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NEWS: Access Restrictions on Mont Blanc extended to August 1st

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 UKC News 16 Jul 2018
Authorities in the Haute-Savoie region of France have issued a temporary access restriction on the popular Goûter Route/Normal Route up Mont Blanc as a result of overcrowding, the BBC reports. Only climbers with pre-booked accommodation at the Goûter hut will be permitted to attempt the climb.

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2
 simes303 16 Jul 2018
In reply to UKC News:

How on earth are they going to enforce that?

In reply to simes303:

Some information in French in the PDF linked at the top of this page: http://refugedugouter.ffcam.fr/GB_home.html

It claims that law enforcement will appreciate that those taking the Tête Rousse itinerary will avoid the refuge, but yes - difficult to enforce fully I suspect.

 Doug 16 Jul 2018
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

Is this any different from similar restrictions in previous years ?

In reply to Doug:

Seems like a warning of sorts to the hut manager who has been allowing it to go over capacity frequently this season. Not sure what all the talk of 'public order' is about - fights at height?

 Misha 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

The full notice mentions that:

- There were cases of would be hut ‘users’ threatening the guardian when he/she presumably refused to let them stay. 

- This will be enforced by stationing gendarmes somewhere on the path (I guess just above where it branches off for the Tate Rousse) and providing them with a list of people booked in that night. I guess they would only be there during the day, when the train is running. Hypothetically, someone could may be skip through at the crack of dawn after walking up from the valley or getting the train and bivvying but such people will be few and far between and even then they could just be told that there’s no space at the hut. I guess it’s difficult for a guardian to say no if the weather is so-so or it’s getting late.

 

 Tom Briggs 17 Jul 2018
In reply to simes303:

We spoke to the Mayor's office yesterday and they said they were going to have a Gendarme stationed at the Grand Couloir.  

Post edited at 09:28
 Enty 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Tom Briggs:

Do you know whether people with reservations at the Tete Rousse hut are not allowed to go up?

Cheers.

 tjoliver 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Tom Briggs:

I wonder who drew the short straw on that one.

 Misha 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Enty:

The notice says something like that will be ok. In practice people from TR will be leaving at silly o’clock so should be fairly obvious that they’re going straight for the summit. I doubt the gendarmes will be there 24 hours a day anyway. 

 Enty 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Misha:

Cheers, I'll phone the hut. Only applies if they extend the rstriction anyway.

 

In reply to UKC News:

I've got a Q&A with Mr Peillex. Any burning questions? I'll be asking him about his opposition to the Massif's proposed UNESCO status too.

 nutme 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Misha:

>>  I guess it’s difficult for a guardian to say no if the weather is so-so or it’s getting late.

Gouter Hut guardians are quite harsh on turning people away and they are quite racist. Few years ago I witness people being turned away or offered a place on waiting list depending if they would speak French to guardians.

On other visit during dinner time they were offering people to call the helicopter rescue because hut was full and showed up climbers didn't wanted to scramble down in late evening.

Gouter hut is not your typical friendly Apline refugio.

Post edited at 11:15
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 Tom Briggs 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Enty:

From my colleague who is in Chamonix:

"a bit more nuanced. Frm the horse's mouth i.e. the mayor's office in StGervais: if you appear competent, fit, acclimatised & arrive @ Grnd Couloir in time to summit & descend same day, the gendarmes will let you. The late, slow and/or incompetent will be stopped."

 Doug 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

could be interesting, the mayor of St Gervais does seem to have an on-going feud with Chamonix so might be worth asking him about relationships between the two towns ?

 Enty 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Tom Briggs:

Thanks! That's better news. Aiming to leave TR at 1:30.

Cheers

 Neil Williams 17 Jul 2018
In reply to nutme:

> Gouter Hut guardians are quite harsh on turning people away and they are quite racist. Few years ago I witness people being turned away or offered a place on waiting list depending if they would speak French to guardians.

 

That's not racist unless it was based on something else as well.  It's long been the case that to get decent service in France you tend to have to attempt at least a bit of French, at which point the English tends to start flowing.

