Monte Emilius

Monte Emilius Mont Émilius
Monte Emilius
Highest point
Elevation	3,559 m (11,677 ft)
Prominence	735 m (2,411 ft) [1]
Coordinates	45°40′44.69″N 7°23′02.45″E / 45.6790806°N 7.3840139°E / 45.6790806; 7.3840139Coordinates: 45°40′44.69″N 7°23′02.45″E / 45.6790806°N 7.3840139°E / 45.6790806; 7.3840139
Geography
Monte Emilius Mont Émilius Location in the Alps
Location	Aosta Valley, Italy
Parent range	Graian Alps
Climbing
First ascent	1826
Easiest route	Georges Carrel

Monte Emilius (French: Mont Émilius) (3,559 m) is a mountain of the Graian Alps in Aosta Valley, north-western Italy. Located just above the town of Aosta, from where it is visibile looking southwards behind the lower Becca di Nona, it is usually climbed starting from the ski resort of Pila, at a height of 1,870 m.

History

This mountain was known in the past until 1839 as Pic de dix heures, that is to say "10 a.m. peak" in French, as the sun stands right on top of it at 10 a.m., or even as Pic Chamosser or Pic Chamoisier. In 1839 the canon Georges Carrel did the ascent with a 14-year-old girl named Émilie Argentier, the sister of the mountaineer and doctor Auguste Argentier (1830-1874) from Cogne in order to promote mountaineering. The peak was then named after her. Aostan canons thought about naming it Pic Pie in honour of Pope Pius IX, but that would have sound too weird, as Pie in French means magpie.

Ascent

A marked path usually takes one to the summit, past various lakes, with a bit of scrambling involved. The view from the top includes the main Aostan peaks, such as Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, The Matterhorn and Grand Combin^[2]

References