Mont Blanc questions

I'm looking into doing Mont Blanc while in Chamonix this August but there seems to be a lot of contradicting information online about permits and stuff. Some sites mention that "Starting this summer season 2019 (June 1st to September 29th), it will be mandatory for climbers on the normal route to hold a personal reservation on one of the mountain huts of the itinerary". Does this mean that it isn't legal to run up the Gouter route in a day without paying for a hut that must be reserved months in advance? I was hoping to just trail run it in a day. Sounds like this would not be allowed?

So I started looking at the Trois Mont's route, which looks a lot more fun anyway (as long as conditions are good). I saw that you can camp on Col du Midi, near the Cosmique hut. But couldn't find anything about if you needed to make a reservation to bivy there and if so, how?

Also, If I ascended Trios Mont, would I be able to descend the Gouter route without having a hut reserved?

But then I heard that everyone is required to hire a guide for the Trois Monts route. Is that true?

My main question is, will I be able to legally climb Mont Blanc next month without reserving a room in a hut or hiring a guide?

Camping is discouraged in Valleé Blanche. Really tents so folks dig a snow cave, mostly cheap Brits and Americans :-). No reservations are needed just show up. The Triple Cols (as I know it) is fun, bit of a long day but great views. I did it solo as an out and back. A few cracks, nothing serious but that was 30 years ago. My understanding there are more now. No guide needed. If you descend the Gouter route then you will want to stay at the Cosmique Refuge.

As for Gouter route, as I know one must have a reservation for the hut thus one can not just show up. Doing it in a "day", means starting from one of the lower huts, Tête Rousse Hut. Do read about the Grand Couloir which pukes regularly.

It's been hot as balls recently so you might want to check on serac conditions before leaving, especially when planning the Trois Monts during one  long day. 

Last week we did Cosmiques Arête and Pointes Lachenal from a bivy just below the Cosmiques hut, there were quite a lot of people in bivouacs there. Just make sure you don't leave your tent erected during the day (if you're even planning to take a tent). 

I’ve been in the area in the last week, and went up the Trois Monts and down a variant of the Italian route to Gonella. There were a half-dozen tents outside the Cosmiques, and no serious crevasse issues yet, but it’s super hot and dry. I’d just reserve a spot at the Cosmiques and go up and down the Trois Monts if I were you. Or actually “trail run” it from town via the Grands Mulets. 

Thanks for the info everyone! 

Due to the extreme heat at the moment the Gouter route is not recommended due to the risk of rock fall below the hut. Regarding camping on the glacier, the best response I ever got from a seasoned guide was "it is not legal, but possible..."

FYI: Warm temps on Mt. Blanc

The companie des guides of Chamonix have suspended guiding the normal route for the year because warm temperatures are sending an extreme amount of rockfall down. The seracs on the trois monts are due to collapse. 

Climbing mont Blanc by either of the standard routes is probably not a good idea.

The optimal time window moves forward every year. This year even late June and July (when we went) had late season conditions. 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/08/managing_mont_blanc_-_mayor_acts_in_face_of_climate_change_risks-73118

Max Manson wrote:

I'm looking into doing Mont Blanc while in Chamonix this August but there seems to be a lot of contradicting information online about permits and stuff. Some sites mention that "Starting this summer season 2019 (June 1st to September 29th), it will be mandatory for climbers on the normal route to hold a personal reservation on one of the mountain huts of the itinerary". Does this mean that it isn't legal to run up the Gouter route in a day without paying for a hut that must be reserved months in advance? I was hoping to just trail run it in a day. Sounds like this would not be allowed?

So I started looking at the Trois Mont's route, which looks a lot more fun anyway (as long as conditions are good). I saw that you can camp on Col du Midi, near the Cosmique hut. But couldn't find anything about if you needed to make a reservation to bivy there and if so, how?

Also, If I ascended Trios Mont, would I be able to descend the Gouter route without having a hut reserved?

But then I heard that everyone is required to hire a guide for the Trois Monts route. Is that true?

My main question is, will I be able to legally climb Mont Blanc next month without reserving a room in a hut or hiring a guide?

Hey Max, 

I did MB in a day from Les Houches last summer, happy to fill you in on the details.  Feel free to ping me here or on the SMSC email list.