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Planning to walk the tmb the end of June next year,looking for hints, tips and advice from anyone who's done it before.
There will be 2 or 3 couples. We'll be staying in refuges/huts or Gites the whole way. Probably looking at the classic 11 day route. Starting and ending in Chamonix as connections from Geneva seem easy.
We're all reasonably walking fit, have walked a few long distance Scottish trails and are often found up the hills at the weekends, however training will include more hills and hitting the stair-master!
Any wisdom would be appreciated. Cheers
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I haven’t done the TdMB but have done the GR20 in Corsica. I’d just practice consequitive hikes carrying the load you intend to take with you. The biggest challenge is hiking the consequitive days when you feel fatigued and tired, but you do get used to it quite fast.
I did it in 1996 and found it fairly achievable in 10 days IIRC, we were carrying all our kit but were young and enthusiastic. There were a couple of long days but nothing too drastic, the standout low points were where we'd run out of water on some particularly hot days, but managed to fill up at a refuge.
Sounds like you'll be fine.
Fitness wise you should be fine - alpine trails are generally easier than scottish hillwalking/mountaineering days. Bettter graded, steadier and there will be a path to follow. When I first did the gr5 I was pretty daunted by some of the days - 30k plus and 2000m of ascent. In reality no problem and my fitness was typically fine for a scottish munro day ie 15km 1000m routes.
That time of year can be pretty hot walking in the alps, maybe 27c. The TDMB is very popular so will get busy. Huts could be full especially as people have been postponing due to covid the last couple of years. I would consider starting midweek to avoid the weekend starters ie most people. Or maybe even not at Chamonix, depending on your transport links.
Kit wise you will be able to go superlight, which will be lovely! I can't remember how high it goes now but I would not anticipate any snow. Footwear I would 100% be wearing approach shoes/trainers and non waterproof ones at that. I would consider taking a very small brewkit/stove to make a coffee or tea but i do like a hot drink. A good sunhat very important. Small penknife for saucisson, goes without saying.
Incidentally I did london to Cham on the train for the walk, it was pretty nice not to have a car/plane issue
Did it in 4.5 days in September 2019. You can pack very light indeed if staying in the refuges. I think I carried about 6/7kg plus water, but that reduced as I ate a lot of it!
We just took sleeping bag liners and found the refuges warm at night, the exception being Bonhomme where we woke up to snow in the morning.
Also agree on the approach shoes- we wore running shoes and the trails were really quite smooth compared with Snowdonia/ lakes that we are more used to.
Some of my random snaps:
We did the GR5 about 20 years ago and echo above, approach shoes are worth wearing rather than full on boots. Yes it does get very hot, we went in May so may sure you fill up with water wherever you can. Sitting in the meadows with a baguette and saucisso bought in one of the valleys whilst taking in the view is unbeatable imo.
I did it solo last September/October. Wore trail runners and camped/stayed in the odd refuge (most were closed apart from the Winter rooms in some instances). My pack was around 10/11kg with food and water which isn't horrific for camping in the shoulder season, but heavier than I'd carry if I was going again.
The paths are good and navigation straightforward, compared to the UK climbs are very long and unrelenting, and descents can be punishing. I think in June there may still be snow on some of the passes and as mentioned it will likely be busy.
I followed Kev Reynolds' Cicerone guide, 11 days will be plenty including a rest day.
Loads of info on the interweb. I had a great time, there weren't many folk about as it was late in the season and views are amazing.
The Cicerone guide is well worth getting and ING do a dedicated 'whole route on one map' offering, with huts etc marked - good for planning. We camped (12kg packs with some Gucci gear admittedly - nice to be independent and stop at the pretty places/ wild camp - resupply no probs in the valleys. My advice would be to do it Clockwise if you want solitude, anti-clockwise to chat with folk on the trail.
It's a great walk - you'll love it
Clockwise here as well, and did the whole thing off the map with it all on- worth it’s weight in gold on waterproof paper!
As above. Cicerone guide and IGN map. I did it as a 3 day trail run with some mates and we used a bag transfer service which was excellent, it meant they picked up your bags from the hotel in the morning and dropped them off at the enxt hotel before you arrived. Genius. Wasn't that expensive and made the running much easier. Can't remember the name but pm me if you're interested and I can dig it out of some emails.
September seemed to have the best western historically and was certainly less busy than other times I've been to that region.
I'm jealous, I'd love to go back and walk it over a week or so. You'll have a great time!
Nice one, cheers. Some good info there and some cracking pics!
Footwear wise we're looking at trail runners/walking shoes. I've got a pair of very lightweight lowa boots that might do the job.
Starting mid-week might be a very good idea to avoid the weekend mass starts. We'll probably book all the accommodation ahead of time too.
I Don't mind camping, but like the idea of the refuges for the food and social aspect. Helps make the bags lighter and it is a holiday after all. Eyemask and earplugs will definitely be joining us!
We'll be packing as light as possible, we've learned to embrace the stink and have built up a decent collection of lightweight gear so not too worried about bag/gear weight.
As it'll be two weeks off work, maybe trying to squeeze it into 9 or 10 days would be preferable, I'd have to speak to the others but 11 with a rest day might be nice.
Got the cicerone guide and an all encompassing map on the way 👍
My parents did it in 1998 as their 25th wedding anniversary experience. They caught the Eurolines coach (much more pleasant than Megabus etc) from London Victoria to Chamonix then stayed in a hotel/b&b each night having their luggage transported each day so they just needed a daypack.
May not be everyone's cup of tea but eating in a restaurant every night with a cold glass of the local wine is very very pleasant after a hot days walking.
There are taps at various places on the route. If you can find out where they are, it could save you some weight.
Take poles for the steep ups and downs.
Don't start on on the same day as the big groups.
Get baggage transfers if you can, then every day (or most) are a daywalk. The extra few kilos of going unsupported, combined with the heat etc. makes it quite a bit more difficult.
Leave half a day spare in Chamonix for the Aiguille du Midi and Helbronner cable cars.