On the 22nd of July, 13 Officer Cadets, two Mountain Leaders and one further member of staff, met at the Birmingham Army Reserve Centre (ARC) to begin the expedition with the aim of circumnavigating the Mont Blanc Massif following the Tour du Mont Blanc route. The original goals were to complete the 170km route in 9 days while carrying all camping and personal equipment and to have all members of the expedition complete and pass their Summer Mountain Foundation, a qualification that shows a good understanding and application of the skills needed in Summer Mountaineering.
However, before being able to embark on the long journey to Les Houches, Chamonix, the start point of our route, we encountered our first set back upon realising that the ferry from Dover had been booked for the wrong day. Pushing us 24 hours behind schedule. Nonetheless we continued with the sorting and loaning of kit and preparation for the expedition. After a night in the ARC we began our journey to Les Contamines, our new starting point. Dover had been experiencing 8 hour queues at this point and we left with plenty of time to spare, this was not needed as we arrived 5 hours early and were allowed onto the next ferry.
Upon arrival in France the expedition drove across country to Les Contamines. Once arrived at our first campsite we pitched our tents, covered some lessons on mountaineering and split the group down into smaller groups and appointed captains. The purpose of smaller groups was to allow members the opportunity to have some responsibility and not to micromanage the whole group. Everyone was excited to finally start the trek and we had an early night.
With an early 7am start the whole team embarked on our first walk, 19km from Les Contaminés to Les Chapieux with 1300m of assent. We started off confidently rotating the navigators to practice our map reading skills however as the day progressed the heat and weight of our bags began to drag us down. With bags weighing up to 22kg and temperatures reaching 35 degrees our pace was decreasing and breaks were frequent. Despite this we rallied on and made it to our campsite in Les Chapieux, where we were rewarded with an incredible view of the mountain we had come from.
Yet the challenges to overcome did not stop there… on the steep decline into our campsite one of our instructors sprained his ankle meaning he had to step out of a few days to recover. This presented our Expedition IC and 2IC, with the unpleasant task of choosing who had to sit out of the following day’s walk. A disappointment to the whole team as it meant that there was no way for everyone to be able to complete the whole trek.
We did not let the setbacks of our first day continue to dampen our morale and the following morning the walking group prepared to set off on the 22.7 km trek to Courmayeaur. A steady start through the valley, followed by a seemingly never-ending ascent up to the border of Italy! In contrast to the first day however, with lighter bags and a steady pace, we reached our peak before the hottest point of the day which allowed us to break for lunch during this time. While the walking group was enjoying lunch with the stunning view down in the valley of Courmayeur the group that had stayed behind were faced with the challenge of reuniting with our combi van back in Chamonix which would be used as a support vehicle going forward allowing the group to drop some weight.
The interim days of walking saw a rotation of who was walking. While this had originally been a disappointment in retrospect it allows us as a team to further achieve the aims of AT. This is because it allowed much needed rest breaks from the walking, allowing the days walking to be more enjoyable as we were better able to work hard on the days and people were conscious of those missing out so made greater efforts. The rest days also allowed us to experience and visit the local towns and villages that we were stopping at along the way, putting our food allowance to good use in cafes and restaurants. It’s safe to say the highlight of having a small group not walking was the joy of seeing your tent already put up when you arrived at the campsite after a tough hike.
Our final day of the trip was a rest day in Chamonix … Except for OCdts Davis and Wright, who because they have passed their mountain leader training course, were able to complete the hike from Les Houches to Les Contamines by themselves. Which for them meant an early 5am start to complete the walk and for themselves the full Tour Du Mont Blanc, while the rest of us stayed at camp preparing for the long drive back to Birmingham. Until OCdts Davis and Wright returned and we then headed to the start sign of the Tour du Mont Blanc to take the obligatory picture. Despite only two people being able to complete the route, the group and personal challenges that were overcome by all members of the team and the resilience and determination that was shown across the trek was a huge accomplishment that deserves to be recognised. After a day which consisted largely of lounging around the hotel and some souvenir shopping in Chamonix, the trip ended with a well-deserved meal out in Chamonix to celebrate the determination, resilience and competition of the challenging hikes of the previous 9 days. To the other people around us we probably looked like the strangest bunch of British tourists as we sat dressed in whatever clean clothes we had left, however we were not bothered as we proudly celebrated our achievements. Or maybe we were just happy to eat at a table instead of sitting on the floor and the excitement of the real beds and towels that were back at the hotel!
A huge thank you to the Ulysses Trust for contributing to the funding of the expedition and it can safely be said that this has been felt and appreciated by all who went on the trip. The funding from the trust aided in the planning of an affordable, once in a lifetime adventurous training expedition that has allowed those of us who took part to step out of our comfort zones and push ourselves to do something that not many people can say they have attempted. As well as encouraging many, if not all, of the OCdts on the trip to want to undertake further mountaineering trips among other AT trips.
“Before joining BUOTC I had hardly been to the countryside, let alone hiked around mountains. When I heard about the Tour Du Mont Blanc, I was immediately interested. Selection was one of my first experiences mountaineering, and although I found it physically challenging, it piqued an interest which I believe will stick with me for the rest of my life.
OCdt Devgun
TMB was overall and incredible experience that I’ll always remember, with it being so different to anything else I’ve done before. Along the way I was met with various challenges, including an injury on the first day. However, I was rewarded with some absolutely breath taking views as well as becoming better equipped with knowledge I could use on future hikes. After gaining my Summer Mountain Foundation qualification, I have now set my eyes on the Summer Mountain Leader qualification, and so I am now looking forward to gaining as much mountaineering experience as possible for the foreseeable future.”
Which perfectly demonstrates how individuals have benefited from taking part in the expedition and how rewarding the trip was for stepping out of one’s comfort zone.
Report written by OCdt Boot.
