It’s strange seeing these by-now-almost-mountaineers dressed in office clothes, elegant and busy, as you would expect in a consulting company that counts some of the country’s biggest and most important companies among its clients. I watch them as, concentrated, they watch a presentation about the next outing, and I try to remember their faces when we’re in the mountains. Their eyes are the same, full of ambition and will to do it – it’s unmistakable. I imagine them suffering on the way up the last hike, while they celebrate making it to the top, then tired and sweaty on their way back down. And I can’t wait to see them in that environment again!
Every outing is a new challenge, it is made up of elements that are different from the last, regarding the environment, the elevation to be climbed, the type of terrain. And this time there is an extra element of difficulty: we’re all back from a month of holidays, an August spent in most cases laying on a beach in the sun, not preparing for the ambitious 4810 metre project that awaits. It’s going to be a beautiful endeavour again!
It’s strange thinking about all the various polemics about Mont Blanc these days, on the lack of preparation and respect of the improvised hikers that led to the decision to restrict access to the highest mountain in Europe. It’s strange because looking at what we’re doing, at the awareness and preparation that these people are putting into this endeavour, it makes me angry to think there are people that underestimate the mountains in such a way. I think that this is the principal example of how the climb of the Mont Blanc should be approached: preparation, head, heart. Let’s hope that this group can be a virtuous example, a living demonstration not just of the ability of people and organisations to change, but also, and above all, of the commitment that needs to be put into doing something new and extreme.
This is why this project is experiencing so much success, enough to allow us to involve another exceptional partner: The Italian Alpine Club (CAI), which will accompany us from this point forward on our adventure! The volunteer instructor of the CAI Milano, as well as the president, who have taken this cause to heart, will be with us. If even they share our mission, we’re on the right road!
And it’s just the beginning: the partnerships, projects, and training possibilities that this trip entails are infinite, and there are some exciting things in the works. But we won’t reveal them just yet. Now it’s time to prepare for the fourth M4810 outing… and this time it will be truly international!
Our destination is Switzerland, in search of unique and extraordinary routes that we haven’t yet experienced.
The Passo del Sempione to the Monte Leone hut, at 2800 metres above sea level. Just over 800 metres of elevation gain that should be doable considering what we did last time, but that hides dangers typical of its environment. The goal is still to stay as close together as possible, to reach the top as one body and one mind, another step on the long road towards the Mont Blanc.
If not that, the feedback of the group is more compact than ever: to the question “do you want to continue this adventure?” the YES is unanimous. There are many challenges, and the need to create more exchange and dialogue between those who have different paces is still present, but one thing is certain: Methodos continues to climb.
