Mont Blanc, Trois Monts

Assemble in Chamonix at 1035 m. Full equipment check at the office: crampons fitted to boots, harnesses inspected, ropes coiled and logged. P-01 walks the group through the forecast window and the Trois Monts line on the relief map. Early dinner. Nothing left to chance, nothing carried twice.

Lift to Le Tour, then two hours on the moraine path to the Albert Premier hut at 2702 m. Afternoon on the Tour Glacier: crampon technique, rope spacing, arrest drills repeated until they bore. Lungs begin their adjustment. Hut dinner at 18:30, lights out early.

Across the Vallée Blanche under the Géant séracs. We take the snow shoulder toward the Aiguille du Toule to 3466 m, then drop to the Torino hut for the night. Moving slowly on purpose; the blood is still learning. Italy for dinner, France again tomorrow.

A short glacier day back across the plateau to the Cosmiques hut, perched at 3613 m below the Aiguille du Midi. Kit sorted by headtorch light, bottles filled, alarms set for 01:00. The Tacul face is visible from the terrace. Everyone quiet at dinner. That is normal.

On the Tacul slopes by 02:00, the Maudit shoulder at first light, then the long white curve of the Mur de la Côte. Summit of Mont Blanc, 4810 m, logged at 09:40. Careful reversal of the whole line, back to the Cosmiques by mid-afternoon. Little said. Enough done.

Down the arête to the Aiguille du Midi station and the first bin to the valley. Chamonix at 1035 m by late morning. Gear returned, route card closed, E-04 marked complete in the ledger. Coffee on the Place Balmat while the paperwork dries. The mountain stays where we left it.