It took me quite a while to “visualize” this climb. I find it hard to tackle a difficult route unless I first have a clear picture of it in my mind, and for this one in particular, it took several years. I had already made an attempt, thwarted by bad weather and unfavorable mountain conditions, but finally the right moment had arrived. This summer, the anxiety that had always accompanied my plan to make this climb had turned into eager anticipation. I could feel it: this was going to be the right time! We set off early from Milan; we want to enjoy the climb at a leisurely pace and bivouac near Punta Ottoz. The backpack is heavy and doesn’t allow for a brisk pace, but we press on “slowly but surely.” We imagine we’ll find a crowd on the ridge, given the forecast and the lack of snow… That’s it: the lack of snow… The climb will be marked by dehydration and the search for something to melt. We meet two German girls, Caroline and Myriam, who, having set off from Borelli at dawn and gotten lost on the Welzenbach, will share this entire grand course with us. On the first evening, we treat ourselves to a sumptuous dinner, cooked using the full 1.5 liters of water we have left between the two of us. Fortunately, by morning we’re quickly at the summit of La Noire, where we find snow (the last before the southern and central breaches of the Dames Anglaises). Two abseils put an end to our plan to bivouac at Col de Peuterey. The high traverse of the Dames Anglaises is also not to be underestimated: the unstable scree at the base of the spires demands caution, and the lack of fixed gear on site means we have to rely on our instincts. The descent from Isolee requires us to set up an emergency abseil (60 meters isn’t enough to reach the bottom, and there’s only one belay station just below the summit). We reach Craveri just as it’s getting dark, exhausted and with barely a liter of water between us. The bivouac is littered with abandoned climbing shoes and trash. It’s a real shame that such a relic is treated so poorly. In the morning, we find snow beyond the Grade III chimney (the Mont Blanc routes are always great for waking up) and manage to drink nearly three liters of broth. From here, the climb becomes much easier, and we press on toward the Three Peaks of the Blanche. We wait a bit at the Col de Peuterey to let the sun stop heating the GPA, from which a large number of rocks are falling, and then we set off for the final stretch. Edo heads for the rock, leaving me the part that inspires him least: the snowy ridge. We make good progress, but higher up, partly due to the exposed ice (with only one classic ice axe each) and partly due to dehydration, we are forced to slow down. Just below the Bianco di Courmayeur ridge, I see flashes of light coming from the Roof of Europe. It’s a Spanish guide who, upon seeing headlamps on the Peuterey, decided to wait for us because, “given the time and where we came from, we’ve surely completed the full traverse.” He offers us his last Mars bar and the little water he has left, then heads down with his client toward Le Gouter. We take the opportunity for one last cup of tea and to savor this once-in-a-lifetime moment before beginning the endless and inevitable descent into the valley, with a stop at the Vallot refuge. If you’d like to ask me for information and details about the climb, feel free to contact me.