Category: Mountain Field Guide

Sass de Mesdi

Sass de Mesdi | Sass de Messdi Sass de Mesdì is a striking 2,762-meter (9,062-foot) summit in the Odle, or Geisler, group of the Italian Dolomites. Rising above the green alpine meadows of Val Gardena and Val di Funes in South Tyrol, the mountain forms part of the extraordinary wall of pale rock pinnacles that …

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Furchetta

Mt. Furchetta Furchetta is one of the two great 3,000-meter summits crowning the Odle, or Geisler, group of the Italian Dolomites. Rising to a standard locally accepted elevation of 3,025 meters (9,925 feet) in South Tyrol, it stands immediately east of Sass Rigais, which is traditionally considered equal in height. Detailed topographic mapping complicates that …

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Sass Rigais

Sass Rigais Sass Rigais is one of the defining summits of the Odle, or Geisler, group of the Italian Dolomites. Rising to 3,025 meters (9,925 feet) above Val Gardena and Val di Funes in South Tyrol, it forms the dominant western member of the pair of 3,000-meter peaks that crown the famous needle-like Odle skyline. …

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Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc (mɔ̃ blɑ̃, Monte Bianco) Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and the highest summit in Western Europe, rising above the Chamonix Valley of France and the Aosta Valley of Italy in one of the most famous mountain landscapes on Earth. Its broad snow-and-ice summit crowns the Mont Blanc massif, an …

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Aiguille du Grépon

Aiguille du Grépon Aiguille du Grépon is one of the most famous granite needles rising above Chamonix in the French Alps. Traditionally listed at 3,482 meters (11,424 feet), this sharply crenellated summit belongs to the Aiguilles de Chamonix in the Mont Blanc massif and has played an outsized role in the development of modern rock …

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Aiguille du Dru

Aiguille du Dru (Dru, the Drus, Les Drus) Rising dramatically above the Chamonix Valley in the French Alps, Aiguille du Dru is one of the most recognizable rock towers in the entire Mont Blanc massif. Often called simply the Dru or Les Drus, the mountain is famous for its steep granite walls, twin summits, extraordinary …

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Aiguille du Tour

Aiguille du Tour Straddling the border between France and Switzerland, Aiguille du Tour is one of the more approachable high-alpine summits in the Mont Blanc massif. Rising above the Glacier du Tour on the French side and the broad Plateau du Trient on the Swiss side, the mountain combines glaciers, snowfields, granite ridges, and tremendous …

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Aiguille du Chardonnet

Aiguille du Chardonnet Rising between the Glacier du Tour and the Argentière Glacier in the northern Mont Blanc massif, Aiguille du Chardonnet is one of the great classic mountaineering peaks above the Chamonix Valley. Its sharp summit, glaciated northern slopes, steep ridges, and commanding position near the French-Swiss border give it a distinctly wild appearance …

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Mont Dolent

Mont Dolent Rising near the northeastern end of the Mont Blanc massif, Mont Dolent is a striking pyramid of rock, snow, and ice positioned at one of the most unusual geographic meeting points in the Alps. The mountain stands where France, Italy, and Switzerland come together, overlooking glaciers and valleys in all three countries. There …

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Aiguille des Glaciers

Aiguille des Glaciers Rising above the remote Vallée des Glaciers at the southern end of the Mont Blanc massif, Aiguille des Glaciers is a striking high Alpine summit shared by France and Italy. From the Italian side, the mountain forms an especially impressive pyramid above upper Val Veny, while its French slopes rise above glaciers, …

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