noon
I arrived at Chamonix on the 18th of August , 1871 , fully decided to make the ascent of Mont Blanc , cost what it might . My first attempt in August , 1869 , was not successful . Bad weather had prevented me from mounting beyond the Grands-Mulets . This time circumstances seemed scarcely more favourable , for the weather , which had promised to be fine on the morning of the 18th , suddenly changed towards noon . Mont Blanc , as they say in its neighbourhood , `` put on its cap and began to smoke its pipe , '' which , to speak more plainly , means that it is covered with clouds , and that the snow , driven upon it by a south-west wind , formed a long crest on its summit in the direction of the unfathomable precipices of the Brenva glaciers . This crest betrayed to imprudent tourists the route they would have taken , had they had the temerity to venture upon the mountain . The next night was very inclement .