adding, you absolutely made the right decision ....good friend of mine, a certified Swiss guide, died on a satellite peak, mt maudit, in 2012. to say he was experienced is an understatement, so yes, doing down when are by yourself and not roped was the best and safest move.
Did awesome job on the edit. I liked that you went Watching the rocks fly by in the couloir knowing you have to cross it twice in the future. Brave stuff
This looks like heaven to me! All of that scrambling at the start, wow 😊 It looked like the route was pretty easy to follow. I so badly want to do this!
You made the correct decision, many die on the mountain. Turned around in a storm and just made it to the Goutier hut. Many perished who did not turn around soon enough. 1996.
Congrats! Great video that Alos shows your Battle with the mountain. Reasonable decision making. You missed to give us the grand couloir on the way back ;-) congrats again!
Love your clip to show how solo Mont Blanc Summit. Good job. Can I get up there without stay overnight? I am trail runner who gonna participate in UTMB next month Thank you.
People have gone to the summit without staying overnight, however, it is extremely difficult and I'm not sure if it is allowed. There is someone checking if you have reservations at one of the huts before allowing you to continue. Definitely check with the mountain guide station in Chamonix before you go to see what conditions are like, I have heard conditions are dangerous right now. Good luck on UTMB, I would like to do that race one day!!
Great stuff! And congrats. Few questions: - where did u book tickets for Du Midi hut? And did u book in advance for few nights? There are limited places there. - did u need to use ropes? Or just the axe for the summit ascent ?
I don't remember the website to make the reservations for the huts but if you Google it you will find it. And yes I booked it in advance, I would suggest making reservations the day they become available for the year because they sell out very quickly. I booked several nights just in case of bad weather. You don't need ropes to summit, just the axe in case of a fall. Good luck!
Sure, you can send me an email with any questions you have at marshal.mayhew@gmail.com It might be a few days before I can get back to you, I'm about to go into the mountains for several days myself
I'm doing this in early August and just starting watching videos and researching -- what time of year was this? Did you encounter any issues with crevasses (as it seems most people rope up)? Why did you have a harness on if you were going solo and didn't seem to use a rope to rap or anchor at any point?
I believe this was late August/early September. I didn't have any issues with crevasses although there was one that was visible that I went around. I wore the harness because I had it and thought just in case I need rescuing better to be wearing one, or if I found a group I could rope up with then I would be prepared.
No I did not clip into the wire, I just used my hands to pull myself up. I wore a harness just in case I needed to be rescued or could help rescue someone else.
@@fatnomad Also, some of those slopes on either side of the ridge are so steep that a swift ice axe self-arrest is next to impossible ... which regrettably I experienced myself this summer in Chamonix (at a much lower altitude) and my right leg & lower-back are now in their 10th week of recovery of an estimated total recovery time of 6 to 12 months.🤕On the plus side, my ice axe self-arrest was good enough to save my life🥳
Hey man. Great vid. If you see this and don't mind could you please tell me about your acclimatization for this? I've heard after 2500m it is recommended to only increase by 500m per 24 hours to avoid altitude sickness but you seemed to smash this out in 48 hours was it? I ask because I would like to do a 4000m+ mountain some day and thought it would take a week or more ha. Thanks!
If you have never been that high, then that's probably good advice. I've been above 4000m on a number of occasions and due to some good fortune it just doesn't affect me very much. So really my only acclimatization was going up to Aguille du Midi for a day. Although I will also say I was in incredibly good fitness at the time running around 50miles/80 km per week
I recommend doing a couple of days of acclimatization. There are plenty of nice routes relatively nearby as well as in Chamonix valley. Doing some 3000+ summits on the Italian side of the Vallee Blanche is great: Petit Flambeaux and/or Aiguille de Toula. If you want to do a very easy 4000'er as acclimatization I'ld say plan one or two days in Zermatt before going to Chamonix and do the Breithorn West summit. It is super accessible and you can do the return trip Zermatt-summit-Zermatt within 4 hours, including cable-car transfers. We're in the mountains to enjoy it, right, not to rush it.😄
@@reborn3530 I didn't do any acclimatization. I was in very good physical condition and based on other trips I don't suffer very much at high elevations, thankfully
Yes, you do and they sell out fast. But you can also call the hut the day before or day of to see if there has been any cancellations, but there's no guarantee there will be space.
