Hello.

I myself and two friends are planning our first trip to the Alps this year and planning / hoping to summit Mont Blanc. Our chosen route is the Normal Italian Route staying over at the Gonella Hut. However, we are planning to go during the first week of June and my information is that the hut doesn`t open until the 15th of June. I am led to believe that there is a winter hut that sleeps 25 people but I would like to know....1.Will we need sleeping bags? 2.Are there any cooking facilities. 2.Do we need to phone in advance as is with the `summer` hut. 4.Is it located at the same site and is there any etiquitte we need to observe? Thank you.

-- Matthew Stanway (StnAndr6@aol.com), April 17, 2004