 

3
 Misha 17 Jul 2018
In reply to nutme:

Bear in mind that staff and guardians change over time. Seemed pleasant enough the one time I popped in. We were coming down from a route and my friend wasn’t feeling well (he had a stomach bug). He asked to stay and they found him a place (may be they keep some in reserve for such cases or there just happened to be a place, I don’t know). I suspect the new, better and bigger, hut is good for everyone’s sanity. 

 Misha 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

What’s his view on further development - more lifts, accommodation, etc? Is there some kind of limit or an overall strategy?

In reply to Misha:

Questions sent - thanks for the suggestions everyone. We'll see if he responds.

 jon 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

Too late now but you could have asked him why he did a 180° turn around regarding the removal of the old hut.

 jon 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

I can't remember the exact details but it was something like permission was given for the new refuge on condition the old one was removed. Then there was a complete turn around. Effectively providing another 100 or so places. Which means the mountain would be even more crowded. Just wondered how he justified this.

Post edited at 17:34
 Misha 17 Jul 2018
In reply to jon:

I think it should be turned into a boutique hotel and spa for extreme adventure seekers.

 McHeath 17 Jul 2018
In reply to Tom Briggs:

> We spoke to the Mayor's office yesterday and they said they were going to have a Gendarme stationed at the Grand Couloir.  

That won't help; there's been one standing on the N Ridge of the Weisshorn for years to no effect.

Andy Gamisou 18 Jul 2018
In reply to Neil Williams:

> That's not racist unless it was based on something else as well.  It's long been the case that to get decent service in France you tend to have to attempt at least a bit of French, at which point the English tends to start flowing.


My experience too. Except for Paris where they hate you whether you speak French or not.

 simes303 20 Jul 2018
In reply to Tom Briggs:

> We spoke to the Mayor's office yesterday and they said they were going to have a Gendarme stationed at the Grand Couloir.  

Incredible.

And unfair. In all my trips to the Chamonix area I've never once stayed in a hut as they are expensive and I have very little money. Both times I've been up Mont Blanc we walked up from the valley, bivvied out, did the climb, and walked back down. It seems that a pure ascent carrying all equipment and food and avoiding cable cars and huts is now illegal. This is very sad.

Post edited at 12:02
 timjones 20 Jul 2018
In reply to simes303:

> Incredible.

> And unfair. In all my trips to the Chamonix area I've never once stayed in a hut as they are expensive and I have very little money. Both times I've been up Mont Blanc we walked up from the valley, bivvied out, did the climb, and walked back down. It seems that a pure ascent carrying all equipment and food and avoiding cable cars and huts is now illegal. This is very sad.

Who says that avoiding cable cars and huts is illegal?

It appears that a simple step is being taken to prevent inexperienced and ill-equipped people from relying on using a single hut on a single honeypot route when they haven't made an advance booking.

 simes303 20 Jul 2018
In reply to timjones:

Generally it isn't illegal but on this particular route there will be a police-person stationed just before the couloir, checking names off against the hut guests list. It's crazy.

 Misha 20 Jul 2018
In reply to simes303:

I think it's not allowed to camp near the Gouter. Not sure how far away from the hut this extends. You can camp in a designated area by the TR. I'm guessing that someong pushing for the summit from TR would start very early and even if there's a gendarme there overnight (which seems unlikely) it would be clear what you're doing.

 Dom Goodwin 22 Jul 2018
In reply to McHeath:

I think you underestimate the powers of the Gendarmes. I was turned back by the one on the Weisshorn only last week - just seeing it in the distance was enough! Also, many years ago, the Rimpfischhorn North ridge Gendarme would not permit our party to pass. The one on Dent Blanche is more amenable - we sneaked round the side without too much problem.

1
 Neil Williams 23 Jul 2018
In reply to Andy Gamisou:

> My experience too. Except for Paris where they hate you whether you speak French or not.

Yeah, never quite "got" why people think Paris is that nice a destination.  Of the two Eurostar destinations Brussels is nicer, and if you move on to somewhere else in Belgium having arrived e.g. Antwerp it's nicer still.

 GrahamD 23 Jul 2018
In reply to Neil Williams:

Its all personal, isn't it (although somewhat tangential to the thread) ?  I really like Paris and I prefer Lille to Brussels.

1
 Doug 23 Jul 2018
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

any update on the interview ? (or have I missed it)

In reply to Doug:

Mr Peillex has replied this afternoon. I'll translate then post ASAP!


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