Grande Aiguille Rousse, Mountain peak in Vanoise National Park, France.
Grande Aiguille Rousse is a mountain peak made of crystalline schist that rises to 3,482 meters between the Maurienne and Tarentaise valleys. The summit displays steep rock faces and glaciated slopes typical of the Graian Alps in this high alpine zone.
The first recorded ascent to the summit was achieved by mountaineers Édouard Rochat and Blanc le Greffier on July 31, 1878. This early success established the peak as a destination for climbers in the decades that followed.
This peak marks where French and Italian alpine climbing traditions meet, with mountaineers from both countries crossing these slopes. The routes here carry decades of local climbing knowledge passed through generations.
The Prariond refuge at 2,324 meters and the Pian della Ballotta refuge at 2,470 meters provide staging points for the ascent. From these shelters the summit is reachable in a day, though proper mountain boots and acclimatization to high altitude are necessary.
The sources of the Isère River begin on the glacial slopes of this mountain and feed into major Alpine waterways downstream. This glacial system sustains water flow for communities across the entire lower valley region.
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