The Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey (4,112 m) is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
of the
Mont Blanc massif
The Mont Blanc massif (french: Massif du Mont-Blanc; it, Massiccio del Monte Bianco) is a mountain range in the Alps, located mostly in France and Italy, but also straddling Switzerland at its northeastern end. It contains eleven major indepen ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. It is considered the most difficult and serious
[ of the alpine 4000-m mountains to climb.
There are three tops to the mountain:
*''Pointe Güssfeldt'' (4,112 m)
*''Pointe Seymour King'' (4,107 m)
*''Pointe Jones'' (4,104 m)
The three tops are named after ]Paul Güssfeldt
Dr Paul Güssfeldt (spelled Güßfeldt in German) (14 October 1840 – 18 January 1920) was a German geologist, mountaineer and explorer.
Biography
Güssfeldt was born in Berlin, where he also died almost 80 years later. After attending the C ...
, Henry Seymour King
Sir Henry Seymour King, 1st Baronet KCIE (4 January 1852 – 14 November 1933) was a British banker, mountaineer and Conservative politician.
King was born at Brighton, the son of Henry Samuel King. He was educated at Charterhouse School and B ...
and Humphrey Owen Jones
Humphrey Owen Jones (20 February 1878 – 15 August 1912) was a Welsh chemist and mountaineer.
Life
Jones was born at Goginan, Cardiganshire, and educated at Lewis School, Pengam, and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He subseque ...
.
Ascents
The highest point, ''Pointe Güssfeldt'', was first climbed by Henry Seymour King with guides Emile Rey
Emil or Emile may refer to:
Literature
*''Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
* ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life
*''Emil and the Detective ...
, Ambros Supersaxo and Aloys Anthamatten on 31 July 1885.
In July 1882, Francis Maitland Balfour
Francis (Frank) Maitland Balfour, known as F. M. Balfour, (10 November 1851 – 19 July 1882) was a British biologist. He lost his life while attempting the ascent of Mont Blanc. He was regarded by his colleagues as one of the greatest biologists ...
, a young English professor, lost his life whilst attempting the as-yet-unclimbed summit of the Aiguille Blanche along with his guide Johann Petrus (an uncle of Joseph Knubel). C. D. Cunningham and Emile Rey
Emil or Emile may refer to:
Literature
*''Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
* ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life
*''Emil and the Detective ...
watched anxiously and silently as the pair set off on the 18th, and it was Rey who was subsequently leader of the search party that brought back their bodies to Courmayeur.
Peuterey ridge
Together with its neighbour – the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey
The Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (3,773 m) is a mountain of the Mont Blanc massif in Italy, forming part of the Peuterey ridge to the summit of Mont Blanc with its higher neighbour, the Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey.
The best-known route on the mou ...
(3,773 m) – the Aiguille Blanche forms part of the Peuterey ridge that leads, via the summit of the Grand Pilier d'Angle, to the summit of Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and i ...
. James Eccles
James Eccles FGS (1838 – 6 June 1915) was an English mountaineer and geologist who is noted for making a number of first ascents in the Alps during the silver age of alpinism.
Life
Eccles was born in Blackburn in 1838, the eldest son of Edw ...
, with guides Alphonse and Michel Payot, made the first ascent of the upper part of the ridge during their first ascent of Mont Blanc de Courmayeur
Mont Blanc de Courmayeur (; it, Monte Bianco di Courmayeur) is a point () on the south-east ridge of Mont Blanc that forms the peak of the massive south-east face of the mountain. It is connected to the main summit via the ''Col Major'' ().
De ...
on 31 July 1877.[Dumler, Helmut and Burkhardt, Willi P., ''The High Mountains of the Alps'', London: Diadem, 1994, p. 193] The main ridge itself was first climbed via a couloir on the Brenva face by Paul Güssfeldt
Dr Paul Güssfeldt (spelled Güßfeldt in German) (14 October 1840 – 18 January 1920) was a German geologist, mountaineer and explorer.
Biography
Güssfeldt was born in Berlin, where he also died almost 80 years later. After attending the C ...
with Emile Rey, Christian Klucker
Christian Klucker (28 September 1853 – 21 December 1928) was a Swiss mountain guide who made many first ascents in the Alps, particularly in the Bernina Range, the Bregaglia and the Pennine Alps.
Amongst his first ascents were:
:*''Gurgel'' ...
and César Ollier on 15–19 August 1893 (the second ascent was a week later by Klucker and John Percy Farrar
Captain John Percy Farrar (25 December 1857 – 18 February 1929), also known as Percy Farrar and as J. P. Farrar, was an English soldier and mountaineer. He was President of the Alpine Club from 1917 to 1919 and a member of the Mount Everest C ...
). The first ascent of the complete ridge including the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (the ''Intégrale'') was on 28–31 July 1934 by Adolf Göttner, Ludwig Schmaderer and Ferdinand Krobath.
See also
*List of 4000 metre peaks of the Alps
This list tabulates all of the 82 official mountain summits of or more in height in the Alps, as defined by the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA). All are located within France, Italy or Switzerland, and are often refer ...
References
External links
The Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey on SummitPost
{{Mont Blanc massif
Alpine four-thousanders
Mountains of the Alps
Mountains of Aosta Valley
Mont Blanc massif