LESLEY SUMMITS MONT BLANC

Lesley took BASS to new heights by climbing Mont Blanc this summer. Along with her climbing partners Ed and Ben, they reached the top on the 8th August, which was the 230th anniversary of the very first ascent.

Here’s what she has to say. 

BASS: What made you decide to climb Mont Blanc?

Lesley: One of the reasons I think Morzine and Les Gets is so special is because of the spectacular views of Mont Blanc you can come across.

I always thought how nice it would be able to look over at the Mont Blanc and think that I had been up it.

BASS: What dangers did you have to consider?

Lesley: The most important thing that we discussed straight away was that if any of us were unsure about the climb on the day we would turn around together.

Once we made the decision to climb together we chose our route, booked the huts and made sure we had all the right equipment (the right boots, crampons, harnesses, rope, helmet, carabiners, ice screws, slings etc).

We then did a lot of fitness training to get our bodies prepared.

As we were climbing Mont Blanc without a guide we did a day of training with a qualified mountain guide. He checked that our rope work was safe, that we knew how to do crevasse rescues and gave us endless tips and advice.

With all this, we felt as prepared as we could possibly be.

BASS: What did it feel like to arrive at the top?

Lesley: The aim was never to get to the top, but to enjoy the preparation and then to see how far we got.

The weather was stunning, cold but not a cloud in the sky. I wish I could have looked around more often, but the ridges were so narrow in places that you really had to concentrate on your footwork.

The summit is quite wide so we were able to walk the last little bit as a three, so that we all got to the top at the same time. It felt wonderful to be there with the team. I could have looked at the view forever, there was so much to take in. We all looked across to Morzine and Les gets and could easily make out Mont Chery and Pleney. 

The next day we woke to a white out. We were so lucky that we were able to take the opportunity to go up on Monday. The whole experience, from when we first made the decision to climb it back in April, was brilliant. The bonus was getting to the summit, but the preparation and teamwork was the bit I was really proud of us for. 

Congratulations Lesley, you’re an amazing lady.

To book a ski lesson with Lesley enquire here: Online enquiry

Resort: 

BASS Les Gets