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- Jul 17, 2012
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Alps Mont Blanc Climbing School Reaches Summit
MM Guide Ben Mitchell writes about the first Mont Blanc Mountaineering School of the season. Congratulations to the three climbers who joined him and walked away with great stories and several summits under their belt.
“The season is in full swing over here in the Alps. I arrived at the end of June and jumped right into a Mont Blanc program. We started off the trip with a ride up the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glacé. It is a gorgeous ride up the train, and a great intro into the world of lift assisted mountaineering, a first for many from North America. We spent the day hanging out at altitude to start our acclimatizing and began learning the skills we would need for the upcoming climbs. The team practiced crampon and ice axe technique, as well as learning to operate as a roped up climbing team.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=2d8cd518798929d68f9abaca6632885b 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2da45b00d1e18f31331c8a5ca4629f3f 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=bfa68f5a5cf111f82488ead8ad5db130 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=2eb8342a980bbdcf2c64357a7cae97e5 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=1be19e4e54b1c6e97d0cd8c133ec1108 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=0c771345991d99425e45be7044e3c415 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=af0b976ada7e51aff4bea88d24037678 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=97d45d6737468fd8151f47532529e805 214w)
On the Cosmiques Arête. Ben Mitchell photo
“We awoke to rain and clouds in town on day two. Luckily, a little rain wasn’t going to stop us from our goals for the day. We headed up into the hills to begin our three day tour over the Swiss/French border and back. We walked for a few hours out of Le Tour to the Albert Premier Hut. Once there we relaxed, talked about a bit of map navigation, and enjoyed a nice dinner.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=a673592c814655d08ef14f42eae5c897 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=ab1665b0db56284a81ffd22690c5e91e 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=173fd38bcb3c39c77ad401db11582ed8 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=557341dfeca241fd3007b8bd82657f65 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=eb7f5b6625e8fe5c3fae9b2665434433 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=7a585feb5e0359a3625c8891328e4139 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=6eeaae3b5ecb1cd13963e53dad2db1c4 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-7.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=84210fd2e190776faeace40b4868e3fe 320w)
Cosmiques Arête. Ben Mitchell photo
“Early morning breakfast and out the door was the name of the game in the morning. We walked up to the Petite Fourche. This is a 3520 meter peak that heads up a moderate snow slope and finishes with a short rock scramble, perfect for our first climb. Afterwards we rappelled down the Col Blanc and into Switzerland. A short walk across the Trient Glacier ended at our home for the evening, the Trient Hut. Aperitivo at 6:30, dinner at 7:00, a killer place to spend the evening.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=bb9f8a86e8d3626f17b7b6590b5059d1 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=e85c720f4a2740a0eaba6fe3d8af9a83 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=1733c63a4ab12107a714e91ee8a3f48a 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=531591ce75416215838f185616772279 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=faa161d05b84339c719de4b707063176 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=6b6bb8c0c68f37cf5d8f6f0408b7d02b 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=c03a940a79471479567f53ee75cef51b 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-9.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=3c63994cba0b1291b8d38f010be019f4 320w)
On Mont Blanc. Ben Mitchell photo
“The final day of our acclimatization tour took us back across the Trient Glacier to the Aiguille Tour. This peak is slightly more technical than the Fourche and involves a bit more rock climbing. The team crushed it once again! We lucked out on both of our two days up high with great weather. Going into the trip we were a little nervous, the forecast had been pretty broken all week!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=2c5100a85a106831c7582e381c0723f1 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=48078949a80a7e3b3b30aef11fb6092b 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=c55fe360140b1d009d40787c64f62b44 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=ac0b6cf7544626da34db2c38c5001cfd 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=cdb8749793034363bf25093309925cae 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=24053458737cd6012e6e1c67002c16a8 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=5de90fd49e025426d72588e8015f9f83 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=83db6ffebd4651a5cac781391824660a 320w)
Sunrise on the mountain. Ben Mitchell photo
“When we got home we checked the weather again, and I met up with the other guide joining us for the second half of the trip, Danny Uhlmann. Danny and I had just returned from a month long ski trip deep into the Wakhan Valley in Afghanistan, and I was pretty psyched to work with him! With the forecast not looking super promising, we decided to do another day trip into the alpine the following day.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=af915cd986e92c1ecec43ccab2097e85 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=349dfafd44de0d2e50cf7137e54b870f 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=4442fb0641a3a8d219cf354072b07120 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=da209bd6ccdc8325e5808e591ef59491 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=2b83e937bbf9bda36a30de184a7250f5 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=57d409f649cad496367b74b1c8a03f2b 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=f06ad3e66811baa2004e1e6d5a2c23c2 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-17.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=7f40626ee2bd415e56ef4ccf02e23e0c 214w)
High on the mountain. Ben Mitchell photo
“With marginal weather throughout the day, we tested ourselves on the area classic, Cosmiques Arête. The climb follows a ridge of moderate snow and rock right up to the lift station. You actually finish the climb by heading up a ladder to the observation deck at the Aiguille du Midi, it really doesn’t get any better. The climb was certainly the most technically difficult of the week, and I think everyone walked away pretty satisfied! The crux move goes at about 4c, and it certainly made everyone work!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=dd68efbc064f65be5443ce1aa61ebf0b 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=7e22dc6bfec5ae39531d3c1520b239a1 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=cb02fe901f65b954ea564495705f3a01 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=20cfb125f2de5ca3d9d2a7e997c8ecd1 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=16139d2fc17a599d42371ee688f4e706 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=82a71d083a04a8d2ddd765ded775043e 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=c51a6377ae434d3e10c80a219077d8a7 214w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F20120701MMBlanc-19.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=d0f6c20eb32ebde61b06d96cec9fd80e 214w)
On the summit! Ben Mitchell photo
“Once again, the weather wasn’t looking great for our Mt. Blanc ascent, and we were debating waving off and doing a few more alpine climbs. After studying the weather and talking it over, and talking it over again, we made the call to head up to the Cosmiques hut and make a go at the Three Summits route. The climb traverses over Mt. Blanc du Tacul, then Mt. Maudit, then to the summit of Mt. Blanc. It is continuously steep, and has a few quite steep sections, including one 50 meter section of 50 degree plus ice. We woke up for 1:00 am breakfast with clear skies and strong winds. The winds stayed strong all day, and made it cold and difficult, but never too strong. A bit of new snow in the form of graupel, imagine styrofoam balls, had fallen through the night, making travel slow and difficult, but doable. It was a tough, long climb, and cheers to the team for making it in good style! Nathan, Emile, and Dan all sent! It was a fantastic week, we got a bunch of good learning and fun climbing in! Look forward to seeing the team again on the next climb!”
~ MM Guide Ben Mitchell