Thanks! I think it was around 30 euros for the gondola and train to the starting point (one way), then the huts were around 60-70 euros per night, food cost me around 30 euros per day, and I already had all the gear so that didn't cost me anything.
The decision to turn around is one of the most courageous decisions you can ever make! Could easily save your life.
adding, you absolutely made the right decision ....good friend of mine, a certified Swiss guide, died on a satellite peak, mt maudit, in 2012. to say he was experienced is an understatement, so yes, doing down when are by yourself and not roped was the best and safest move.
OK, I stand corrected. WOW, you did it! Man, intense video.... Congratulations!!
Great video and insight into juggling the risks with the ever-changing weather. Congratulations on your summit!
Thank you!
One of the best Mont Blac videos - great!
Thank you!!
I want to climb the Mont Blanc solo this summer and still have angst thinking about it. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Did awesome job on the edit. I liked that you went Watching the rocks fly by in the couloir knowing you have to cross it twice in the future. Brave stuff
Inspiring video and summit to be proud of topping out over Europe
Amazing. Congrats sir. Love your channel and your sense of humour. Now back to South America
I wouldn't have thought crossing the GC in low light was the best idea.
If its too dark, the falling rocks can't see you. It's brilliant!
Well done. Thanks for the video. I’m thinking of climbing this for my 70th and your video gave me a good idea of what to expect. 👍
Good luck!
Great job! When I was in the same place 18:07 (Solo, too) in September 2020, I thought I should close my eyes and go through with it.
This looks like heaven to me! All of that scrambling at the start, wow 😊
It looked like the route was pretty easy to follow. I so badly want to do this!
Such a good video, congrats on your summit!!
Thank you!!
Great views, great task, great succes. See you on the mountains😁😁
Nice to also see parts of the decent! I've done the Kilimanjaro a few years back and am now considering the idea of climbing Mont Blanc
I also did Kili before doing this, they are definitely different mountains! I say go for it!
You made the correct decision, many die on the mountain. Turned around in a storm and just made it to the Goutier hut. Many perished who did not turn around soon enough. 1996.
Seems a bit windy, but nice view.
Great achievement! Respect
Amazing video! Congratz
Balls of steel. All the best bro. Gratz.
You were close from the summit, but indeed the wind was too strong, good decision to get back to Gouter :)
Yes, it ended up being the smart thing to do in the end!
amazing mate, cracking vid too, thanks
Solo'd Mt Blanc in 08. Missed the train and chair lift on decent. 13 hours from summit to car. 2 weeks to recover 😆
You must have been fuming
@@MrCheggers123crying more like.
@@MegaGWORKS what a nightmare! Can only imagine the joy of seeing the car. Thinking thank fuck that’s over haha. Good effort
Awesome! Well done!
This 100% on my bucketlist
Congrats! Great video that Alos shows your Battle with the mountain. Reasonable decision making. You missed to give us the grand couloir on the way back ;-) congrats again!
Smart man,respect !!!
loved thx for shere brother
thank you!
Love your clip to show how solo Mont Blanc Summit. Good job.
Can I get up there without stay overnight?
I am trail runner who gonna participate in UTMB next month
Thank you.
People have gone to the summit without staying overnight, however, it is extremely difficult and I'm not sure if it is allowed. There is someone checking if you have reservations at one of the huts before allowing you to continue. Definitely check with the mountain guide station in Chamonix before you go to see what conditions are like, I have heard conditions are dangerous right now. Good luck on UTMB, I would like to do that race one day!!
Why you didn't used the dragon of the Axe? Damn, what a wind....
Summit height revised to 4810 meters now :)
None of this stuff would ever fly in the USA... great job.
Great stuff! And congrats. Few questions:
- where did u book tickets for Du Midi hut? And did u book in advance for few nights? There are limited places there.
- did u need to use ropes? Or just the axe for the summit ascent ?
I don't remember the website to make the reservations for the huts but if you Google it you will find it. And yes I booked it in advance, I would suggest making reservations the day they become available for the year because they sell out very quickly. I booked several nights just in case of bad weather. You don't need ropes to summit, just the axe in case of a fall. Good luck!
Nice job man.
Thank you!
Fantastic video! I'm planning to summit summer of next year. Is there anyway you'd let me contact you privately for advice and some questions? :-)
Sure, you can send me an email with any questions you have at marshal.mayhew@gmail.com
It might be a few days before I can get back to you, I'm about to go into the mountains for several days myself
@@fatnomad that's absolutely fine. I'm quite busy at the moment myself but I'll send one later next month I think.
