Mont Blanc
How fit do I need to be?
This is a difficult question to answer, but in general you need to be able to sustain steady ascents of five to six hours carrying a pack over often uneven ground. (for the Cosmiques refuge route, the ascent is up to eight hours). An ability to keep going slowly without too many stops is much more effective than trying too hard and tiring yourself out. When training for your ascent at home, try to include as many long, steady jogs (at least an hour) as you can – short intense workouts are less helpful. If you can get outside for some long days in the hills, so much the better.
Does the route involve technical climbing?
Day one of the Gouter route involves a long scramble up a rocky ridge to reach the hut, though this ridge is not particularly vertiginous and you hardly need to use your hands. Day two mainly involves wide snow slopes with a more narrow, but usually well tracked, snow ridge to reach the summit. The Cosmiques route varies more according to the condition of the glaciers, but will always involve a 75m ice slope of about 60 degrees on Mont Maudit. You will be roped up for the majority of both routes for maximum safety.