Overview
Mont Velan and Gran Combin seen from the Grand Lè (m.2554) (Tour du Drone)
The Mont Velan is situated on the border between the Aosta Valley and the Vallese (Switzerland). The mountain, like others summits (Monte Rosa, Gran Paradiso, Monte Bianco), is quite different in it's various routes and sides. The south-east side is a wall that fells down on the shell of By, the nord side has a big glacier, that brings to the round summit; it's a ski mountaneering route and the "normal" to the top; the south west side is ride, but has the small Velan glacier.
The Mont Velan was climbed for the first time in the year 1779, by a religious of the Ospizio del Gran San Bernardo, together with some hunters. The north face was climbed by the best climber ice, that traced here a few routes.
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Getting There
Mont Velan area map (1:50000)
The mountain is located between Italy and Switzerland, and can be climbed from different sides.
ITALY
Valsorey Pass: from Aosta town, take the road that brings to the Gran San Bernardo Pass, after a while turn right, s.s. 27 direction Valpelline, in Valpelline follow Ollomont-Glassier, and here you can park.
Glacier du Velan: from Aosta town, take the road that brings to the Gran San Bernardo Pass, after Etroubles turn right and drive a small road till Prailles Dessus
SWITZERLAND:
Cabane du Velan: along the road Aosta-Martigny, in Switzerland, quite close to the beginning of the Gran San Bernardo tunnel, in Bourg Saint Pierre, right side if you come from Italy, starts the small road that brings to a parking area.
When To Climb
Ski mountaneering: in springNormal route to the top, from June to September
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Camping
Huts:ITALY: new Rosazza bivouac (at the place of the old Savoy bivouac) m. 2551, before the Valsorey Pass
SWITZERLAND: Cabane du Velan, m. 2569
MAPS - BOOKS
ETAS KOMPASS 1:50000 - Massiccio del Monte BiancoBooks (in italian)
SCI ALPINISMO IN VAL D'AOSTA-Giglio Noussan, edizioni Zanichelli
VALLE D'AOSTA oltre il sentiero-P. e M. Giglio, edizioni CDA
Miscellaneous Info
MORE PICTURES ARE WELCOME, AND ALSO CORRECTIONS TO MY ENGLISH ;.-))) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Additions and Corrections
[ Post an Addition or Correction ]
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| brenta | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | Interesting. Flat top seems to be a very common name for mountains around the world. Is the name of this peak documented in Roman times? BTW, the nominative is mons, not montus. | |
| Posted Dec 3, 2004 5:04 am | ||
| maria grazia s | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks, it's very kind by you to post this information. Cheers. | |
| Posted Dec 3, 2004 2:03 pm | ||
| maria grazia s | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks Claude!!! | |
| Posted May 18, 2005 12:27 pm | ||
| Claude Mauguier | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | Marcel Kurz in "les Alpes valaisannes" vol. 1, still asks the question about the origin of such a name. This post would try to give a possible explanation. Standing either on the Col du Gd St Bernard, or on the road of val d'Entremont, say between Orsières and Liddes, the shape of Mt Velan strikes immediately. Moreover, those who climbed it, know that one could arrange an entire football groundsite on the top (well, a bit lopsided as it slightly bends northward). So its name could have been built with "uxello" (high, height), and "lan" (plain, flat), giving something like "uxellan", or "uhellan" (as theese consonants currently use to be "smoothed" as time goes by), i.e. "the flat height". . The Romans, living thereafter in Aoste/a and Martigny had just to add "Montus"....and everybody forgot the old celtic signification. C.M. | |
| Posted Dec 3, 2004 4:09 am | ||
| brenta | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | Interesting. Flat top seems to be a very common name for mountains around the world. Is the name of this peak documented in Roman times? BTW, the nominative is mons, not montus. | |
| Posted Dec 3, 2004 5:04 am | ||
| maria grazia s | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks, it's very kind by you to post this information. Cheers. | |
| Posted Dec 3, 2004 2:03 pm | ||
| Claude Mauguier | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | 1/25000 "Mt Vélan", swiss CNS map n° 1366 books : Marcel Kurz/Maurice Brandt "Alpes valaisannes, vol I", éditions du C.A.S. Guida dei Monti d'Italia, "Alpi Pennine", vol.I ed.CAI/TCI | |
| Posted May 18, 2005 11:25 am | ||
| maria grazia s | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks Claude!!! | |
| Posted May 18, 2005 12:27 pm | ||
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