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Punta Giordani 4046m, 5/7 2013







Time for a new attempt on Punta Giordani. Dante and me didn't make it all the
way to the top in april this year, too much ice.
This time I'm alone. I use the cableway from Gressoney, and then the Funifor
lift up to Punta Indren. Punta Giordani isn't visible hear. It's hidden behind
Stolemberg to the right.
At the top station, Punta Indren 3275m. Warnings are given so tourists won't run
about on the glacier. There are crevasses... Punta Giordani can be seen up there,
a little to the right
.






It's somewhat of a battle against time. I enter the glacier at 10.15, a bit late for
what I'm about to do. Cumuli clouds are rising, and I want to reach the summit
before they eventually do. The picture is taken on 3350m
Over 3500m it gets steeper. On 3600m I have reached the same altitude as the
cloud tops
.






Now on 3700m. Two climbers have reached the so called "eye". The last part is fairly easy, but long lasting. The 200 altitude meters feels as if
they will never end. I have tired legs and start to feel the thin air. You should
climb a couple of 3000-ers before taking on this altitude. Now it's obvious I'm
not well acclimatized to the altitude
.






Mont Blanc rises above the clouds, about 85km to the west. Thank's to the clean
air up here it's clearly visible
.
The summit of Punta Giordani, 4046m. The very last meters concists of a cliff
without snow, with a small madonna statue. The cumuli clouds never got close
to the summit today. Wonderful, magical!






A group getting ready to ski down again. It's not wise to go close to the edge... I reached the summit in 2,5h, even if it was slow towards the end. The french guy taking the picture insisted I should take my cap off. Well, I don't know if it gets any better...





A look down to the trail leading up. The cablecar station is visible a little to the
left down there
.
Far to the southwest, La Grivola, 3969m, among others.





Capana Margerita to the left. The mountains far below certainly aren't small. It's
Monterosa that's so much bigger...
Parrotspitze 4432m, and Capana Margerita 4554m.





Corno Nero 4321m, and Ludwigshöhe 4341m. Piramide Vincent 4215m. You might argue that Punta Giordani is more of a
ridge reaching east from it's side, than an individual summit. But it's so clearly
marked, and reasonably accessible (for a 4000-er) that it's a very popular
target for climbers
.






Zooming in Balmerhorn 4107m, with its high statue of the Christ (compare with
the bivack).


 All material: Copyright ©Mats Olsson