Piz Palü 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 area, and is usually higher t ...

in the Bernina Range of the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

, located between

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. It is a large glaciated massif composed of three main summits, on a ridge running from west to east. The main (and central) summit is 3,899 metres high and is located within the Swiss canton of Graubünden, although the border with the Italian region of

Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...

runs about 100 metres west of it at almost the same height (3,898 m). The western summit (3,823 m; on the international border) is named ''Piz Spinas'' and is the only one not covered by ice. The eastern summit (3,882 m; within Switzerland) is named ''Piz Palü Orientale''. The name ''Palü'' derives from the Latin ''palus'', meaning a swamp, and the mountain is said to be named after the ''Alpe Palü'', a high alpine pasture some 4 km to its east.

Climbing history

As early as 12 August 1835, the 3,882 m east peak was climbed by Oswald Heer, and Peter and M. Flury, with guides Johann Madutz and Gian Marchet Colani (the '

chamois The chamois (; ) (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope native to the mountains in Southern Europe, from the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Apennines, the Dinarides, the Tatra Mountains, Tatra to the Carpa ...

king of the Bernina'), who were under the impression that this was the highest summit of the mountain. This is still the normal route from Switzerland, be it followed by an easy traverse to the central peak. A second ascent of the east summit was made on 24 July 1864 by Edward N. Buxton, W.F. Digby, William Edward Hall, J. Johnston, and Montagu Woodmass with the

Pontresina Pontresina () is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Maloja Region in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. History and name Pontresina was first mentioned in medieval Latin documents as ''ad Pontem Sa ...

guides Peter Jenny, Alexander Flury, and J. B. Walther. This group was unaware of the ascent almost 30 years earlier and also believed to have reached the highest summit (they had no vision on the summit). Approaching from the Italian (south) side, four weeks later (17 August 1864) D. W. Freshfield, J. D. Walker and R. M. Beachcroft with the guide François Devouassoud climbed the pass between the central and east summits, but chose to climb the latter peak again. It is uncertain when the central and highest peak (sometimes distinguished by the name ''Muot da Palü'') was first reached. Robin CollombCollomb, Robin, ''Bernina Alps'', Goring: West Col Productions, 1988 believes that this was in 1866 by Kenelm Edward Digby with the before mentioned guide Peter Jenny and a porter. It was certainly ascended on 28 June 1868 by A. W. Moore, Horace Walker and Jakob Anderegg. Just four weeks later a traverse of all three peaks was made by ''Herren'' Albert Wachler, Wallner, and George, with the guides Hans and Christian Grass on 22 July 1868. Hans and Christian Grass of Pontresina

The mountain has gained some prominence from the film '' The White Hell of Pitz Palu'' (1929), co-directed by mountain-film pioneer Arnold Fanck and Georg Wilhelm Pabst, and starring a young Leni Riefenstahl.

Panorama

References

External links

Piz Palü on SummitPost

Piz Palü on Hikr
Piz Palue

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palu Bernina Range Mountains of Graubünden Mountains of Lombardy Engadin Mountains of the Alps Alpine three-thousanders Italy–Switzerland border International mountains of Europe Mountains of Switzerland Three-thousanders of Switzerland Poschiavo Pontresina