Mont Blanc First Ascent

Today's the 229th anniversary of the first ascent of Mont Blanc (which is why it's honored with a Google Doodle). But why should anybody care? There's a reason that August 8, 1786, is worth remembering. Mont Blanc's peaks are some of the deadliest in the world, but two mountaineers, Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard, tackled them anyway. In the process, they gave birth to mountaineering and kindled a spirit of adventure that every climber chases today