We returned to La Gouter just as darkness set in 2.5 hours. The overall one day journey was of a mild difficulty rating on a rock climbing scale but from an endurance standpoint, this mountain was very tough. Towards the end of the 11 hour effort, I felt every step. My legs were physically drained. I was neither sick nor bitten by altitude sickness, just simply worn down from the long day of climbing. I was at a very low energy state. I had climbed 8,200 ft (2,500 m) and descended 3,280 ft (1000 m). It was a challenging endeavor for one day. I cannot remember feeling as exhausted as I did that evening in a long time. But the true and lasting rewards of having accomplished this great climb easily outweighed all the discomforts that would soon vanish. 

The service to the open seating area in the hut was closed but we quickly joined the staff in this small cozy kitchen for the last meal that night to us select few. Every bite was like a reenergizing scoop of power. It all tasted better than good but more importantly it was the way back to having normal body energy. Shortly after dinner, I attempted to sleep in a super crowded, overly warm hut. It was like a Cambodian refugee camp. Climbers were sprawled all over, sleeping on the floors and tables with bunk beds stuffed to the hilt.

I fortunately had a bunk bed slice but my personal space was limited. It did not matter, as long as I was horizontal. Closed windows, warm temps in the hut and high altitude air only allowed a few hours of sleep in a period of 8 hours but I felt far better after that. The next day I rose and we had a simple breakfast and descended to the train station via the same trial and greeted all the new climbers going up, eagerly ready to tackle the Mont Blanc Summit Challenge!

Click Here to see John Wutzer's training photos from Chamonix, France

Click Here to see more photos from John Wutzer's Mont Blanc climb