The Alps: Gran Paradiso, Monte Rosa & Chamonix
The Alps: Gran Paradiso, Monte Rosa & Chamonix
A few days of big mountains, new challenges and a lot of laughs along the way.
This summer, we headed out to the Alps with a group from the USVE community for a proper mountaineering adventure.
The original plan was to climb Mont Blanc, but with the mountain closed due to the weather conditions, we had to rethink the itinerary. Instead, we headed to Gran Paradiso and Monte Rosa and, honestly, it worked out unreal.
We got to take on two 4,000 m+ peaks, spend time in mountain huts, learn new mountaineering skills and experience some incredible conditions along the way. We also made our way through the Aosta Valley before finishing the trip in Chamonix.
It was a big step up from some of our usual hiking trips, with altitude, glaciers, snow, technical sections and some very early mornings. There were definitely some tough moments, but also plenty of laughs, amazing views and those moments where you stop and think, how are we actually here?
Sometimes the plans changing makes the adventure even better, and this was definitely one of those trips.
🏔️ Gran Paradiso
📍 Aosta Valley, Italy
Our first big objective was Gran Paradiso, at 4,061 m.
For some of the group, this was their first time climbing above 4,000 m, so there was a lot to take in. We had to get used to the altitude, glacier travel and the early starts that come with mountaineering.
The climb itself was challenging, but reaching the summit was a pretty special moment. We made our way above the clouds, with blue skies, fresh snow and incredible views in every direction.
It was also a great introduction to what the rest of the trip would bring.
🏔️ Monte Rosa
📍 Italian Alps
After Gran Paradiso, we moved on to Monte Rosa.
One of the highlights was reaching Capanna Margherita, the highest mountain hut in Europe at 4,554 m.
Getting there was a big achievement for the group, especially with the changes to the itinerary and the conditions we had to work around.
The summit push itself was a long and tough day:
📊 Summit Push Stats
- 🥾 Distance: 8.43 km
- ⏱️ Moving Time: 3h 43m
- 📈 Elevation: 815 m
- 🔥 Calories: 2,103
- 👣 Steps: 9,816
- 💪 Perceived Exertion: Hard
- 🌡️ Temperature: 0°C
- 💨 Wind: 12.6 km/h
- ❄️ Feels Like: -5°C
There were some big pushes required from everyone, but getting to the top made it all worth it.
💬 What Our Participants Had to Say
We always love hearing what people take away from our trips, and this one seemed to mean something slightly different to everyone.
Elle:“Climbing my first mountain over 4000m physically and mentally challenged me in ways I could not have prepared for.
But standing at the summit of Gran Paradiso with the clouds beneath us, blue skies, fresh snow, sheer drops on every side, feeling like we might all die at any moment if there was a gust of wind, was undoubtedly one of the most amazing moments of my life.
The combination of altitude sickness, lack of sleep, new technical skills and dangerous terrain can be exhausting. Experiencing the reality of how rapidly climate change is affecting the Alps is heartbreaking and exploring these extreme conditions gives you such a sense of how small we are in the grand scheme of things.
We climbed Monte Rosa under the full moon and as the sun began to rise the pink haze over the mountains was magical. Every time you have a chance to look around the colours and view evolve and it’s truly breathtaking. I loved the mountain hut life.
On a day when conditions were too dangerous to leave the hut all 8 of our team shared a little room with bunkbeds and a view above the clouds keeping cozy and recharging our energy.
On such an intense adventure trusting your team is so important and I felt so lucky to be with people who’ve become some of my closest friends and for all the support and laughs.
Chamonix is a vibe, full of opportunities for adventure & fellow thrill seekers. An absolutely amazing, challenging, life changing adventure!”
Michael:“Amazing trip, tough going at times but sooo rewarding as well!
I love being in the mountains and in nature! Mountaineering is definitely my new passion!Favourite part of the trip was summiting Gran Paradiso!
Standout moment was reaching the highest hut in Europe, the Capanna Margherita, in under 2 hours! Found the overall experience amazing!
Hard going at times, mentally challenging but acknowledging growth at the end!”
David:“My favourite part of the trip was when we reached the Capanna Margherita during the Monte Rosa part of the trip.
With the different changes because of weather and closures, it was a great feeling to reach the highest hut in Europe and the views of all of the Alps was incredible.
Standout moments were just the small jokes and laughs we had when we stayed at the huts. Staying in close quarters at that altitude was a new experience, and I was able to share it with everyone.Biggest challenge was the Monte Rosa summit day, it was a big push for me to get to the top but with the help of Noal, Amber and our guide Luca we all got there in the end.
Overall, I loved the experience. It taught me a lot about the mountains, the differences you have to take into consideration with mountaineering, and got to bag another summit!”
Danny:“Amazing Trip.
Best bits: GP & Margareta Summits 🏔️🛖
Ice Water Bathing 🥶
Yoga views 😍"
🏔️ Until the Next Adventure...
Another adventure with the USVE community wrapped up.
Two 4,000 m+ peaks, a lot of early mornings, some seriously tough days and plenty of memories we'll be talking about for a long time.
We can't wait for the next adventure.