Are you planning to climb Mont Blanc? In 2021, the success rate for this ascent was 60%. Here’s all the advice you need to prepare your training and be among those who make it to the summit!
Good training for the ascent of Mont Blanc is a necessary step if you want to succeed in this challenge. Europe’s highest peak (4,809 meters) may be accessible, but it’s no less tough. The climb takes two or three days at high altitude, preceded by an acclimatization period at over 2,000m.
Today, we’re giving you the keys to preparing yourself physically, mentally and materially to climb Mont Blanc. Once you’ve reached the top, all you have to do is thank your training and wink at Generation Voyage.
Physical preparation: essential for a successful climb
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Climbing Mont Blanc without training? Never! Optimizing your physical condition and cardiovascular capacity is fundamental to your success in reaching our European Everest. To achieve this, we advise you to start training three to four months in advance, depending on your level of fitness and mountaineering experience.
🏔️ Play sports regularly
The first step in your Mont Blanc training is to choose an endurance sport (jogging and/or cycling, for example) and train two or three times a week. Aim for ten to fifteen kilometers of running and two- to three-hour bike rides.
To strengthen your muscles, you can also add short strengthening sessions (based on lunges, squats, sheathing) which will enable you to keep up the pace and be powerful when climbing.
🏔️ Training in the mountains, before tackling Mont Blanc
As the weeks go by, add more elevation changes to your outings to recruit your muscles (thighs, calves, buttocks, knees) and challenge your cardio system. Whatever your preparation, you need to be able to swallow 1500 metres of ascent and descent without suffering (too much) before tackling the roof of Europe.
Intensify the effort little by little and get as close as possible to the conditions on D-day. For example, plan several outings in the high mountains, with a rucksack on your back and a gradient as close as possible to that of the Mont Blanc ascent. But beware of over-training: three sessions a week is enough to avoid injury. Similarly, don’t neglect your sleep and stretching sessions throughout your preparation.
🏔️ Acclimatizing to altitude
Physical training for the Mont Blanc is carried out right up to the last minute. The last phase takes place just a few days before departure. This is acclimatization. You need to spend a few days at a minimum altitude of 2,000 meters to allow your body to adapt to the lack of oxygen. This adaptation limits the risk of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) which, in addition to forcing you to give up, can be very dangerous for your health.
Technical preparation: learning the basics of mountaineering
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Preparing for Mont Blanc isn’t just about physiological fitness. You also need to familiarize yourself with rope techniques, ice axe control and crampon use.
If you lack this alpine knowledge, we recommend a two- to six-day course to fill the gaps. Many mountain guides offer this kind of program in the Chamonix valley.
Which route to choose for the ascent?
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There are several options for climbing Mont Blanc. Two routes are easier than the others. If you are making your first ascent of Mont Blanc and are new to mountaineering, opt for routes without extreme technical difficulties. These « easy » routes are « la voie normale/royale du dôme du Goûter » and « la voie historique des Grands Mulets ».
Conversely, the traversée des 3 Monts, Miages – Bionnassay – Mont Blanc, and the arête du Tricot – Bionnassay – Mont Blanc, are little-used routes, intended for intermediates or expert mountaineers due to the more frequent landslides.
Travel with high-quality equipment
At an altitude of almost 5,000 meters, no one reaches their goal without solid, thermal and lightweight equipment. Getting ready for Mont Blanc means choosing the right equipment and paying the right price, so you can set off with quality on your back.
Here’s everything you need to take with you:
🏔️ Personal equipment :
- Clothing
- Breathable undergarments (top and bottom)
- Fleece
- Fleece jacket or warm pullover
- Down jacket or vest (compressible)
- Gore-Tex windproof jacket, waterproof & breathable
- Pants suitable for mountain walking (water-repellent and windproof). Ski pants are not suitable, as they are too warm and not breathable enough.
- Gore-Tex overtrousers
- Gloves
- Waterproof gloves with warm lining
- Mountaineering mittens (for ascents, loosely fitted so as not to impede circulation)
- Thin hat can be worn with helmet
- Balaclava
- Glacier goggles, protection class 4
- Ski mask
- Warm mountaineering socks
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Pocket knife
- Containers providing approximately 2 liters of water*.
*Ideally, several small ones of around 25 cl each, so you can slip them into your warm jacket close to your body. NB: Water bags with pipettes are not suitable for freezing!
🏔️ Technical equipment :
- Comfortable mountaineering backpack, approx. 25-40 liters: must include crampon, ice-axe and helmet attachments*.
- High-mountain boots with rigid, cramponable soles
- Ice axe (The ice axe must touch the ground when you hold it with your arm outstretched)
- Cleats to match your shoes
- Harness
- Mountaineering/climbing helmet
- Pair of telescopic poles
- 2 carabiners
*The filled bag must not exceed 9 kg. Remember, weight is the mountaineer’s enemy!
NB: most mountain guides supply technical equipment.
🏔️ Other :
- A few heaters
- Meat bag
- Sun cream
- Lip balm
- A few toiletries, such as toothpaste + toothbrush + hydroalcoholic lotion + earplugs. Refuges generally do not have running water.
NB: Since 2008, Décathlon has fully integrated the Simond brand, which develops mountaineering equipment in the Chamonix valley at the foot of Mont-Blanc at a very good value for money.
Tips for successful Mont Blanc training
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🏔️ Food
Don’t forget to pack snacks in your rucksack. Choose energy bars, oilseeds, dried fruit and chocolate (good for the altitude). These slow sugars intelligently nourish the body and gradually distribute energy to your muscles. Of course, don’t forget water. Watch out for the camelbak with the unprotected plastic hose, which will end up freezing during the climb.
Note: you don’t need to take water for the entire ascent, as the refuges sell water. It is, however, necessary to bring cash, as the refuges do not accept credit cards.
🏔️ Mental preparation: not to be forgotten when training
If physical and logistical training is fundamental to reaching the summit of Mont Blanc, mental preparation counts too. More difficult to control, negative and self-sabotaging thoughts can compromise your success. When the going gets tough (and it will), they can push you to give up, discourage you, cause you to minimize your abilities and exaggerate the difficulty of the experience.
Positive thinking training is therefore a good way to forge a mind of steel and help you move forward. You can do this through visualization exercises, perhaps even with the help of an app or a professional coach.
🏔️ Climbing Mont Blanc: never alone… but with a good agency (or guide)
Finally, don’t attempt to climb Mont Blanc without a guide (unless you’re a mountaineering expert accustomed to extreme conditions). Even so, it’s always risky to set out alone to conquer the summits. To make sure you’re well accompanied, we’ve put together a guide to help you choose the right agency for your Mont Blanc ascent.
In conclusion, it’s possible to climb Mont Blanc, even as a beginner, as long as you take a few precautions and remain rigorous in your preparation. So lace up your sneakers, get out there and train, study the terrain and make it to the summit!