Refuge des Grandes Jorasses, Mountain refuge in Val Ferret, Courmayeur, Italy.
The Boccalatte-Piolti Refuge sits at 2804 meters on a rocky island between the Planpincieux and Grandes Jorasses glaciers in the Mont Blanc massif. It provides shelter for roughly 24 people and serves as a base for climbers exploring this high alpine region.
Edward Whymper identified this location in 1864 during his quest to reach Grandes Jorasses and later inspired construction of a wooden shelter in 1881. That wooden structure marked the beginning of climbing infrastructure at this exposed site.
The refuge is named after two alpinists from Turin, Gabriele Boccalatte and Mario Piolti, who perished on Aiguille de Triolet in 1938. Their names honor climbers who gave their lives to mountaineering.
The refuge operates from June to September and is reached from Planpincieux along a marked trail, with the ascent taking roughly four hours. The terrain is steep and rocky, so visitors need sure-footedness and proper climbing gear.
The original wooden structure was replaced with stone walls in the 1930s to withstand the harsh environment better. Since then the shelter has undergone several renovations to maintain its usefulness.
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