Advice for first mountaineering climb in the Alps

[EugeneK]

Looking for advice as per this post on MP:

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/advice ... /110155332

Thanks!

E

[johngassel]

Tom and Emmett did a little bit of climbing there so you might want to touch base with them.

Alissa is looking to do a trip there for a week this year, so she's been researching some climbs. No first hand experience though.

[tmiller]

If you're planning to visit Chamonix and are interested in alpine granite, there are many routes starting from the Mer de Glace that are quite good. Routes range from easy single pitch to long alpine testpieces, and everything in between. We stayed in town and did mostly day trips which limited our options, so I'd recommend spending some time at refuge Envers des Aiguilles if you can. There is also a fair amount of rock on the Aiguilles Rouges, which is to the northwest of town and very accessible.

There are numerous classic mountaineering routes both on Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains, but since we didn't end up doing any of them I probably can't add anything you haven't already read.

Good luck and enjoy!

[EugeneK]

If you're planning to visit Chamonix and are interested in alpine granite, there are many routes starting from the Mer de Glace that are quite good. Routes range from easy single pitch to long alpine testpieces, and everything in between. We stayed in town and did mostly day trips which limited our options, so I'd recommend spending some time at refuge Envers des Aiguilles if you can. There is also a fair amount of rock on the Aiguilles Rouges, which is to the northwest of town and very accessible.

There are numerous classic mountaineering routes both on Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains, but since we didn't end up doing any of them I probably can't add anything you haven't already read.

Good luck and enjoy!

Thanks Tom, I'll have to research that area. I'm trying to bring minimal gear and looking for places to stay. I know there are a lot of huts out there so just need to do some research and figure out logistics on what exactly to bring.