Overview
First Ascents
- S-W Side: A. E. Martelli, J. J. Maquignaz and S. Meynet, (Jul 01th, 1874).
- S-E, Sperone Sud: M. Baretti, L. Barale, A. and G. Castagneri, (Jul 05th, 1874).
- W Ridge: G.Yeld, A. Payot and L. Guichardaz, (Aug 05th, 1879).
- E Ridge and N Side: W. A. B. Coolidge, Christian J. Almer and R. Almer, (Aug 13th, 1888).
- E Wall: G. Costa, A. Notario and L. Saletti, (Sep 24th, 1940).
- S-SW Edge: A. Bernocco, A. Bonatto, A. Casetti E. Roscio, O. Ravizzolo and A. Vaja, (Aug 12th, 1941).
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Getting There
BY CAR:- From Torino, Milano, etc: Motorway A5. Exit at Aosta Ovest. Drive to the nearby Aymavilles. Follow the directions for Valle di Cogne.
- From Switzerland: through the Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel or the namesake Pass.
- Drive to Aosta, then follow the direction for Courmayeur on SS.26. Just after Sarre, turn to the left, in the direction of Valle di Cogne.
- From France: through Mont Blanc Tunnel or Petit St. Bernard Pass. It isn't necessary to take Motorway A5: you can drive on SS.26, in the direction of Aosta. Before arriving at the Village of Sarre, turn right following the sign for Valle di Cogne.
After Aymavilles, the Regional Road n° 47 crosses the Villages of Vieyes, Epinel and Cretaz and after about 25 Km arrives at Cogne (1534m).
- Aeroporto Internazionale "Corrado Gex" Saint Christophe (Aosta).
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Route
First day: From Cogne (1534m) by bus or car to Valnontey (1666m). Cars can be parked in the large square near the center of the village. Start the ascent of the Valnontey Valley on its orographic right side (climber's left). Go past the pleasant Pastures of Valmiana (1728m) and reach the Erfaulet Bridge (1830m); cross it and continue along the trail to a fork (2040m, 1h'15-1h'30), where you take the left branch. Follow the right bank of the stream and head for the moraine called "Barma des Bouquetins"; (2698m). Climb the morain's ridge in its entirety reaching a hump. Follow this relief to a large snowfield, at the end of which you can discern a ledge going left. Climb on a faint, exposed trail for the entire length of the ledge; turn right and reach a small hanging valley. Head for the opposite side, and climb to a glacial dell between two spurs, cross it in the direction of a distinct rock gully. Climb the gully with circumspection, for the rocks are often covered with verglas and gravel. Past the gully, you'll get to the top of the spur where two fixed bivouacs are located: C. Pol (3183m, sleeps 6) and M. Gérard - E. Grappein (3200m, sleeps 9). It requires 5h'30-6h'30 from Valnontey.
Second day: Go toward the cliff directly behind the two bivouacs for about one hundred meters, then turn left (beware of crevasses) aiming for Colle della Luna. (On the left one can admire the great seracs coming down from Testa della Tribolazione) Skirt the large crevasses and continue past Punta di Ceresole, aiming for Colle Chamonin (3692m). From there, climb the snow ridge to the large shoulder under the summit. Cross on the south face to the base of a short chimney-gully that ends at a narrow notch between the summit and a slightly lower gendarme. From the notch, it is an easy climb to the top. The route from the col to the summit can be rather nasty when covered with fresh snow or vergalss: pay due attention. This is in any case an alpine route that requires fitness and experience.
Descend by the same route.
Descend by the same route.
Difficulty
The route is rated from PD (a little difficult) to AD (rather difficult), depending on the mountain conditions.Gear
Mountaineering equipment, including rope, ice axe, and crampons.Huts
From Cogne: Bivacchi Carlo Pol (3183m) and M. Gérard - E. Grappein (3200m), located on the spur that divides the northern and southern branches of the Tribolazione Glacier.Difficulty: PD. Reachable from Valnontey (see above).
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Red Tape
Within the borders of the P.N.G.P. (Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso), at the moment (summer 2004), dogs generally are not allowed, except on a couple of trails, and camping is forbidden (except for climbers from sunset till dawn). No fees are due.Campings
- Wild camping in the Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso is strictly forbidden!
