Highlights
Two four-thousanders in just four days: first, we’ll climb Gran Paradiso (4,061 m), which is the perfect way to acclimatise to the altitude. Next up is Mont Blanc (4,806 m), the highest peak in the Alps. As a reward, one of the most impressive descents of all follows: around 2,500 metres of vertical drop in one go across the glaciers on the north face. In late spring, the days are long and the glacier is well covered in snow. At over 4,500 metres, you can even still find some powder up here in places!
Tour
For many ski tourers, Mont Blanc is the ultimate dream destination. It is at its most beautiful in late spring: the days are long, the snow has settled, and the descents across the vast glaciers are a delight on firn snow.
To ensure you’re in good shape on summit day, we won’t be setting off directly from Mont Blanc, but from the Aosta Valley in Italy. Gran Paradiso is the only four-thousander situated entirely on Italian soil – a beautifully shaped, technically straightforward ski mountain with magnificent views. It’s the perfect acclimatisation tour and a highlight in its own right.
We then head through the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Chamonix. After a restful night in the hotel, we ascend to the Grands Mulets hut, situated in the middle of the glacial cirque of the Glacier des Bossons. We set off early the next morning: across the Petit and Grand Plateaux towards the summit. We’ll cover the final stretch in crampons, carrying our skis on our rucksacks. At the top, you’ll be treated to a panoramic view of the entire Western Alps – followed by one of the most spectacular descents in the Alps. If possible, we’ll take the direct north-facing descent, where powder snow can still be found even very late in spring!
This tour is ideal for you if you already have experience of high-altitude ski touring and are physically fit enough to cope with long days involving ascents of up to 1,800 metres.
