Mont Blanc - The Royal Traverse (Miage-Bionnassay)

The beauty, logic and length of this route make it undoubtedly one of the greatest alpine traverses. It well deserves its name – The Royal Traverse. Miage-Bionnassay is one of the most magnificent routes leading to Mont Blanc and offers a combination of easy rock climbing and passing through razor-sharp snowy-icy ridges.




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This route can hardly be compared to the other "normal" route leading to Mont Blanc – it requires considerable physical endurance and good technical skills. Miage-Bionnassey combines all an alpinist can dream of, making it a real royal traverse. There is not a single aspect of the route to make it unpleasant and unwanted.

Miage-Bionnassay starts from the Les Contamines Montjoie, gradually gaining height. The technical difficulties are motivating, without being overwhelming and the route follows a variety of breathtaking ridges, situated on the serene and virgin South-West side of Mont Blanc. The views are magnificent. This is a route which will be remembered more as a true alpinism than an ordinary ascent of Mont Blanc. As Frank Damilano, one of the famous local guides, says this is a route which will reveal to you new horizons!

Advantages

- Three days to get to the summit of Mont Blanc;

- Varied route: walking on glaciers, climbing ridges, snow, ice and rock;

- Technical route: narrow ridges, sections of rock climbing;

- Unspoilt route;

- No lifts;

- Committing route;

- A lot of height gain.




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Prices

Per person for minimum 2 clients - 856 €

For individual client - 1540 €

The group is maximum 2 people.

Price Includes

- All guiding fees;
- Group climbing equipment (ropes & karabiners);
- 3 night accommodation in Conscrits hut, Durier hut and Tete Rousse hut or Nid d`Aigle;
- Lift tickets (cable-car & train).

Price Not Includes

- Travel to and from Chamonix;
- Travel to Les Contamines Montjoie (train & bus) from Chamonix;
- Lodging in Chamonix;
- Mountain rescue insurance;
- Meals.




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Itinerary

Day 1: Chamonix

Arrival and accommodation in Chamonix. Meeting with your guide in the evening, equipment check and briefing.

Day 2: Conscrits hut (2602m) - 5/6 hours

We will get from Chamonix to Les Contamines Montjoie using the local transport and from there starts a good path, which gradually gains height and wonders through a pleasant mixed forest. On reaching the Tre-la-Tete hut we will take a rest and continue to the Tre-la-Tete Glacier. Here the path becomes narrow and dangerous. When we reach the glacier we will continue walking through it until we get to the icy wall of the Tre-la-Grande. A steep climb of a 100 meter via ferrata will lead us to the top of the plateau where the Conscrits hut is situated.

- Le Cugnon car park (1175m) -> Tre-la-Tete hut (1970m) = 2hrs
- Tre-la-Tete hut (1970m) -> Conscrits hut (2602m) = 3hrs

Day 3: Durier hut (3369m) - 7/8 hours

From Conscrits hut we have to climb the nearby Aiguille de la Berangere and then traverse 5 peaks from the group of Dimes de Miage. The line of peaks forms a 3 kilometer ridge, which is known as "Mont Blanc de Saint Gervais". As a whole the ridge is not technically difficult. The descent to Durier hut however is much more serious as we have to downclimb on a snowy-icy terrain. If the weather is unstable we can avoid a great part of the ridge in order to save time and go by the Tre-la-Tete Glacier to Col des Domes from where we will continue to Durier hut.

- Conscrits hut (2602m) -> Aiguille de la Berangere (3425m) = 3hrs
- Aiguille de la Berangere (3425m) -> Col de la Berangere (3348m) = 30mins
- Col de la Berangere (3348m) -> Summit 3670 = 1hr
- Summit 3670 -> Col des Domes (3564m) = 30mins
- Col des Domes (3564m) -> Durier hut (3369m) = 2hrs 30mins




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Day 4: Mont Blanc (4808m) - 14/16 hours

Climbing Aiguille de Bionnassay is technical and in good conditions it can offer a really pleasant rock climbing (grade 3/4). The ridge between Aiguille de Bionnassay and Dome du Gouter is one of the sharpest and most extreme in the Mont Blanc massif. This is perhaps the most beautiful part of the route and also the most dangerous. After we reach Dome du Gouter we can leave the extra luggage and climb Mont Blanc by its ridge Bosses Ridge. The descent from Mont Blanc we be made via the Normal Route. We may have additional stay for one night in Tete Rousse hut or Nid d`Aigle hut.

- Durier hut (3369m) -> Aiguille de Bionnassay (4040m) = 3hrs 30 mins
- Aiguille de Bionnassay (4040m) -> Piton des Italiens (4002m) = 1 hr 30mins
- Piton des Italiens (4002m) -> Col du Dome (4255m) = 2hrs
- Col du Dome (4255m) -> Vallot shelter (4362m) = 30mins
- Vallot shelter (4362m) -> Mont Blanc (4808m) = 2hrs
- Mont Blanc (4808m) -> Nid d`Aigle (2372m) = 5hrs

Day 5: Extra Day for Bad Weather

The additional day to this program is planned in case of a bad weather or if we need to stay one more night in hut on our way down from the top.

Experience

To accomplish the climb you need to be in excellent physical condition and to have also serious previous mountaineering experience including climbing on rocks, ice and mixed terrain, rappelling, traversing ridges, self-arrest technique and deftly using ice-axes and crampons.




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Personal Equipment

- 40-litre rucksack;
- Mountaineering boots - warm and suitable for crampons;
- Gaiters (with a strap under the boot);
- Crampons with anti-balling system;
- Technical ice axe;
- 1 or 2 telescopic ski poles;
- Lightweight and comfortable climbing harness + cow`s-tail with screw-gate karabiner;
- Head torch with new batteries (+ spare);
- Lightweight helmet (especially for the Aiguille du Gouter);
- Warm socks (+ spare pair);
- Carline-type thermal T-shirt, avoid using cotton as it absorbs moisture and dries slowly;
- Polar fleece sweater;
- Down or Thermolite jacket;
- Carline-type or stretch polar fleece leggings;
- Waterproof jacket (with hood) and over-trousers (Gore Tex);
- Hat or headband;
- Balaclava;
- Sunglasses;
- Ski goggles;
- Pair of lightweight gloves;
- Pair of warm gloves or mittens;
- High SPF sun cream;
- 1-litre insulated water bottle;
- Snack food.