Update Sunday 22nd July 2018:
According to La Chamoniarde, the restriction order has extended from Sunday 22nd July to Wednesday 1st August 2018.
From 14 -22 July 2018, the Goûter route on the Mont Blanc has restricted access.
On 13 July 2018 at least one English language radio channel was reporting that the 'Royal' route on Mont Blanc is closed for a further 8 days.
The Royal route is more commonly known as the Gouter route and it is not closed. However, only those people that have evidence of an overnight booking at the Gouter hut are permitted to climb the route.
There are no restrictions on the 3 peaks route or the traditional route.
In the Mont Blanc Massif, there are 13 peaks over 4000m. Get away from the crowds and go climb something interesting!
The shelter's overnight capacity of 120 people was exceeded multiple times, this is a risk for safety and public order.
Risk of accidents
This summer, the authorities are concerned about the high volume of climbers on Mont Blanc, particularly with climbers that lack experience of high altitude climbing, on glaciers.
Accidents happen and the authorities are trying to prevent that.
Last summer , 15 people died on the approaches to the summit. Whereas, throughout the whole year, and over the whole of the Massif, the average fatality count is about 50. Fatalities accessing Mont Blanc are disproportionately high.
We advise mountaineers to be properly equipped, and to possess sufficient experience, to avoid being the cause or the victim of an accident.
Mont Blanc minimum equipment list: hat, sunglasses, ski mask, sun cream, warm and waterproof jacket, mountaineering trousers and base layer, mountaineering-specific boots and crampons, harness and crevasse rescue equipment, rope, ice axe, GPS or altimeter.
Whether you agree or not with the kit list above, from today, it's obligatory to have it if you're planning on climbing Mont Blanc via the Gouter Route.
We recommend: hire a High Mountain Guide
Read the article published by the BBC here.
