Friday, March 13, 2009

The Naming of Pallavicini

The highest mountain in Austria is the Grossglockner at 3,798 m. The best known ice climb on the mountain is the Northeast facing Pallavicinni Couloir or Pallavicinni Trough. On August 18, 1876 Hans Tribusser, Bauerle J. Kramser and Count Alfred Markgraf Pallavicini became the first people to ascend the Grossglockner via the couloir. Supposedly, they hacked 2,500 steps in the 55 degree pitched ice making the ascent.

According to Arapahoe lore, a prominent person in the early days of Arapahoe Basin saw some similarity between Austria's Pallavicinni Couloir and Arapahoe Basin's Pallavicinni Trail. This is where the history gets a little murky. I do not know who actually named the trail or any other details associated with the naming of the trail. If you have any information about who named Pallavicinni Trail and why, please post it on the blog. Thanks.

Al