Yeah, really a pity @lijaneja that you couldn't come with us, cuz you'd surely have made it up. This week we were in Chamonix and climbed to the roof of the Alps, Mont Blanc. For the ascent we chose the classic variant, cog railway to Nid d'Aigle, then via Tete Rousse to Gouter and summit. First day we ascended to Tete Rousse hut in nice sunny weather, slept there and acclimatized well. Next morning we woke up to 10 cm fresh snow, strong wind and in clouds. After a few hours it cleared and we continued to Gouter. Grand couloir is nicely snowed and passable without issues, just a bit careful cuz sometimes stuff flies down annoyingly, the whole wall to Gouter is snowed too, steeper part of the wall is well protected and climbed without problems, few hours pulling on fixed ropes and you're up. From Gouter we started like everyone, at 3am. Night was nice and clear, but strong wind blowing, around 70-80 km/h, gusts a bit more and blowing fresh snow so the only orientation was the rope team in front when you could see it. Wind chill was by my guess around -15 to -20 at summit, so some had water freeze in backpack, my camera failed at top due to cold. The ascent from Gouter itself is not technically demanding, one short exposed ridge section, in strong wind a bit nasty, but nothing special. Only the altitude takes your breath, and you walk so slow you annoy yourself. For ascent we needed a few minutes over 5 hours (I planned 6), first teams did ascent in some 4 hours, plus descent to Gouter 2.5, total 8 hours up and down, which seems fine to me. Some teams turned back due to wind and exhaustion, cuz those guides drive them up like goats, unbelievable, saw some without ice axe, tied like goats, crampons on feet and go. If not, turn and down. So summit that day saw some twenty people, besides us there was one independent team from Lithuania in Gouter, rest were clients with guides. We couldn't get sleeping spots neither in Gouter nor Tete Rousse, so had to descend same day all to Nid d'Aigle hut where we slept, next morning down valley by train and cable car, some shopping in Cham, obligatory pics under Balmat and Paccard monument, then home. All in all, nice tour, very demanding physically and mentally, but for well prepared mountaineer doable without special issues, of course if you acclimatize well and respect all high altitude rules, especially hydration. And some pics follow...