At the very end of the season, Karl and Campbell, both from Essex, joined mark for a climb of Mont Blanc. The forecast was unsettled but "you never know if you don't go", so we headed up to the Goûter hut to see what Mother Nature would bring us.

Campbell, on the left, and Karl stop for a break near the Tête Rousse hut. Above us you can see the Aiguille du Goûter. To get to the Goûter hut, which is on top of the Aiguille, we climbed more or less straight up the face.

On our second day, we made our attempt on Mont Blanc. But cold weather and cloud turned us back just below the Vallot hut. In this photo we are looking up towards the summit. A large lenticular cloud wraps over the top of the peak.

Descending back to the hut, we are engulfed in cloud.

The following day we tried again. Campbell was not feeling 100%, so elected to stay behind in the hut while Karl and Mark went for the top. Here we have arrived on the summit, trying to stay warm in the cold wind. The sun is directly behind Karl, so we are looking east.

The victorious summit photo. Karl wields his ax.

A shot to the northeast from the summit. Following the ridge down with your eye, first is Mont Maudit, then behind and to the right is Mont Blanc du Tacul. On the far left edge of the photo is the Aiguille du Midi. The two large peaks in the middle distance are the Aiguille Verte and Les Droites.

On the descent back to the hut. The Chamonix valley still lies under cloud.

Here, we are below the hut, near the Tête Rousse. These climbers are heading up t the Goûter hut for a summit climb the following day.

Looking northeast from the descent. Chamonix is down in the valley, now getting a bit of sun. The Aiguille du Midi is the high rocky summit to the right and further away is the Aiguille Verte.

At the edge of the glacier we stop to take off harnesses, crampons, etc.