Pollux
The smaller twin, watched over by a Madonna
Above the Ayas valley, the Pollux and the Castor form a pair of almost twin summits. The Pollux is slightly smaller, at 4,092 metres. Like its neighbour, it stands on the border with Switzerland.
The twins’ names
In Greek mythology, Castor and Pollux were two inseparable brothers. The two summits, separated by a snow col, have borne their names since the 19th century.
A first ascent in 1864
The Pollux was first climbed on 1 August 1864 by the Swiss mountaineer Jules Jacot and two guides from the Valais. It was thus climbed three years after its twin.
The Madonna on the ridge
The normal route starts from the Zwillingsjoch col, between the two summits. You first climb a short rock wall fitted with chains, then reach a snow ridge. On this ridge stands a statue of the Virgin, which roped parties pass before reaching the summit. It is one of the best-known landmarks on the climb.
Getting there
Guide della Valle d’Ayas hut (3,240 m)
Rocce di Lambronecca
11020 Ayas (AO)
+39 0125 308 083 · rifugio-lambronecca.com
The hut can be reached from the Plateau Rosa, above Breuil-Cervinia, or on foot from Saint-Jacques, at the head of the Ayas valley. The climb to the Pollux is a high-mountain route, to be done with a mountain guide.
Main photo: Alessandro Cantamessa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Maps: personal work by Marc Badjou.
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