Erfaulet bridge, along the trail to the many bivouacs of Valnontey
Mountain Condition
- Meteo: you can find all the needed informations at the official site of the Valle d'Aosta Region:
Valle d'Aosta Meteo
Webcam
- WEBCAM on Aosta Valley:
Webcam
Books and Maps
BOOKS:"Guida delle Alpi Occidentali", di Giovanni Bobba e Luigi Vaccarone C.A.I. Sezione di Torino Volume II (parte II), 25 Maggio 1896. - "Guida della Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta", di Mario Aldrovandi; Ed. S.P.E. di Carlo Fanton, Torino 1964.
- "Rifugi e bivacchi in Valle d'Aosta", di Cosimo Zappelli aggiornata da Pietro Giglio, Musumeci Editore, Luglio 2002.
- "Guida dei Monti d'Italia-Gran Paradiso Parco Nazionale" E. Andreis, R. Chabod, M. C. Santis, Club Alpino Italiano/Touring Club Italiano, prima Ed. 1939; seconda Ed. 1963; terza Ed. 1980.
- "Il Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso (Valli di Champorcher-Clavalitè-Saint Marcel-Laures-Cogne-Valsavarenche-Conca di Pila", di Giulio Berruto 3/volume 2°, IGC Torino; prima Ed. 1981; seconda Ed. 2000 (in Italian).
- "Gran Paradiso", A. Gegenfurtner, G. Klotz, F. Müller, Ed. Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, Monaco 1980 (in tedesco).
- "Gran Paradiso", G. Klotz, Ed. Bergverlag GmbH Rother, Monaco 2005 (in tedesco).
- "Gran Paradiso", di Pierandrea Mantovani e Renato Misischi, Ed. Rassegna Alpina, 1974.
- "Gran Paradiso-Itinerari Alpinistici e Sci Alpinistici", di Franco Brevini, Ed. Musumeci, Giugno 1982.
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- Kompass "Gran Paradiso Valle d'Aosta Sentieri e Rifugi" Carta Turistica 1:50.000.
- SIRIO Blue Vision "Cogne Valnontey" Carte fotografiche.
- A.I.A.T. Cogne "Gran Paradiso-Cogne Aymavilles" Walking Map 1:25.000.
- I.G.C. Istituto Geografico Centrale Torino "Gran Paradiso-La Grivola-Cogne" 1:25.000.
- Studio F.M.B. Bologna "Gran Paradiso" 1:50.000.
- Enrico Editore Ivrea-Aosta "Gruppo del Gran Paradiso" 1:50.000.
- L'Escursionista "Valle di Cogne Carta dei Sentieri" (n°10) 1:25.000.
- L'Escursionista "Tour de la Vallée de Cogne Grand Paradis" Carta dei sentieri 1:25.000.
Important Information
- REGIONE AUTONOMA VALLE D'AOSTA the official site.
- FONDAZIONE MONTAGNA SICURA Villa Cameron, località Villard de la Palud 1 Courmayeur (AO) Tel: 39 0165 897602 - Fax: 39 0165 897647.
- SOCIETA' GUIDE ALPINE DI COGNE Tel. 347/9473526 – 328/1373728.
- A.I.NE.VA. (Associazione Interregionale Neve e Valanghe).
- A.IA.T. Cogne Gran Paradis via Bourgeois n° 34 Tel. 0165-74040. E-mail: aiat@cogne.org
- Ezio Sport articoli sportivi - via Bourgeois n° 64 Tel. 0165-74204.
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Useful Numbers
- Soccorso Alpino Cogne (SAR) Tel. 3482685406.
- Protezione Civile Valdostana località Aeroporto 7/A Saint Christophe (Ao) Tel. 0165-238222.
- Bollettino Meteo (weather info) Tel. 0165-44113.
- Unità Operativa di Soccorso Sanitario Tel. 118.
Acknowledgements
I want to thank Fabio (Brenta) for the translation of the text from Italian and also Livioz who provided the coordinates of the summit and helped with the edit.
Additions and Corrections
[ Post an Addition or Correction ]
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| livioz | Untitled Comment | |
Voted 10/10 | The reasons of its name aren't evident, since it isn't visible from the small town of Ceresole, the main center of Valle dell'Orco on the southern side of Gran Paradiso Group. May be because it's along the North-South straight line connecting the important logistic center of Cogne (from which it's visible) just with Ceresole. In the past it was given, probably by the Abbot P. B. Chamonin, the poetic name of Punta della Luna (Moon Peak). At present the side saddles of Punta di Ceresole retain the very names of Colle della Luna (East) and Colle Chamonin (West). | |
| Posted Jan 20, 2006 5:08 pm | ||
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