An easy walk brought us to the Tete Rousse hut followed by a long rest to prepare us for the ascent the next morning. After a light-weight breakfast we were off by 0215. A steady pace up the ridge landed us at the Gouter hut at 0430. Although still dark, to the east the amazing light of the rising sun streaked the sky. We took a 30 min break at the hut before continuing. A good pace allowed us to reach the Dome de Gouter within 1.5hrs. Anders and Fredrik demonstrated strong multi-tasking skills over 4300m chatting and walking their way up the mountain. Other passing parties commented,
"Do you guys think this a sunday stroll or what"?
Even when the high mountains are shrouded in cloud, Chamonix is dominated by the overwhelming presence of
Mont Blanc – both physically and historically.
It is not a classically splendid looking peak like the Swiss Matterhorn but appears as a great glazed meringue-like dome that garnishes the glaciers far above the cobblestones of Chamonix. Mont Blanc has over the years inspired poetry, madness and even the creation of Frankenstein!
Mont