9 6 5 , ▁runs ▁beneath ▁the ▁mountain ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁major ▁trans - Al pine ▁transport ▁route . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 7 6 0 ▁Swiss ▁natural ist ▁Hor ace - B én éd ict ▁de ▁S auss ure ▁began ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁Cham on ix ▁to ▁observe ▁Mont ▁Bl anc . ▁He ▁tried ▁with ▁the ▁Cour may eur ▁mountain ▁guide ▁Jean - La urent ▁Jordan ey , ▁native ▁of ▁Pr é - Saint - Did ier , ▁who ▁accompanied ▁De ▁S auss ure ▁since ▁ 1 7 7 4 ▁on ▁the ▁Mi age ▁Gla cier ▁and ▁on ▁mont ▁C ram mont . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁recorded ▁as cent ▁of ▁Mont ▁Bl anc ▁( at ▁the ▁time ▁neither ▁within ▁Italy ▁nor ▁France ) ▁was ▁on ▁ 8 ▁August ▁ 1 7 8 6 ▁by ▁Jacques ▁Bal mat ▁and ▁the ▁doctor ▁Michel ▁P acc ard . ▁This ▁clim b , ▁initi ated ▁by ▁Hor ace - B én éd ict ▁de ▁S auss ure , ▁who ▁gave ▁a ▁reward ▁for ▁the ▁successful ▁as cent , ▁tradition ally ▁marks ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁modern ▁mount aine ering . ▁The ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁sum mit ▁was ▁Marie ▁Parad is ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 8 . ▁ ▁Now ad ays ▁the ▁sum mit ▁is ▁asc ended ▁by ▁an ▁average ▁of ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁mount aine er - t our ists ▁each ▁year . ▁It ▁could ▁be ▁considered ▁a ▁techn ically ▁easy , ▁yet ▁ar du ous , ▁as