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scooter
climber
fist clamp
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 19, 2013 - 12:39pm PT
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I would like to climb Mont Blanc. Is there a route of similar difficulty to Liberty Ridge? I don't want it to be much harder than that if at all. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Pat
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sharperblue
Mountain climber
San Francisco, California
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Nov 19, 2013 - 01:07pm PT
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Mont Blanc is a whole different order of magnitude, but still has a few softer lines; the Innominata is probably the most classic of these. check out the 'routes' tags on the left hand side of the home page here:
http://www.summitpost.org/mont-blanc/150245
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2013 - 01:24pm PT
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Inominata Ridge sounds quite a bit harder than Liberty Ridge. Sharper Blue, have you climbed both of those routes? Or both mountains via different routes?
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sharperblue
Mountain climber
San Francisco, California
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Nov 19, 2013 - 04:27pm PT
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sadly, no; just passing along a good Beta page
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2013 - 04:32pm PT
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I had already read the summit post info. I was actually looking for first hand knowledge, as I know there are frequent posters who have most likely climbed both mountains. Thanks though!
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scooter
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2013 - 04:36pm PT
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Shwortz, Have you climbed both mountains? I have already used Google search. Thanks though.
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scooter
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2013 - 04:45pm PT
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Burc3y- Nope, don't need El Cap info. I was hoping to get a direct comparison from someone who has at least climbed both peaks. I have climbed Liberty Ridge as well and I thought that would be a good route to compare another one too.
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Dolomite
climber
Anchorage
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Nov 19, 2013 - 04:52pm PT
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The Ordinary Route on Mt Blanc (Bosses Ridge) reminded me a lot of the Disappointment Cleaver (regular) route on Rainier, except it was longer and had serious rockfall at one point and also lightning danger. It is not as steep as Liberty Ridge (which I've been on twice in winter, but never summited).
There are tons of people on the regular route on Mt Blanc, just as on the regular route on Rainier, but Mt Blanc is incredibly beautiful and very much worth doing by any route you can eke your way up.
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scooter
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2013 - 05:10pm PT
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Thanks Dolomite! What month did you climb Mont Blanc? Our descent path from Liberty Ridge was down Disappointmenting Cleaver. I didn't like it...There was puke every 10 feet and guys crying and tripping on their own feet.
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Dolomite
climber
Anchorage
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Nov 19, 2013 - 05:43pm PT
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August, as I recall. I would have thought the Brenva on Mt Blanc (yeah, another route I bailed off) would have been comparable to Liberty Ridge, but last I heard the Brenva had massive seracs toppling down it constantly and hasn't been done for a while. I am a huge fan of Rebuffat's, The Mont Blanc Massif, but some conditions have changed since he wrote it. Great book, though!
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2013 - 05:51pm PT
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The falling massive seracs sound terrifying. I am thinking late June for an ascent. Sounds like that may be a little to early though. Thanks again!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nov 19, 2013 - 06:23pm PT
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If I'm not mistaken, hard as that is to imagine, Remy Julienne drove a Fiat or something up Mt Blanc. He might have used chains though. YMMV, literally.
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scooter
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2013 - 06:30pm PT
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I can't find the info about the Car ascent Reily. Where did you find that? I would like to see a picture!
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i'm gumby dammit
Sport climber
da ow
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Nov 20, 2013 - 01:06am PT
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There was puke every 10 feet and guys crying and tripping on their own feet. What did you expect from something called Disappointmenting Cleaver?
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schwortz
Social climber
"close to everything = not at anything", ca
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Nov 20, 2013 - 01:38am PT
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i guess instead of giving you an honest reply i should have told you to f*#k off since thats the level of respect you showed me....
try reading my name correctly next time before you show off your fantastic attention to detail and wonderful bedside manner
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Nov 20, 2013 - 02:28am PT
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The entire Brenva side has always had occasional huge serac falls, but once you get across to the standard climbing routes, they're mostly not threatened (certainly not the easier ones). The Brenva Spur route is completely easy climbing and was a routine solo all the way back in the 1970s. It still gets done all the time (check internet, you'll see). Probably safer than anything that's at all steep on Rainier. What's changed is that there was a rock avalanche on what used to be the "regular" route, so now the only reasonable way is a variation (Gussfeldt) that was always better anyway: steep snow for the entire climb instead of a long starting part on low angle mixed and crummy rock. Just stay ALL the way to the left at the bottom. Classic route. Scenery is great. If you leave either bivvy site early enough (1 AM is normal; 3 AM way too late for safety unless you're really fast), it is a long but reasonable day to get to the summit and all the way back to Chamonix. Get some!
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Degaine
climber
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Nov 20, 2013 - 04:15am PT
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dolomite wrote:
I am a huge fan of Rebuffat's, The Mont Blanc Massif, but some conditions have changed since he wrote it. Great book, though!
That's an understatement! I have the "100 finest", and it's amazing how much the glaciers have thinned and receded even in the Mont Blanc Massif. The difference is even more astounding when comparing now / then photos with the Ecrins Massif (some glaciers have disappeared).
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Degaine
climber
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Nov 20, 2013 - 04:34am PT
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June's a good time to go for two reasons: one, the summer vacation season has not yet hit, so the crowds should be minimal (try going during the week), and the infamously dangerous "Gouter Couloir" will be filled with snow, so rockfall during this terrifying one minute traverse should also be limited.
The Three Mounts route is spectacular, as well, although Mont Blanc de Tacul's north face is a bit of a crap shoot, with regular serac fall and someone getting caught every couple of years. You also start out at the Cosmiques Hut (3613m) after taking the Aiguille du Midi Tram to 3800m.
The other option in June, if it is a good snow year (like last year), is via the Grands Mulets hut and the Dome du Gouter's north ridge :http://www.camptocamp.org/images/159808/fr/mont-blanc-par-les-grands-mulets-en-pointilles-itineraire-par-l-arete-n-du-dome-du-gouter
The dotted line is the line of ascent. This is the route most people use in the spring / early summer and one skis.
The Italian regular route is also spectacular, but a bit of a maze through the crevasses above the Gonella hut (just renovated).
Killian Jornet "ran" the Innominata ridge, so it's not that technically difficult in good conditions, but it is a long route.
You can also do the knife-edge traverse from the Aiguille de Bionnassay. This from the Durier Hut, and should be in good condition in June. It meets up with the regular route (from the Gouter hut) at the Dome du Gouter's summit.
Hope that helps. FYI - I've only done the Three Mounts route on the way up, and then skied from the summit down the north face (see photo I linked).
Have fun!
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Rivet hanger
Trad climber
Barcelona
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Nov 20, 2013 - 07:31am PT
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I would add Sentinelle Rouge and Major routes. Both steep snow slopes and quite protected from possible Brenva falling seracs since they are spurs.
Another interesting option to climb Mont-Blanc (very different kind of route) is the arête integrale du Brouillard.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Nov 20, 2013 - 07:31am PT
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Having not done Liberty Ridge, I can't compare but when I was 24, I soloed
the Gouter Route from the valley of Chamonix in February, back in 1971.
Yes, I know pretty dumb.
I remember it being pretty much a hike-although a tough hike, in deep snow in places. The Gouter Hut was left open, which I took advantage of up, and down. The wine was good!
I was lucky with the weather-crystal clear, and not that cold.
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