for Mt Blanc. We started at Aiguille du Midi and did Tacule on the way, then Mt Blanc and my friends did Maudit on the way back. I saved myself for the ridge to AdM. I think you have to take an approach like this to safe climb with friends without guide. If you don't want to put in this effort, hire a guide. The Alps is the place to start your climbing career. It is here you go short roped with guide. Not on 7000 and 8000 m peaks. A shortcut, If you don't fancy to be shortroped to the top like a dog on a lease, is to hire a guide to teach you the basics on a lower mountain. Not only how to do, but why. With that you grow your skills in other mountains before MB. Or take a week or two with UCPA and really learn to become a mountaineer. How to really be in the mountains, not only go there.

[@joevandijk2284]

Only hire a guide if you want to succeed and live. The two go together. It's not rocker science.

[@andreasandremyrvold]

If you are not suidical, forget this video meh meh.