| cveto21. 07. 2008 21:14:48 |
On Saturday, 19.7 we managed to summit Mont Blanc.
The expedition had four members. Gregor Vrhovnik, Roman Svetlin, Miha Jerič, and little old me. We started from Križ around 23:00, picked up two more in Domžale, so it was midnight when we were all on the way.
After a few stops, and waiting 2 hours in front of the Mont Blanc tunnel due to a truck breakdown inside.
When we finally arrived in Les Houches, it was time to pack gear for the mountain. Since we had no reservations, we took bivouac gear too, so backpacks were heavy.
It was already 12:00 when we took the gondola in Les Houches. Plan was to sleep in Les Goûter at 3800m.
And since we hadn't slept for 35 hours.
I thought it was better to rent a spot and rest properly than hike another two and a half hours to Les Goûter and gamble on accommodation.
So we slept at Tête Rousse hut, started hiking around 01:15. Wonderful clear night, almost full moon lighting the path.
In the area where rocks always fall, it had frozen so much overnight a few meters that I didn't dare cross, so I turned back. We all put on crampons for that part. Then climbed/hiked the whole wall to Goûter without them. At the hut, refueled with nuts, tea, some chocolate bars, got ready, put on crampons, harnesses, roped up. Helmets already on from before.
I led the team, Grega behind me, Miha, Roman last.
Roman handled hydration, every 20min said time for a drink.
Rest breaks by Grega, more frequent, down to 1.5 minutes walking.
On the last slope before bivouac around 4200m he decided not to go further. Unroped and went slowly to Goûter to wait for us.
We three continued to the summit. Besides drink breaks, three more. Altitude and fatigue got to Roman a bit, but nothing serious.
Before the ridge, I dressed better, was in softshell, windy over the ridge. Added windbreaker and down gloves.
Few more minutes battling the wind, slope eases, finally........ SUMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quite some euphoria, hugs and congrats, some photos, then down.
From Tête Rousse to summit took us 8.5 hours.
Descent followed. Only two more went to summit behind us. To bivouac solid. There unroped and packed the rope. Then dense fog set in. Wind covered tracks well. Only if looking straight ahead you noticed snow was a bit different. After less than an hour it cleared, then long descent and some flat to Goûter where Grega waited. Longer rest there. Roman dozed off at the table a bit. Drank tea, ate some raisins. Packed backpacks and off.
Between the doors, I met Marjan Zupančič!! Very Happy
Sometime in February we talked. He said he'd go again this year to Mont Blanc. I said maybe me too. So he should have summited yesterday. He'll report himself.
Then long descent to the cog railway.
Around 18:30 at the car.
Pretty tired, long day behind us. 17 hours walking, lots of elevation gain, only in the valley realized besides nuts, some small chocos, bit of cheese and raisins we ate nothing else.
Altitude and efforts do their thing, nothing tastes good.
After half hour drive, found a good spot, cooked dinner, into sleeping bags and earned sleep.
Morning touristy back home... of course we had a bunch more interesting incidents, but that's another story....
LP Jure
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
| (+2) |  | |
|
|