Grande aiguille de la Bérarde, Alpine peak in Écrins massif, France.
The Grande aiguille de la Bérarde is a rock pyramid in the Écrins massif rising to 3,421 meters above the village of La Bérarde. The summit features steep granite walls with multiple climbing routes of varying difficulty.
The summit was first reached on June 20, 1873 by T. Cox and R. and W.M. Pendlebury, accompanied by guides Peter Baumann and Josef Marie Lochmatter. This early ascent marked the beginning of modern climbing history at this location.
The summit draws climbers from around the world who come to practice their skills on challenging granite faces. The village of La Bérarde has long been a gathering place for people dedicated to mountaineering.
The climb takes about 9 to 12 hours from La Bérarde with roughly 1,750 meters (5,740 feet) of elevation gain and requires complete mountaineering equipment. Weather in the mountains changes rapidly, so conditions should be checked before starting.
The north face is a popular ski mountaineering route that was first traversed in 1971 by Alain Charbonnier. This route combines skiing and mountaineering skills and is only suitable for experienced alpinists.
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