Cosmiques Hut

In winter the nearby Abri Simond Hut is left unlocked, although this has no cooking facilities, heating or water.

The initial descent for skiers and mountaineers leaving the Midi cable-car station can be very intimidating on account of its considerable exposure.

It has been described as "one of the most crowded and infamous passages of snow arête in the Alps, much feared by off-piste skiers and novice alpinists alike."

The descent from the Midi station and glacier path to reach the Cosmiques Hut takes approximately 45 minutes, and is graded at PD-.

[3] Use of the hut is encouraged because authorities have said anyone caught climbing Mont Blanc without a shelter booking or wild camping on the mountain will face up to two years in prison and a $335,000 fine.