Pollux
From Mount Wiki
|
Pollux Punta Polluce (Italian)
| |
|---|---|
|
| |
| General | |
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles |
| Prominence | 247 m0.153 miles 810.367 ft |
| Location | Valle d'Aosta, Italy Valais, Switzerland |
| Range | Pennine Alps |
| Massif | Breithorn-Liskamm Group |
| Sponsored Links | |
|
| |
| Coordinates | |
| DMS Coor. | 45°55´0"N, 7°47´0"E |
| Swiss Coor. | 626890 / 86302 |
| Links | Topographic Detail |
| Nearby Features | |
| Breithorn, Breithorn Central, Breithorn East, Breithorn Gendarme, Breithorn-Liskamm Group, Castor, Mezzalama Hut, Quintino Sella Hut, Roccia Nera, Rossi and Volante Bivouac, Valle d'Ayas Guides' Hut | |
| Alpinist's Info | |
| Base(s) | Saint Jacques, Zermatt |
| Hut(s) | Valle d'Ayas Guides' Hut |
| Topo. Map | SLK 1348: Zermatt |
| Easiest Route |  PD
|
| Map | |
  Pollux | |
[edit] General information
Pollux (Italian: Punta Polluce) (4,092 m13,425.197 ft
2.543 miles) is a mountain in the Pennine Alps between the Breithorn and the Liskamm in the Breithorn-Liskamm Group on the border of Italy and Switzerland. It is the lower of a pair of twin peaks (Zwillinge), the other being Castor, named after the Gemini twins of Roman mythology. It is separated from Castor by a pass at 3,845 m, named the Passo di Verra in Italian and the Zwillingsjoch in German. Although overshadowed by higher neighbours Castor and Pollux are frequently climbed together, usually by a southern or western approach.
There are also a pair of summits named Pollux and Castor in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA. Located in the Absaroka Range, Pollux is 3,373 m, 65 m higher than its twin.
[edit] Climbing history
The first ascent was by Jules Jacot from Geneva with guides Josef-Marie Perren and Peter Taugwalder (father) on August 1 (the Swiss national day) 1864. Their route (west flank) was via the Schwartztor, a pass first crossed by John Ball and Gabriel Zumtaugwald in 1845.
The impressive north ridge was first climbed by Captain John Percy Farrar (a future President of the Alpine Club) and Wylie Lloyd with guide Josef Pollinger on 18 August 1910. G. Finch and M. Liniger climbed the entire ridge from Schwärze on 28 July 1919.
The first winter and ski ascent of Pollux was by Dr Alfred von Martin and Karl Planck on 7 March 1913.
[edit] Routes
[edit] South-West Ridge: Starting from Schwarztor(AD-)
| Pollux: (edit infobox) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit | Approach | ||
| Summit | Pollux (4,092 m2.543 miles 13,425.197 ft) | Valley base(s) | Saint Jacques, Zermatt |
| Route Type | Snow and Rock (2 h) | Hut | Valle d'Ayas Guides' Hut (3,425 m2.128 miles 11,236.877 ft) |
| Difficulty |  AD-
| Difficulty |  F
|
| Height Gains | Hut - Summit: 667 m0.414 miles 2,188.32 ft 
| ||
| Useful Maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt (Maps) | ||
[edit] NNW Face and NW Ridge: Starting from Schwartztor(AD)
| Pollux: West Face: Starting from Schwartztor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles | Difficulty |  AD
|
| Type | Snow / Rock | Duration | 2h30 |
| Valley base | Gressoney (1,624 m (5,328 ft)) | Hut / hotel | Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut (3,394 m (11,135 ft)) |
| Useful maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt | ||
First a rock ridge (mostly I, pitches of II) is scaled, fixed ropes provide relief on the upper stage of the rock ridge, before reaching the snow summit South-West ridge.
From Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut climb in direction of Schwartztor over glacier terrain, alternatively the route is started from Klein Matterhorn.
[edit] SSE Face and South-West Ridge: Starting from Zwillingjoch(AD)
| Pollux: SSE Ridge and South-West Ridge: Starting from Zwillingjoch | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles | Difficulty | AD
|
| Type | Snow / Rock | Duration | 1h30 |
| Valley base | Gressoney (1,624 m (5,328 ft)) | Hut / hotel | Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut (3,394 m (11,135 ft)) |
| Useful maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt | ||
[edit] West Face: Starting from Schwartztor(PD)
| Pollux: West Face: Starting from Schwartztor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles | Difficulty | PD
|
| Type | Snow / Rock | Duration | 1h30 |
| Valley base | Gressoney (1,624 m (5,328 ft)) | Hut / hotel | Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut (3,394 m (11,135 ft)) |
| Useful maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt | ||
[edit] NNW Face and NW Ridge: Starting from Schwartztor(D)
| Pollux: West Face: Starting from Schwartztor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles | Difficulty |  D
|
| Type | Snow / Rock | Duration | 3h15 |
| Valley base | Gressoney (1,624 m (5,328 ft)) | Hut / hotel | Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut (3,394 m (11,135 ft)) |
| Useful maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt | ||
[edit] NNW Face: Starting from Schwartztor(D-)
| Pollux: West Face: Starting from Schwartztor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles | Difficulty |  D-
|
| Type | Snow / Rock | Duration | 0 |
| Valley base | Gressoney (1,624 m (5,328 ft)) | Hut / hotel | Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut (3,394 m (11,135 ft)) |
| Useful maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt | ||
[edit] North Ridge: Starting from Snow Saddle 3882m(AD-)
| Pollux: North Ridge: Starting from Snow Saddle 3882m | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles | Difficulty | AD-
|
| Type | Snow / Rock | Duration | 0 |
| Valley base | Gressoney (1,624 m (5,328 ft)) | Hut / hotel | Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut (3,394 m (11,135 ft)) |
| Useful maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt | ||
[edit] SE Ridge: Starting from Zwillingsjoch(PD)
| Pollux: West Face: Starting from Zwillingsjoch | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 4,092 m13,425.197 ft 2.543 miles | Difficulty | PD
|
| Type | Snow / Rock | Duration | 1h |
| Valley base | Gressoney (1,624 m (5,328 ft)) | Hut / hotel | Guide della Val d'Ayas Hut (3,394 m (11,135 ft)) |
| Useful maps | SLK 1348: Zermatt | ||
[edit] Additional photos
 |
