The Aiguille du Grépon (literally the Needle of Grépon), informally known as The Grepon, is a mountain in the Mont Blanc Massif in Haute-Savoie, France. The Grepon has a Southern (3,482 m) and Northern (3,478 m) peak, which are the highest points of a sharp granite ridge to the east of the Glacier des Nantillons above Chamonix and northeast of the Aiguille du Midi. A madonna statue is situated on the Southern peak.
Aiguille du Grépon
The Grépon as seen from the south from Pointe Helbronner, showing the SW ridge and E face.
The first ascent was made in 1881 by the Swiss climbers Alexander Burgener and Benedikt Venetz guiding Albert F. Mummery from England. This team had climbed one of the peaks of the neighboring Aiguille des Grands Charmoz the previous year. Two days after an attempt on the East face was found too challenging, they climbed up the couloir separating the Charmoz and Grepon from the Nantillons site to climb the Grepon over the north ridge. The party took a very difficult narrow chimney from just below the col between the peaks. Though Venetz discovered the route and was the lead climber through it,[1] this vertical crevice became famous as Mummery's crack. The party reached the Northern summit, built a cairn and returned, but Mummery wondered at night if the Southern summit they had seen may have been higher. Thus the party came back over the same route two days later and completed a traverse to the highest crag, which involved some abseiling, "a broad road suitable for carriages, bicycles, or other similar conveyances", and more spectacular final lead climbing by Venetz, who hauled Mummery to the top after he slipped halfway. The second ascent leader, François Henri Dunod, partly brought up three ladders as he had heard stories of the difficulty of this last pitch, though it turned out there was an easier crack to the top.[1] More than 20 years later this rock climb was still considered to be one of the most difficult in the Alps.[2]
Albert Mummery in Mummery's crack in 1893 as photographed by Lily Bristow
Other climbing events:
2 September 1885: After a month of persistent effort, François Henri Dunod, François et Gaspard Simond and Auguste Tairraz climb the main summit from the south west. This route is slightly less difficult and is the normal route of descent.
before 1887: An unknown party reached at least the Northern peak via the first ascent route, but avoiding the Mummery crack by driving wooden wedges into a crack on the East side of the ridge.[1]
18 August 1892: Albert F. Mummery, John Norman Collie, Geoffrey Hastings and Henri Pasteur do the first north–south traverse.
4 August 1893: Lily Bristow is the first woman to climb the Grépon, traversing it with Mummery and William Cecil Slingsby, while taking pictures on the way
19 August 1911: First ascent East face (from the Mer de Glace) by Alexis Brocherel and Josef Knubel guiding Humphrey Owen Jones, Ralph Todhunter and Geoffrey Winthrop Young. This route contains the "Knubel crack", which was the first V+ pitch in the Mont Blanc region.
16 April 1927: First winter ascent by Camille Devouassoux and Armand Charlet
25 July 1947: First ascent West face by Robert Gabriel, Georges Livanos, Roger Duchier and Charles Magol
Statueedit
Since 1927, at the top of the needle stands a statue of Our Lady of La Salette, 1.20 m high. With its weight of 44 kg, it was mounted on the back of a man on June 22, 1927, by eight guides of Chamonix members of the Jeunesse catholique.
Referencesedit
François Labande, La Chaîne Du Mont-Blanc, sélection de voies. Tome 1, A L'Ouest Du Col Du Géant., Arthaud Guide Vallot GHM 2005, ISBN2700305671
^ abc Mummery, Albert F. (1895). "My climbs in the Alps and Caucasus". London: T. F. Unwin. pp. 120–150. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
^O. K. Williamson (1904) Note on the Aiguille du Grépon. The Climber Club Journal, vol 7. pp 190-191
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aiguille du Grépon.
