Climbing Mont Blanc, 4810m, with a snowboard or a pair of skis, is an objective that lots of skiers and snowboarders try during May and June every year.
We advise to ski Mont Blanc via one of the famous and safer routes, such as "The Three Mont Blanc - Traverse", "The Descent of the North Face", "The Dome du Gouter Ridge" or "The Corridor Route". You can also go by the Classic Route via the Grands Mulets hut at 3,051m and then the Petit Plateau and Grand Plateau, but this route is considered the most dangerous (seracs).
The first ascent of the Mont Blanc on skis was via the classic route in 1904 by Ugo Mylius with Oberland guides: Tannler, Maurer and Zurfluh. The first descent from the summit of Mont Blanc on skis was by a Swiss guide, Elias Julen in 1930. Marco Siffredi popped up to the Mont Blanc for a quick surf after returning from his first descent of Mont Everest on a snowboard in 2001.
Ski Mont Blanc
The ideal months to attempt the Mont Blanc summit on skis is between April and the beginning of July. Two days are required to complete the trip. 1st day - 3-4hour ascent to the Grand Mulet hut. 2nd day - 2-6 hours ascent to the summit then 3-4 hours descent.
This is a serious undertaking over crevassed glaciers, some crevasses are in excess of 80m deep.
Operating at altitude requires a good level of fitness and acclimatisation. There are many slopes of 35° with very high risk of avalanche and serac fall, particularly at the Petit Plateau. In bad weather navigation can be difficult especially on the Col du Dome and the Grand Plateau.
Itinerary
Day 1 - From the mid-station at the Plan d'Aiguille, traverse horizontally SW under the N. face of the Aiguille du Midi passing the derelict Gare des Glaciers lift station to reach the "Jonction" of the Bossons glacier. This is a heavily crevassed area. Then ascend a steep uniform slope to a rock island and the Grands Mulet hut.
Day 2 - From the hut climb up the glacier passing the "Rocher de l'Heureux" to the Petit Plateau. At this point there is danger of serac fall from the ice cliffs high up on the right. Keep as far left as posible to avoid this danger and another steeper slope (the Grands Montets) brings you to the easier slopes of the Grands Plateau.
At 4,000m climb up and right to the Col du Dome. Cross the bergeschrund and head left up to the Vallot hut, where the skis are normally taken off. From the hut the Bosses ridge is ascended on foot, with crampons.
The Descent from the summit of Mont Blanc
The descent is by the same route and can be very good if the conditions are ok. It is normal to get back to Chamonix in one day. Read more about descending Mont-Blanc.
