Aiguille des Glaciers, Summit in the Mont Blanc massif, France–Italy border
Aiguille des Glaciers is a peak in the Mont Blanc massif positioned along the France-Italy border between Les Contamines-Montjoie and Courmayeur. The mountain features exposed rock and glaciers that shape its appearance and require careful movement during ascent.
The summit marks the tripoint where Savoie, Haute-Savoie and the Aosta Valley meet. On 1 November 1946 a US Air Force B-17 on a transport flight from Naples to England struck the south ridge on the Italian side at about 3,750 m, killing all eight crew members. Searches failed for 18 days; ski scouts of the 99th Alpine Infantry Battalion found the wreck in July 1947. Memorial plaques were placed in 2011 at the Elisabetta Soldini refuge in Italy and the Mottets refuge in France.
The peak's name comes from the Glacier valley and the Tré-la-Tête glacier below it. Two memorial plaques were placed in September 2011, at the Elisabetta Soldini refuge in Italy and the Mottets refuge in France, recalling the eight US airmen killed when their B-17 struck the south ridge on 1 November 1946.
The usual ascent starts from the Robert-Blanc refuge and follows the normal route over the Dôme de neige des Glaciers (3,592 m) and the north shoulder (3,700 m). The final section is reserved for experienced alpinists. The peak is also reached from the Vallée des Glaciers in Savoie.
The mountain forms a watershed divide where meltwater flows toward the Mediterranean on one side and the Adriatic on the other. This geological feature influences water flow patterns and weather systems across the broader Alpine region.
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