Sat 4. [4 August 1900] Up at 4 and off at 5.10 for the Aiguille du Géant. Strong cold wind and flying cloud which formed on the S side of the Aiguille and boiled upwards. The wind was from the N. Long snow slopes till 6.10 which warmed me somewhat. Up broken rocks to the foot of a pyramid from whence I took a fine view of Mt Blanc rising above the cloud. Up again broken rocks without a rope till we came to a small {ridge} slope of snow where we roped. A difficult couloir where you had to go a cheval on a pointed slab of granite - the whole rock is very good and can be trusted everywhere. Demarquille and I left our axes here. Then over a ridge of snow and stopped a little below the foot of the Aiguille in a sheltered place where I had some chocolate and water 7.50-8.50. Demarquille was frozen. I gave him my big woollen gloves. My hands were warmed by the rock work, but I continued to shiver, though not unpleasantly, almost until we returned to the foot of the Aiguille. We crossed a bit of snow and turned to the left under the Aiguille where we found a hanging rope - it was just about here that a guide was killed a fortnight ago by lightening, after having accomplished the ascent by a new road up the N face said to be easier than the old. The first hour or so was quite easy. Straight up long slabs of rock with a fixed rope to hold by. Then a flank march which was rather difficult; the rocks from here to the top of the NE summit are extremely steep. At one point my hands and arms were so tired that I lost all grip in them. A steep bit down, a pointed breche and a very steep up rock leads to the highest summit where there is a cairn. 11.15-11.30. The clouds had left the Aiguille and we had a fine view of Mt Blanc and Aiguilles rising through cloud, but the Chermoz Aiguilles were hidden. The Verte and Dru very clear. Coming down was a good bit easier and less tiring than going up. We got to the foot of the Aiguille at 12.45. Stayed till 1.30 in warm sun and mist which rolled up gradually, we eat, I bread and butter and chocolate and came down onto the clouded glacier from whence we reached the hut over the easy slopes at 3.10. No one here. Had some tea and slept for an hour. Dined on soup and chicken at 5. Read Whymper's book. Cold and mist all round. Decide on an easy day tomorrow as I rather feel the effects of the first day's gymnastics. Most succesful and pleasant day, the only drawback being the extreme cold of the ascent.