Grand Pilier d'Angle, Mountain peak in Courmayeur, Italy.
Grand Pilier d'Angle is a mountain peak in the Mont Blanc massif rising to 4,243 meters, with dramatic granite formations and steep rock faces dominating its structure. The south-facing wall displays a series of sharp ridges and pillars that make it a striking landmark when viewed from the surrounding valleys.
The first valley ascent occurred in 1877 when James Eccles reached the summit with guides Michel and Alphonse Payot during their Peuterey ridge expedition. The northeast face remained unclimbed until 1957, when Walter Bonatti and Toni Gobbi established the first route up this much steeper approach.
The mountain holds significance in alpine climbing history, with numerous routes named after pioneering mountaineers who established challenging paths to the summit.
Access to the summit requires experience with technical climbing, as several routes of varying difficulty converge at this elevation. The Bivacco Giuseppe Lampugnani shelter sits roughly 1000 meters to the southwest and provides lodging for mountaineers planning overnight expeditions.
Walter Bonatti and Toni Gobbi achieved the first ascent of the northeast face in 1957, marking it as one of the most demanding climbs in the Alps.
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