Thank you so much!
nice one
I'm doing this in early August and just starting watching videos and researching -- what time of year was this? Did you encounter any issues with crevasses (as it seems most people rope up)? Why did you have a harness on if you were going solo and didn't seem to use a rope to rap or anchor at any point?
I believe this was late August/early September. I didn't have any issues with crevasses although there was one that was visible that I went around. I wore the harness because I had it and thought just in case I need rescuing better to be wearing one, or if I found a group I could rope up with then I would be prepared.
@@fatnomad thanks for the reply. If you hike in the US at all I have a hiking channel too!
Hi, did you clip on to the steel safety wires at any time? I see you were wearing a harness.
No I did not clip into the wire, I just used my hands to pull myself up. I wore a harness just in case I needed to be rescued or could help rescue someone else.
A bit too risky in that wind. A touch too windy for those ridges...
Yeah it was definitely a little nerve wracking being up there with the wind. One strong gust and....yikes.
@@fatnomad Also, some of those slopes on either side of the ridge are so steep that a swift ice axe self-arrest is next to impossible ... which regrettably I experienced myself this summer in Chamonix (at a much lower altitude) and my right leg & lower-back are now in their 10th week of recovery of an estimated total recovery time of 6 to 12 months.🤕On the plus side, my ice axe self-arrest was good enough to save my life🥳
Hey man. Great vid. If you see this and don't mind could you please tell me about your acclimatization for this? I've heard after 2500m it is recommended to only increase by 500m per 24 hours to avoid altitude sickness but you seemed to smash this out in 48 hours was it? I ask because I would like to do a 4000m+ mountain some day and thought it would take a week or more ha. Thanks!
If you have never been that high, then that's probably good advice. I've been above 4000m on a number of occasions and due to some good fortune it just doesn't affect me very much. So really my only acclimatization was going up to Aguille du Midi for a day. Although I will also say I was in incredibly good fitness at the time running around 50miles/80 km per week
@@fatnomad Ah interesting. Cool. Thanks a lot!
@toysrus2413 alof of it relies on genetics mate
I recommend doing a couple of days of acclimatization. There are plenty of nice routes relatively nearby as well as in Chamonix valley. Doing some 3000+ summits on the Italian side of the Vallee Blanche is great: Petit Flambeaux and/or Aiguille de Toula. If you want to do a very easy 4000'er as acclimatization I'ld say plan one or two days in Zermatt before going to Chamonix and do the Breithorn West summit. It is super accessible and you can do the return trip Zermatt-summit-Zermatt within 4 hours, including cable-car transfers. We're in the mountains to enjoy it, right, not to rush it.😄
Brilliant video! Can I ask what you filmed on and how you had I mounted?
I filmed on a GoPro 8 with it mounted on a PeakDesign backpack strap mount. When I filmed myself I just used a gopro selfie stick.
@@fatnomad great, thanks for getting back to me
Good video...100 %
Hey, Good call on stopping the summit attempt. When did this approximately take place ?
It was late August last year (2020)
@@fatnomad Thanks ! Amazing video thank you for the View !!
How long it took you to climb from tête rousse to goûter hut ?
It took me just over 2 hours
@@fatnomad ok thank you sir.
Where did you do the aclimmatation?
@@reborn3530 I didn't do any acclimatization. I was in very good physical condition and based on other trips I don't suffer very much at high elevations, thankfully
@@fatnomad Which VOmax2 did you have?
@@reborn3530 I don't know how accurate the Garmin V02 Max is but I had low to mid 50s
Is more easier the italian or trench rouge?
Good question. Someone told me the Italian route is easier, but I don't know. I do know the french route is much more popular
do you need to reserve hut space in advance?
Yes, you do and they sell out fast. But you can also call the hut the day before or day of to see if there has been any cancellations, but there's no guarantee there will be space.
So funny!
That was sick, big congratz! What were your total expenses on hut stay, food and gear during that time?
Thanks! I think it was around 30 euros for the gondola and train to the starting point (one way), then the huts were around 60-70 euros per night, food cost me around 30 euros per day, and I already had all the gear so that didn't cost me anything.
Bravo
Nice climb it wasn't really solo though. You got a little help.