I just completed the Tour du Mt Blanc last month:
(1) Kev Reynolds "The Tour du Mt Blanc" guide is logistically very accurate. But he does sometimes downplay the
difficulty of the day's hike. Beware of his use of the word "easy". There are NO easy days on the TMB. Most days have a 3,000 foot gain, followed by a 3,000 ft descent and involve 5-6-7 hours of walking.
(2) The scenery is magnificent. The best mountain scenery I've seen. Better than the Himalayas, Patagonian Andes, or New Zealand. On most days the peaks seems so close you feel you could reach out and touch them.
(3) My total cost, including airfare from Denver, was about $2,500 (including wine, beer and a couple restaurant lunches and dinners.)
(4) Although it was September there were LOTS of TMB trekkers. The huts were filled. Make reservations in advance.
Rics in Wyoming
I just completed the Tour du Mt Blanc last month:
(1) Kev Reynolds "The Tour du Mt Blanc" guide is logistically very accurate. But he does sometimes downplay the
difficulty of the day's hike. Beware of his use of the word "easy". There are NO easy days on the TMB. Most days have a 3,000 foot gain, followed by a 3,000 ft descent and involve 5-6-7 hours of walking.
Yes, it's a good book to have with you. Maps are not necessary IMHO. Yeah, there are some easy days on the TMB...but this is purely subjective. Much will depend on your Trekking Fitness and how much you're carrying. I Trekked this route in July this year and did not find it challenging at all. I followed this up with the Walkers Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt and found it a much more satisfying Trek in terms of Physicality and Views / Scenery - Purely subjective though.
(2) The scenery is magnificent. The best mountain scenery I've seen. Better than the Himalayas, Patagonian Andes, or New Zealand. On most days the peaks seems so close you feel you could reach out and touch them.
Yeah, purely subjective once again...comparing TMB with Nepalese Himalayas is apples with oranges. Personally, the Italian Dolomites are the most dramatic looking mountain range for me...I'm sure other will disagree!
(3) My total cost, including airfare from Denver, was about $2,500 (including wine, beer and a couple restaurant lunches and dinners.)
Money well spent! - where are you heading to next??
(4) Although it was September there were LOTS of TMB trekkers. The huts were filled. Make reservations in advance.
I had a similar experience - a great site to plan your Trek of the TMB and make online bookings for the huts in advance is here - (http://http://www.autourdumontblanc.com/en/)
Chilipepper: Thanks for the comments. Yes, "Best Mountain Scenery" is a subjective opinion.
I'm 72. In the past decade I've knocked off the Routeburn,Greenstone, Kepler & Caples (NZ); The West Coast Trail on Vancouver Is.; Traverse of the Wind River Range (Wy),TMB, Camino de Santiago, Annapurna Circuit; West Highland Way (Sccotland); Coast to Coast (England); Paine Circuit (Patagonia), and Dingle Way (Ireland). I'd like to do the GR 20 and Peru's Cordilla Blanca before I hang up the poles for good.
Rics
WOW! - I love hearing / reading about people like you :) still going strong into their 70's, very admirable and inspirational indeed. I hope I'm still trekking out there when I'm more senior :)
That is quite the Trekking CV you have there!
I had a big 2014 which included: - EBC via Gokyo / Cho La, AC & ABC combined, I then went and walked the Camino as well all the way to Muxia almost getting to the 1000km mark.
I have had just had a few months in Europe where I also trekked the TMB, The Walkers Haute Route and The Alta Via 1 in Italy......I am glad to be back home in NZ giving the body a well deserved rest :)
I'm in the early stage of planning a return trip to Nepal early next year to Trek "The 3 Passes" and "Upper Mustang" - I love that place!
GR 20 is on my hit list as well......one day :)
Cheers.
Way to go rics! I'm a youthful (sic) 67 and I hope that I am still going as well as you at 72.
I did the GR20 in 2009 and went to the Cordillera Blanca for walking and climbing this July. Both were great walks but the GR20 offers more socialising at comfortable huts with good food and a wide variety of people. It was one of my favorite walks.
Next week I'm off on a ten day bush walk in the Victorian Alps (Australia). You should consider the Overland Track in Tasmania. The Western Arthurs traverse is another classic Oz walk but you would need a partner with local experience.
I have my own way to make the TMB more secnic and "easy":
Train and bus from Martigny to Orsieres - Ferret.
Hike to Rifugio Elena - Middle Arp Nouva - Rifugio Bonatti - Upper Malatra - Col Entre Deux Sauts - Col du Sapin - Mont de la Saxe - Praz de la Saxe - Villair - Courmayeur
Cableway Courmayeur - Col Checrouit
Hike to Lac Checrouit - Mont Fortin - Col des Chavannes - Col de la Seigne - Les Mottets gite d'etape - Refuge du Col de la Croix du Bonhomme - Col du Bonhomme - GRP Tour du Beaufortin - Le Signal
Cableway Le Signal - Les Contamines (July/August only)
Bus Les Contamines - Bionnay
Hike Bionnay - Montivon
Train Montivon - Bellevue
Cableway Bellevue - les Houches
Train or Chamonixbus Les Houches - Chamonix
Cableway Chamonix - Planpraz
Hike Planpraz - Flegere
Cableway Flegere - L'Index
Hike L'Index - Lac Blanc - Lac des Cheserys - Col des Montets - Montroc
Chamonixbus Montroc - Le Tour
Cableway Le Tour - Col de Balme
Hike Col de Balme - Les Grands - Chalet du Glacier - Col de la Forclaz
Bus Col de la Forclaz - Martigny
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