January 01, 1970
aiguille, grépon, literally, needle, grépon, informally, known, grepon, mountain, mont, blanc, massif, haute, savoie, france, grepon, southern, northern, peak, which, highest, points, sharp, granite, ridge, east, glacier, nantillons, above, chamonix, northeast. The Aiguille du Grepon literally the Needle of Grepon informally known as The Grepon is a mountain in the Mont Blanc Massif in Haute Savoie France The Grepon has a Southern 3 482 m and Northern 3 478 m peak which are the highest points of a sharp granite ridge to the east of the Glacier des Nantillons above Chamonix and northeast of the Aiguille du Midi A madonna statue is situated on the Southern peak Aiguille du GreponThe Grepon as seen from the south from Pointe Helbronner showing the SW ridge and E face Highest pointElevation3 482 m 11 424 ft Coordinates45 54 09 N 06 55 09 E 45 90250 N 6 91917 E 45 90250 6 91917GeographyAiguille du GreponFranceLocationHaute Savoie FranceParent rangeMont Blanc MassifClimbingFirst ascent5 August 1881 by Albert F Mummery Alexander Burgener and Benedikt Venetz Contents 1 Climbing history 2 Statue 3 References 4 External linksClimbing history editThe first ascent was made in 1881 by the Swiss climbers Alexander Burgener and Benedikt Venetz guiding Albert F Mummery from England This team had climbed one of the peaks of the neighboring Aiguille des Grands Charmoz the previous year Two days after an attempt on the East face was found too challenging they climbed up the couloir separating the Charmoz and Grepon from the Nantillons site to climb the Grepon over the north ridge The party took a very difficult narrow chimney from just below the col between the peaks Though Venetz discovered the route and was the lead climber through it 1 this vertical crevice became famous as Mummery s crack The party reached the Northern summit built a cairn and returned but Mummery wondered at night if the Southern summit they had seen may have been higher Thus the party came back over the same route two days later and completed a traverse to the highest crag which involved some abseiling a broad road suitable for carriages bicycles or other similar conveyances and more spectacular final lead climbing by Venetz who hauled Mummery to the top after he slipped halfway The second ascent leader Francois Henri Dunod partly brought up three ladders as he had heard stories of the difficulty of this last pitch though it turned out there was an easier crack to the top 1 More than 20 years later this rock climb was still considered to be one of the most difficult in the Alps 2 nbsp Albert Mummery in Mummery s crack in 1893 as photographed by Lily Bristow Other climbing events 2 September 1885 After a month of persistent effort Francois Henri Dunod Francois et Gaspard Simond and Auguste Tairraz climb the main summit from the south west This route is slightly less difficult and is the normal route of descent before 1887 An unknown party reached at least the Northern peak via the first ascent route but avoiding the Mummery crack by driving wooden wedges into a crack on the East side of the ridge 1 18 August 1892 Albert F Mummery John Norman Collie Geoffrey Hastings and Henri Pasteur do the first north south traverse 4 August 1893 Lily Bristow is the first woman to climb the Grepon traversing it with Mummery and William Cecil Slingsby while taking pictures on the way 19 August 1911 First ascent East face from the Mer de Glace by Alexis Brocherel and Josef Knubel guiding Humphrey Owen Jones Ralph Todhunter and Geoffrey Winthrop Young This route contains the Knubel crack which was the first V pitch in the Mont Blanc region 16 April 1927 First winter ascent by Camille Devouassoux and Armand Charlet 25 July 1947 First ascent West face by Robert Gabriel Georges Livanos Roger Duchier and Charles MagolStatue editSince 1927 at the top of the needle stands a statue of Our Lady of La Salette 1 20 m high With its weight of 44 kg it was mounted on the back of a man on June 22 1927 by eight guides of Chamonix members of the Jeunesse catholique References editFrancois Labande La Chaine Du Mont Blanc selection de voies Tome 1 A L Ouest Du Col Du Geant Arthaud Guide Vallot GHM 2005 ISBN 2700305671 a b c Mummery Albert F 1895 My climbs in the Alps and Caucasus London T F Unwin pp 120 150 Retrieved 2016 12 26 O K Williamson 1904 Note on the Aiguille du Grepon The Climber Club Journal vol 7 pp 190 191External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aiguille du Grepon Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aiguille du Grepon amp oldid 1153473694, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
