Daniel James Squire.

To The Top.

New Shoes Geezer.

Mont Blanc 4810m.

I have to be honest. I thought day two reaching the summit was going to be easy. Easier than the scramble after the Grand Couloir anyway. There were so many ups and downs and zig zagging, it was quite surreal in that sense as a long hike in darkness isn't the usual drill. Looking back down to the Gouter seeing a trail of head torches felt like I was on a plane looking down at roads and towns from 4000m. The summit push was the hardest part. I almost backed down at one point due to some pretty beefy blisters developing on my heels. But just before the Bosses ridge, Rhodri turns up coming back down from the summit! "10 minutes" he said!!! That was it, I had to do it now! The summit is so misleading, as you think your almost at the top then another climb appears then another! Until finally you find yourself looking down left and right at either a sea of clouds or the valleys below. This experience is intensified with every passing person leaving the summit as there are no passing points on the ridge it's literally single file and letting people shuffle passed you. I reached the summit at 8.05am September 6th 2013. Hardest and greatest achievement I have ever completed. I can't describe how amazing it felt to reach the top!!

So it's 2.50am after a long restless night in the stunning but smelly Gouter Hut Rhodri wakes us up. 3am breakfast, kit on and outside at 3.30am. By this point besides feeling half asleep at altitude and the fact there's a 4hr hike ahead of me I wasn't feeling great. We left the Gouter at 3.40am.

Finally, after the toughest scramble yet. I made it to the Gouter hut 3800m!!! At this point I already felt like I had achieved something great, after earlier in the morning I felt sick with anxiety and came close to hanging up my boots (literally). Mondays training on Mer De Glacé had taken it's toll on my feet. But I managed to ignore the pain and push through the first day of Mont Blanc's rugged Gouter route.

After a hour hour slog to the Teté Rousse refuge (3167m) you are faced with crossing the Grand Couloir which thankfully was dry and quiet when I passed. From there it's a scramble up to the final point of day 1; The Gouter Hut. Sitting on the snow line right on edge of the ridge at 3800m over looking the Glacier below. Reaching the Gouter hut is tough but so rewarding knowing there's a bed with your name on it!

Arriving at Nid d'Aigle (2380m) The start point of the Gouter Route. Where the climb becomes a reality.

See you in the morning Mont Blanc...

Day 2 into our training we hiked up to this spot on Mer de Glacé. The views were absolutely breathtaking.

Last Minute Mountain Jacket bargin!!! After taking a quick browse in Cotswold Outdoors last week. I was intrigued by the Mountain Hardwear Plasmic Jacket which was on sale at £60 down from £110. Well who can turn down such a good deal?! I had to have it! It's so light weight it is going to be ideal for the ascent if the weather gets colder higher up. Looking forward to getting geared up now.

Climbed Snowdon in 4hrs on Tuesday and it is safe to say my legs hate me. The pace was constant all the way up and quite intense once we neared the summit. But my knee remained strong throughout and the only problems I had was cramp when we were near Llanberis. Training through the summer was toned right down due to the fact we had a month of sunshine and the temptation of beer was too much to pass up. So after a month of only exercising my drinking muscle my legs took quite a beating after this Snowdon trip. But I'm ready for the alps now. Really worked up for it!!!

On the hills with the family.

An Amazing place for such small scale mountains the views are breathtaking on a clear sunny day.

People need to see this.