In reply to ford23:
> record for Chamonix -> Mt Blanc summit is via the Gouter route?
Since the Gouter route does not much connect from Chamonix, it does not make sense to have a record for that.
Need to pick some other starting point for a Gouter route "record".
? St-Gervais-les-Bains ?
Record times for starting from Chamonix are normally established without specifying the route (choice likely depends on condition of different glaciers, season of the year, etc).
I'll leave it to others to explain how the "Gouter" route became so popular (and how likely this popularity is to continue?)
Ken