In reply to Foxache:
I don't often post on UKC anymore but this post has been quite interesting and amusing at times. I have some experiences of Mont Blanc and I feel compelled to share them with anyone who intends to attempt reaching that altitude.
I've been up MB 8 times with groups ranging from 2-6 people (3 x Brenva Spur, 4 x three Monts, 1 x Gouter). On all of the ascents I have cursed being roped-up due to the sudden, uncomfortable tug as one person stops unexpectedly and the tiring inability to go at your own steady pace. However, the rope has saved a few of us...
Many people have mentioned the 2 obvious dangers of crevasses and stonefall so I won't spend too much time on these.
CREVASSES: at night, or in bad visibility, it is difficult to see the crevasses. On 2 occasions we descended at night in whiteout - we rarely saw the path and had to navigate accurately (much easier in a group) - the straight-line took us through the crevasses on the Dome de Gouter and the leader often partially fell in to his waist (pulled out be the snug rope behind)! On one occasion while descending the steeper section between the Bosses ridge and the Vallot hut we came across a solo climber (also descending) just sitting in the snow above a crevasse contemplating the creaky snow bridge that he had crossed in the darkness on the way up! We let him tie onto the end of our rope! Verdict: rope wins!
STONEFALL: Many people have been killed by stonefall in the GRAND COULOIR. In my experience, it is safer for 1 person to cross at a time, unroped, not clipped into the cable, concentrating on their feet placements and moving steadily, as fast as safely possible (wear crampons if there is any ice or snow). While he crosses the partner(s) carefully watch the slope above and remain silent unless they see stonefall coming his way - then use pre-agreed words of command such as "turn back", "stop" or "run"! On the scrambly slope between the Grand Couloir and the Gouter Hut a rope does not improve overall safety - unless you are unsteady due to exhaustion/altitude induced ataxia... Verdict: being unroped but in a group wins!
ATAXIA (and altitude sickness): This is a feeling of unsteadiness/dizziness that can be experienced at altitude. It is made worse by exhaustion due to lack of sleep and the mind-numbing cold or even heat. Someone mentioned above that excellent crampon technique is essential on these long, exposed routes in the Alps and only when you experience (or observe) ataxia that you realise how scary it is watching someone shuffle/stumble along a sharp, snowy ridge, with each careless step, their crampon-heels scrape together and they are in a mindless stupor (like being drunk). I think it gets called "lassitude" in the book Rum Doodle. Anyway, I've observed it many times and it is very dangerous - particularly for a solo climber. It comes on very quickly (from walking steadily and thinking clearly, a few hundred metres of ascent can cause stumbling and confused judgement), it can happen to very fit athletes and even to "experienced" alpinists. Slow, effective acclimatisation, careful hydration and good rest help to prevent it but some people can experience it every time they go to altitude! How would you know if you go solo for the first time? A few times, I've seen people just collapse in the snow, some on the descent from the summit and we have had to drag/lower them! Verdict: Rope wins!
BREAKAGES (equipment or people): One of my friends' crampon snapped on the serac band at the top of the Brenva spur - he had to continue up over the summit and down the Gouter route with 1 crampon. His safety was improved by being on a rope of 4 as he slipped many times on the hard snow. Another friend had been determined to get to the top of MB but just as he reached the summit he was violently sick and just wanted to lay down and go to sleep. We had to drag him down and keep him on a tight rope between 2 others. Verdict: rope wins!
A few years ago, after a long mountaineering career, I found myself in Chamonix without a partner and through UKC met up with a teenage climber on his first trip to the Alps. We met and he told me that he had just solo'd the Gouter route - my immediate judgement was that he had been reckless or was ignorant of the dangers, my opinion was reinforced when he said that he was very ambitious and determined and had found the route easy! But over a few weeks, we did some fine routes: he learned a bit about mountain risk assessment and mitigation while I was refreshed by his wide-eyed motivation and energetic enthusiasm. He later admitted that the experience of soloing the Gouter route meant little when compared to the shared experiences of the roped routes that we did (even though they were not as high and around the same difficulty)! Verdict: rope wins!
Finally to Foxache, the first sentence regarding your relationship and financial statuses in your OP was, in my view, superfluous and, as you soon discovered, offering out that information opened the door to speculation on your motivation, and even your mental well-being! You also asked for objective wisdom - I think that fact-based, measurable mountaineering wisdom is hard to come by so the replies you got were vague, personal opinions based on feelings or emotional response (gut-feelings). You were understandably, riled by this speculation and some of the subjective replies but you stuck with it and eventually came to your own conclusion. However, I hope you still have the motivation and enthusiasm to climb Mont Blanc - its a fine mountain either as a high-point in a mountaineering CV, or as a stepping stone to greater achievements