One day or another, this kind of dream comes true—you just need patience and hope that all the many conditions required eventually align. We set off with several options open, but no real plan: the only certainty is that we will sleep at the Cosmiques Hut, which is operating at reduced capacity and is fully booked with us four plus another 56 people. We leave the hut early, because we have incredible reports about the north face of the Maudit, but we don’t want to rule out the option of going all the way to the summit of Mont Blanc. The wind and overnight snowfall have covered the previous day’s tracks, so after crossing the two seracs of the Tacul we have to break trail again for almost the entire route. It is really cold—the forecast speaks of the 0°C isotherm at 3200 m—and a relentless wind gives us no respite. We move slowly, but both Jack and I have decided we will reach the roof of the Alps. The other two, unaware of this determination, put their trust in us. Nico, despite a sleepless night, does not feel the effects of the altitude. We start descending and suddenly the wind dies down. Then comes the unexpected surprise: winter powder at the summer solstice. The return to the Plan des Aiguilles is a real ordeal, but after this outing nothing can take the smile off our faces.