Grivola

The Grivola seen from the northwest, on the right Punta Tuckett

The Grivola is at an altitude of 3969 meters, the second highest mountain in the Graian Alps, a mountain range in the western Alps. It is located in the Italian region of Aosta Valley and is part of the Gran Paradiso National Park. From the North, considered the Grivola appear as symmetrically shaped rock pyramid, which sends strong uniform curved ridges to the north- east, south and west. The Italian poet Giosuè Carducci called it because of the long distances l' ardua Grivola bella ( the strenuous beautiful Grivola ). The word Grivola means young girl in the Occitan language. Was first climbed the mountain on August 28, 1861 by the priest PB Chamonin and the mountain guide AJ Jeantet from the eastern Cogne.

Geology

The Grivola is on its north side from the typical for the area rock orthogneiss, one formed by magmatic influences solid gneiss, which forms scaly plates here and friction climbing permits. In contrast, its southern side of very brittle crystalline metamorphic sedimentary rock is established, which consists mainly of limestone and mica schist. These rocks are from the Penninic, the deposition zone of the ocean Tethys, existed in the Mesozoic era in today's Alpine region.

Environment

The Grivola is surrounded to the north and east of glaciers. To the northwest lies the Ghiaccaio di Bella Face, to the northeast of the Ghiaccaio di Nomenon go up to a height of 3667 meters. In the east, eventually extending the extended Ghiaccaio del Trajoz. Adjacent Mountains are in the course of the first Südgrats the 3804 meter high Punta Tuckett ( named after the English mountaineer Francis Fox Tuckett ), then the other side of the pass Colle della Grivola ( 3738 m), the 3793 meter high Punta Bianca. The Gran Paradiso ( 4061 m) is located on the Graian main ridge extending south to about eight and a half kilometers away. North of the Grivola is separated by the Col des Cochette ( 3477 m), the 3514 meter high Grivoletta. To the east the area from the north- south running Val Savarenche falls to the northeast into the Val di Cogne and to the southeast into the Valnontey. Nearest major towns are distant in the west barely four miles as the crow line Valsavarenche village and to the east is five miles from the municipality of Cogne.

Bases and Ascension

The first documented in the literature attempt to climb the Grivola found in 1859 by the English tourists Francis Fox Tuckett, J. Ormsby and R. Bruce, as well as the royal Sardinian- Piedmontese gamekeepers FA Dayne with the mountain guides and Jean E. Cachat Tairraz a day not more committed way from the westerly place Valsavaranche place, but was unsuccessful. The route via the south ridge is shunned. The now common normal route, the easiest ascent, through the usually not so brittle southeast face by well stepped terrain. The difficulty does not exceed the UIAA grade II or PD ( peu difficile ). As base is the Rifugio Vittorio Sella, situated on 2584 meters west above the small village of Valnontey. Closer to the Grivola is the nine people comprehensive Biwakschachtel Bivouac Luciano Gratton ( 3280 m). The road to the summit of Grivola leads as high tour over the glacier crevasses-rich Ghiaccaio del Trajoz. Walking times are from the bivouac of four hours from the hut six hours. Since 1872, also an increase over the northeast ridge is gone, the climbing abilities III requires up to UIAA grade.

Sources and maps

• Gerd Klotz: Field Guide of Gran Paradiso, Bergverlag Rother, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-7633-2407-0
• Instituto Centrale Geografico, Turin, hiking map 1:25,000, Sheet 101, Gran Paradiso, La Grivola, Cogne