Grandes Jorasses
Encyclopedia
The Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif
.
The first ascent
of the highest peak of the mountain (Pointe Walker
) was by Horace Walker
with guides Melchior Anderegg
, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868. The second-highest peak on the mountain (Pointe Whymper, 4,184 m; 13,727 ft) was first climbed by Edward Whymper
, Christian Almer
, Michel Croz
and Franz Biner on June 24, 1865, using what has become the normal route of ascent and the one followed by Walker's party in 1868.
The summits on the mountain are the following:
. One of the most famous walls in the Alps, it towers 1200 m (3,900 ft) above the Leschaux Glacier, stretching 1 km from end to end. The classic route on the face is the Walker Spur (Cassin
/Esposito/Tizzoni, 1938, TD+/ED1, IV, 5c/6a, A1, 1200 m) which leads directly to the summit of Pointe Walker. The other major buttress on the mountain is the Croz Spur, which leads to the summit of Pointe Croz. In her solo ascents of the six north faces, Alison Hargreaves
chose this route in preference to the Walker Spur.
, part of the Courmayeur
municipality.
Mont Blanc Massif
The Mont Blanc massif is a mountain range in the western Alps. It is named after Mont Blanc, at 4,810.45 m the highest summit of the Alps. It is located in France , Italy , and Switzerland...
.
The first ascent
First ascent
In climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
of the highest peak of the mountain (Pointe Walker
Pointe Walker
Pointe Walker is a peak of Grandes Jorasses, a collection of peaks joined by a long ridge and part of the Mont Blanc massif in the Franco-Italian Alps.It is named after Horace Walker, president of the British Alpine Club, who made the first ascent....
) was by Horace Walker
Horace Walker
Horace Walker was an English mountaineer who made many notable first ascents, including Mount Elbrus and the Grandes Jorasses.-Alpinism:...
with guides Melchior Anderegg
Melchior Anderegg
Melchior Anderegg , from Zaun, Meiringen, was a Swiss mountain guide and the first ascensionist of many prominent mountains in the western Alps during the golden and silver ages of alpinism...
, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868. The second-highest peak on the mountain (Pointe Whymper, 4,184 m; 13,727 ft) was first climbed by Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper , was an English illustrator, climber and explorer best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. On the descent four members of the party were killed.-Early life:...
, Christian Almer
Christian Almer
thumb|220px|Christian AlmerChristian Almer was a Swiss mountain guide and the first ascentionist of many prominent mountains in the western Alps during the golden and silver ages of alpinism....
, Michel Croz
Michel Croz
Michel Auguste Croz was a French mountain guide and the first ascentionist of many mountains in the western Alps during the golden age of alpinism...
and Franz Biner on June 24, 1865, using what has become the normal route of ascent and the one followed by Walker's party in 1868.
The summits on the mountain are the following:
- Pointe Croz (4,110 m; 13,484 ft) – named after Michel Croz, a guide from ChamonixChamonixChamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
- Pointe Elena (4,045 m; 13,271 ft) – named after Princess Elena of Savoy
- Pointe Margherita (4,065 m; 13,337) – named after Queen Margherita of SavoyMargherita of SavoyMargherita of Savoy , was the Queen consort of the Kingdom of Italy during the reign of her husband, Umberto I.-Family:...
, wife of King Umberto I of ItalyUmberto I of ItalyUmberto I or Humbert I , nicknamed the Good , was the King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his death. He was deeply loathed in far-left circles, especially among anarchists, because of his conservatism and support of the Bava-Beccaris massacre in Milan... - Pointe Walker (4,208 m; 13,806 ft) – named after Horace Walker, who made the first ascent of the mountain
- Pointe Whymper (4,184 m; 13,727 ft) – named after Edward WhymperEdward WhymperEdward Whymper , was an English illustrator, climber and explorer best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. On the descent four members of the party were killed.-Early life:...
, who made the first ascent of this, the second-highest summit - Pointe Young (3,996 m; 13,110 ft) – named after Geoffrey Winthrop YoungGeoffrey Winthrop YoungGeoffrey Winthrop Young D.Litt. was a British climber, poet and educator, and author of several notable books on mountaineering.-Mountaineering:...
North face
Located on the French side of the mountain, the north face is one of the six great north faces of the AlpsGreat north faces of the Alps
In mountaineering, the six great north faces of the Alps are known for their difficulty and great height. They are:*Cima Grande di Lavaredo*Eiger*Grandes Jorasses*Matterhorn*Petit Dru*Piz Badile...
. One of the most famous walls in the Alps, it towers 1200 m (3,900 ft) above the Leschaux Glacier, stretching 1 km from end to end. The classic route on the face is the Walker Spur (Cassin
Riccardo Cassin
Riccardo Cassin was an Italian mountaineer, developer of mountaineering equipment and author.-Life:Born at San Vito al Tagliamento, Friuli, Cassin was one of the leading mountaineers of the inter-war period; in all, Cassin made a total of 2,500 ascents, of which over 100 were first ascents...
/Esposito/Tizzoni, 1938, TD+/ED1, IV, 5c/6a, A1, 1200 m) which leads directly to the summit of Pointe Walker. The other major buttress on the mountain is the Croz Spur, which leads to the summit of Pointe Croz. In her solo ascents of the six north faces, Alison Hargreaves
Alison Hargreaves
Alison Jane Hargreaves was an English mountain climber from Derbyshire. Educated at Belper School, her accomplishments included scaling Mount Everest solo without supplementary oxygen in 1995. She also soloed all the great north faces of the Alps in a single season—a first for any climber...
chose this route in preference to the Walker Spur.
South face
On the Italian side of the mountain, the south face can be accessed from the Boccalatte cabin, above the hamlet of Planpincieux in the Italian Val FerretVal Ferret
Val Ferret is the name of the two valleys departing from the Col Ferret on the border between Italy and Switzerland, on the southern side the Mont Blanc Massif. To the northeast, the Swiss valley, which drains into the Rhône basin; to the southwest, the Italian valley, which drains into the Po...
, part of the Courmayeur
Courmayeur
Courmayeur is an Italian town and comune in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley, in northern Italy. It is located at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe, in the Graian Alps range, and is crossed by the Dora Baltea...
municipality.