Grandes Jorasses / Punta Elena (4045 m a.s.l.)

About peak Grandes Jorasses / Punta Elena

Francie Itálie

Vrchol Grandes Jorasses / Punta Elena was added here by Milan "Hojší" Průžek and info was completed by Milan "Hojší" Průžek a Martin Matějka.

Grandes Jorasses / Punta Elena is part of challenges: 24 quatre-mille français, 39 quattromila italiani, Alpine Four-thousanders

Grandes Jorasses is one of the most famous Alpine peaks. The mountain, located on the eastern side of the Mont Blanc massif, is actually a massive, over a kilometer-long wall that forms one of the most impressive granite formations in the entire Alps, culminating at Pointe Walker at an elevation of 4208 m. Grandes Jorasses is not a classic or pyramid-shaped peak like, for example, Drus. The summit ridge consists of six pinnacles, separated by a series of deep notches. From west to east, these are Pointe Young, Punta Margherita, Punta Elena, Pointe Croz, Pointe Whymper, and Pointe Walker. The massif leading east-west ends at the east with the Hirondelles Pass (3480 m) and at the west with the Grandes Jorasses Pass.

Grandes Jorasses is a massif with 6 peaks:
- Punta (Pointe) Walker (4206 m)
- Punta (Pointe) Whymper (4180 m)
- Punta (Pointe) Croz (4108 m)
- Punta Margherita (Pointe Marguerite) (4065 m)
- Punta Elena (Pointe Hélène) (4045 m)
- Pointe Young (3996 m)

The wall, at its highest point (Pointe Walker), rises 1200 meters and is formed by six rock pillars surrounded by ice walls.
The north face of Grandes Jorasses above the Glacier de Leschaux is 1200 m high. The classic route from this side is the Walker Pillar (Cassin/Esposito/Tizzoni, 1938, TD+/ED1, IV, 5c/6a, A1, 1200 m).

One of the legendary northern Alpine walls - the Walker Pillar on Grandes Jorasses, the north face of the Eiger, and the north face of the Matterhorn form the so-called "Alpine triptych" (the most challenging walls of the Alps).

The first ascent was made on June 30, 1868, by Horace Walker, Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun, and Julien Grange.

Chalet/accommodation: There is no chalet on the peak.
Stroller access: Peak is not stroller accessible.
Views: There are views from the peak.
Cable car: There is no cable car to this peak.
Equipment: Special equipment is required for this summit.
Accessibility