I'm doing the Gouter Route with some friends and a guide at the beginning of August.

On recommendation of our guide, we are acclimatizing on the Italian side (Orny and Trient huts) as these routes and huts are less crowded.
The guide also informed us that reservations are practically impossible on Gouter and Tete Rousse as the building of the new Goutter hut is drastically reducing the available places.