| Day 0 | (Day before the starting date.) You will want to arrive at the Hotel Pointe Isabelle (or other nearby hotel) by mid-day on this day. Get checked into your room and then plan on connecting with the rest of the team. The guides may choose to get together for a short team informational meeting in the evening so all are set prior to the official start in the morning. Plan on an optional meeting at 5pm (based on the team and guides' preference) and then perhaps a group dinner afterwards. Overnight at Hotel. |
| Day 1 | Meet at the Hotel Pointe Isabelle at 8:00 a.m., all ready to go with alpine day pack, extra layers, lunch, water, sun protection, alpine boots, crampons, ice axe, helmet, harness and a minimum 2 locking carabiners. Exact personal gear will of course be dependent on the group's objective for the day. For the entire program the day's schedule will be determined based on current weather, current climbing conditions and group abilities. The first day will be used as a warm-up and re-familiarization of techniques, with a moderate day objective and a chance to shake out the cobwebs. Likely objective: a traverse of the Aiguilles Crochues, a lovely ridge climb with easy but exposed rock climbing and beautiful views, accessed by lifts from the valley below. Overnight at Hotel. |
| Day 2 | Another morning start from the hotel with the destination being the Aiguilles de Marbrees. The team will normally take the gondola up to the top of the Aiguille du Midi and then another lift over to Point Hellbrenner near the Italian border. From there the climb is close by, with a fun combination of glacier travel, snow climbing and rock scrambling. The team will overnight in the Torino Hut (11,073'). |
| Day 3 | An early morning rise at the Torino Hut for another enjoyable climb. The Aiguille d'Entreves is a nice length climb, with more interesting rock, snow travel and crampon work as conditions reguire. After the climb, the group will reverse the gondola ride back down to Chamonix for showers, a good dinner and overnight at Hotel. |
| Day 4 | Travel to Les Houches to catch the Bellevue Lift and then the train to Nid D'Aigle. From here a trail hike of approximately two hours to the Tette Rousse Hut (10,390'). Overnight at the Hut. |
| Day 5 | Pre-dawn rise at the hut to climb to start the ascent. Shortly after departing the hut, the path crosses the Great Couloir, a hundred meter long path that crosses an area of potential rock fall. Once safely across, the route scrambles up a rock ridge past the old Gouter Hut to the crest of the Aiguille du Gouter at an altitude of 12,423'. The New Gouter Hut is nearby. From here the climb heads up the mountain on open snow field, finally passing on old rescue hut, the Vallot Hut at 14,311'. The final ascent is up a narrowing arete, to the summit which broadens out into a flat football field sized area. The team will descend to the Gouter Hut. Overnight at the Hut. |
| Day 6 | Back to Chamonix, by mid-day for a well-earned shower, celebratory dinner, and a final good sleep at the hotel. Overnight at Hotel. End of program.
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