12-Day TRIPLE CROWN: Mont Blanc Matterhorn Eiger
Mont Blanc – Matterhorn – Eiger
Chamonix → Zermatt → Grindelwald
🏔 Mont Blanc (4,809m)
Day 0 — Arrival in Chamonix
Evening meeting, full gear check, conditions briefing.
Overnight: Chamonix
Day 1 — Warm-Up: Aiguilles Rouges (Crochues Traverse or similar)
Elevation: ~2,500–2,800m
Vertical Gain: 400–800m
Technical: Alpine rock ridge, moderate exposure
Start Time: 7:00–8:00 AM
Focus on movement efficiency, rope systems, and acclimatization.
Overnight: Chamonix
Day 2 — Cosmiques Arête (Aiguille du Midi 3,842m)
Vertical Gain: ~400m climbing
Altitude Exposure: 3,600–3,800m
Technical: Mixed ridge, rock & snow
Start Time: First lift (~8:00 AM)
A perfect stepping stone before the bigger objectives.
Overnight: Chamonix
Day 3 — Move to Hut (Goûter or Tête Rousse)
Goûter Route Option
Tram + hike
Vertical Gain: 800–1,000m
Hut Elevation: 3,167m (Tête Rousse) or 3,835m (Goûter)
Start Time: 7:00–9:00 AM
A relatively relaxed positioning day.
Overnight: Mountain Hut
Day 4 — Mont Blanc Summit (4,809m)
From Goûter Hut (3,835m)
Vertical Gain: ~975m
Round-Trip Elevation Gain: ~1,000m
Summit Day Duration: 8–12 hours
Start Time: 1:00–2:00 AM
From Tête Rousse (3,167m)
Vertical Gain: ~1,640m
Start Time: 12:00–1:00 AM
Long glaciated ascent with crevasse travel and sustained altitude.
Overnight: Goûter Hut
Day 5 — Descend to Chamonix
Descent: 1,000–1,600m depending on hut
Start Time: 7:00–8:00 AM
Recovery afternoon.
Overnight: Chamonix
🏔 Matterhorn (4,478m)
Day 6 — Transfer to Zermatt
Overnight: Zermatt
Day 7 — Approach to Hörnli Hut (3,260m)
Vertical Gain: ~600m
Duration: 2–3 hours
Start Time: Late morning
Overnight: Hörnli Hut
Day 8 — Matterhorn Summit (4,478m)
Vertical Gain: ~1,200m
Total Elevation Gain (RT): ~1,200m
Technical: Sustained 3rd–5th class rock, mixed terrain
Summit Day Duration: 8–10 hours hut to hut
Start Time: 3:30–4:00 AM
Continuous exposed scrambling with short pitched sections. Descent requires precision and endurance.
Overnight: Zermatt
🏔 Eiger (3,967m) – Mittellegi Ridge
Day 9 — Transfer to Grindelwald
Overnight: Grindelwald
Day 10 — Jungfraujoch → Mittellegi Hut (3,355m)
Vertical Gain: ~600–700m technical ridge
Altitude Exposure: 3,200–3,400m
Start Time: Early train (~7:00–8:00 AM)
Duration: 4–6 hours
Rock scrambling and glacier approach to one of the Alps’ most spectacular huts.
Overnight: Mittellegi Hut
Day 11 — Eiger Summit (3,967m)
Vertical Gain: ~600m
Total Elevation Gain (with descent route): ~800–1,000m
Technical: Sustained exposed alpine rock (harder overall than Hörnli Ridge)
Summit Day Duration: 8–12 hours
Start Time: 3:00–4:00 AM
Summit via Mittellegi Ridge. Descent via South Ridge, rappels to Eigerjoch, glacier travel to Jungfraujoch station.
Celebration in Grindelwald.
Overnight: Grindelwald
Day 12 — Weather / Buffer / Travel Day
Critical contingency for alpine conditions.
