Petite aiguille des Glaciers, Mountain summit between Bourg Saint Maurice, France and Courmayeur, Italy
Petite Aiguille des Glaciers is a mountain summit at the border between France and Italy, rising to 3488 meters above sea level. The peak features steep rock faces on its Italian side and a small glacier situated below the summit on the French side.
Mountaineer E. Del Carretto reached the summit with Francesco Gonella, Laurent Proment, Ange Henry, and Gratien Henry in 1878 during the first recorded ascent. This early climbing expedition marked the beginning of modern mountaineering activity in this border region.
The mountain serves as a natural border marker between France and Italy, marking the watershed divide between the Adriatic Sea and Mediterranean Sea basins.
Climbers can reach the mountain from the Italian side via Val Veny or from the French side through the Vallée des Glaciers, with both routes requiring careful navigation over rocky terrain. The choice of route should depend on weather conditions and personal climbing experience.
The southern ridge starts with a broad section of stones that transitions into snow and loose rock as climbers ascend toward the summit. These changes make the climb varied and present different challenges at different elevations.
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