Piz Palü
Piz Palu, seen from the Diavolezza
The Piz Palu is a 3,900 m high mountain in the Bernina Range in the border area between the Swiss canton of Graubünden and the Italian province of Sondrio ( Lombardy ). To the west, it is offset by the Fuorcia Bella Vista called saddle of the Bella Vista. To the east and south it falls about 30 ° to the Vadret as from Palu ( Palü ) and the glacier plateau of Altipiano di Fellaria. North side of Piz Palu is based in the Pers Glacier, which unites below with the Morteratschgletscher. To the northeast it is separated by the Fuorcia Pers- Palu from Piz Cambrena. Like the rest of Bernina group of Palu is attributed to the Eastern Alps.
With its three peaks and four on the north side stored hanging glaciers, which are of three impeccably separated from the Pers Glacier uplifting pillars of Palu is considered one of the most beautiful glacial mountains at all. To his notoriety adds, that he turns his face side Diavolezza, whose mountain station is reached annually by thousands of tourists comfortably by cable car.
The height of the main or central summit ( Muot dal Palu ) is currently specified by the Swiss Federal Office of Topography, with 3,900 m. The eastern peak ( Piz Palu Orientale ) is 3'882 m only slightly lower. The rocky western peak ( Piz Spinas ) listed at 3'823 m.
The Palu massif is located approximately 13 km south-southeast of Pontresina. The state border between Switzerland and Italy runs from the Bella Vista in the west over the Piz Spinas towards Central summit to the point 3'898 the national map and then bends, initially a short ridge following, to the south of the glacier plateau Altipiano di Fellaria from. The main peak is thus entirely on Swiss territory.
Name
The name derives from Latin Palu palus ( = swamp ). From the 4-kilometer eastern Alpe Palu, which lay on swampy ground, the name was also on the mountain. The sometimes encountered opinion, Piz Palu hot " pale mountains ", is held the majority is incorrect.
Alpinistisches
The first confirmed ascent of Palu main summit succeeded in 1866 the Englishman Edward Kenelm Digby with his guide Peter Jenny, and vehicle. Previously achieved Oswald Heer, Peter Flury and Meuli with the leaders Johann Madutz and the "King of the Bernina " Gian Marchet Colani on August 12, 1835 probably only the eastern summit of the mountain. The first traverse of the summit ridge, the leaders succeeded Hans and Christian Grass with Messrs. Albert Wachtler, and Georg Wallner on 22 July 1868 by the Bella Vista side coming.
Today's normal ascent to the Piz Palu leads from Diavolezza in the north to the rugged Pers Glacier on the shoulder of the East Ridge and from there via the partly exposed and steep edge to the east and the main summit. The route is in good conditions, technically undemanding, with bare ice but partly quite tricky. The ice falls at the foot of Piz Cambrena and the numerous, often treacherous crevasses require a careful choice of route, alpine experience and a complete Alpine tour equipment, but leave strong impressions. By the Middle summit should be quoted by the Diavolezza at least four to five hours. In winter ski tours on the Piz Palu, the skis are usually laid on the east ridge and the climbers overcome the last Gratanstieg with crampons.
With the descent often chosen over Piz Spina, Fuorcia Bella Vista and Fortezzagrat gives a nice exceeded the mountain. In good conditions the climbing technical difficulties in the rock of Spina and Fortezzagrates not exceed the grade II UIAA scale, but rise in snow or ice the requirements for walkers through leaps and bounds. In the descent, you have the choice whether to return to Diavolezza or descends to Boval hut beyond the Morteratsch glacier. From the Fuorcia Bella Vista you can ( located on the Italian territory ) to continue using the Bella Vista terraces to Marco e Rosa hut that serves as a base for high-altitude ascent of Piz Bernina. The Südanstiege of Piz Palu are simpler and shorter than the northern routes across the Pers Glacier or the Fortezzagrat, but not so popular by far.
The north wall piers are often happy and committed mountaineers sharper direction. This is particularly true for the central pillar and the north pillar of the east summit:
- The route via the north pillar of the central summit, which is sealed off at the top by the " ice spur " ( 75 °), comes up with rock technical difficulties in grade V UIAA scale. It was first climbed by Hans Bumiller, Martin Schocher, Johann Gross and Christian Schnitzler on September 1, 1887. The spur is often referred to by the first climbers as " Bumillerpfeiler ".
- The north pillar of the east summit, also a route with climbs up to the IV . Degrees, climbed for the first time Moriz von Kuffner, Martin Schocher and Alexander Burgener on 22 August 1899. It is therefore also referred to as " Kuffner - pillar ."
- The third pillar north wall, the Cresta Spina on the western peak was on 31 July 1899 by the British J. T. Burton Alexander accompanied by the local guide Christian Zippert and Florian Grass first ascent (difficulty in the rock to V-).
2002 climbed Toni Steurer and Walter Hölzler within 24 hours in a hat-trick on the three pillars of the north face of Piz Palu. They started their company with the bike in St. Moritz at the station and completed the trilogy after 23 hours and 40 minutes back to its starting point in St. Moritz " by fair means".
The intercalated between the pillars in the north wall hanging glaciers are all also been increased. Due to the ongoing Eisschlaggefahr however, these routes are objectively very dangerous.
In the arts
Until today the silent film " The White Hell of Pitz Palu " of the mountain film pioneer Arnold Fanck Leni Riefenstahl from 1929, the 1935 was also published in an abridged version talkies.