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- Aug 08, 2017
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Mont Blanc and Matterhorn in Seven Days
Madness guide Alan Rousseau brings us on his clients’ conquest of Mont Blanc and Matterhorn in just seven days.
This winter was a stark contrast from the massive snowfalls that defined the 2015 – 2016 winter for the Alps. Last summer before my first Mont Blanc & Matterhorn trip of the season, I was hoping for warm and dry weather. This year, I was hoping for cold wet weather! When I arrived in Chamonix a couple weeks ago, there was an intense heat wave, and few people were venturing up the normal route on Mont Blanc due to rockfall. Large rockfall events were being reported on the Matterhorn as well.
Bottom photo is June this year; upper is June last year.
Fortunately, unseasonably cold weather and snow began a few days before heading up Mont Blanc. The first two days of the trip, we battled cold snow and whiteout conditions while climbing the Petite Aguille Vert and the Cosmiques Arête; two classic moderate mixed routes of the Alps.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=6713354469ba54358d0e154346f8f25e 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=56c97a8bec23fbbc0831e1be8b5c746c 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=c32ddfed43b3d441d9f00d339ca93ae2 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=7043f1093ca08d196cbf95fe9165058e 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=feaef755c547c459718087c2e5668574 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=a451c1a42e6f02fdf8d3eba654a463c5 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2ca44c7bcd6863506afe10676c29f44e 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_above_clouds_finishing_cosmiques_arete_with_ladder_into_tram_deck_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=f745349540e888851d03b87dd5d321ee 1512w)
John and Tony popping above the clouds and finishing off the Cosmiques Arête with a ladder into the tram deck!
On day three, we headed up to the Tete Rousse hut on Mont Blanc, and prepared to climb the Gouter Route the following day. The route begins with a couple thousand feet of vertical gain thru scrambling terrain up to the top of the Aguille du Gouter. From here, a long undulating ridge leads over many false summits to the top of Western Europe.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=edd23028e737acf6629bd9f798ead4f6 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=1d0315a7bd92a479a5a04f03b4ba9022 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=e9299255c19569df3b09fa2a479dabbe 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=50ab3add3cf6b1d23197ed3b99d783e9 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=9df374ae72430bb7cebf85cf0d5f0d13 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=206c0f60072d4021496aa58ea97f968b 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=ca3beb39b9e22b360f44ed01201b57d0 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FJohn_and_Tony_ascending_dome_du_gouter_with_first_light_hitting_aguille_du_gouter_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=060d22a8e0cdb65a43fbc3a8a6d9784e 1536w)
John and Tony ascending the Dome du Gouter with first light hitting the Aguille du Gouter.
Fatigue began to set in as we progressed up the mountain, and I started to wonder if my guests would have enough gas in the tank to get the job done. Fortunately, they ground it out showing quite a bit of mental fortitude, and we capitalized on the nicest weather I have yet experienced on Mont Blanc.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=1d85330f74bf5e00c2cc3c835b7664cd 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=94f8a79eec1a44a949588354c7229979 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=8a49055748c48888c42ede8c78be5b8f 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=7d9fb23c4ab033bf344121436ad745bd 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=5f30aaadfb0faa1b37d8b75384a12889 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=426fa4b80181358df170b3f5f618e625 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2385b8844bacbed992172b771301cfaf 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FMont_Blanc_summit_success_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=385a4fcb882ce97fbebe49d2ee386c29 1536w)
Mont Blanc summit success!
On our long descent back down the mountain, we refueled in the Gouter hut. After some coffees, cookies, and quiche, we continued down to the Tete Rousse for dinner and some much needed rest.
The descent from the Tete Rousse is short, with just an hour and a half of walking to reach the cog railway. With Mont Blanc down, the next mission was the Hornli Ridge of the Matterhorn, which soars above Zermatt. We took the train from Chamonix to Zermatt and approached the Hornli hut the next day. This gave us two fairly easy days to try and recover from Mont Blanc.
The Hornli Route appeared to be in great condition, and only thirty people were in the hut. This is a huge advantage compared to a day with a full hut (140 people). With few people on the route, there is less waiting at bottlenecks on the ascent and descent.
John roped with me and Tony roped with Tino, another Madness guide that joined us for the Matterhorn. Everyone climbed well, and we hit the summit right at our turn around time of 9am.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=2bb22f301d44a51f93dc7f75239b3094 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=7d6bc650780962ea48f878f77f534845 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=305fcd2d75fc2b30fe95a5c6e714f0a4 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=01c6e7e28780535e85d85ad2ae9374f0 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=42fba04a6bb2913f13033203d344242a 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=640553e1a0ebefed10aa3cb7b1e504ba 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=1a398900f71782887489508314dcab48 1365w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FTino_and_Tony_with_a_bunch_of_people_photo_bombing_the_summit_ridge_2048.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=107876981bbf43fb094d129c2c2072f2 1365w)
Tino and Tony with a bunch of people photo bombing the summit ridge.
After another long and involved descent, we arrived back in Zermatt having acclimatized and summited Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn in just seven days!
The access of the Alps and proximity of worthy objectives allows for lots of climbing with relatively short programs. Come and join us in the alps next summer and see what you can do in a week!
~Words and images, MM guide Alan Rousseau