GUNUNG · Réunion (Prancis)

Gros Morne (Réunion)

Le Gros Morne

Information

Elevation: 3.019 m
Country: Réunion (Prancis) (RE)
Location / Range: Massif du Piton des Neiges, Pulau Réunion (Kepulauan Mascarene), Samudra Hindia barat daya
Mountain type: Puncak batuan vulkanik di Massif du Piton des Neiges — arête, rempart, dan dinding tebing di lanskap puncak yang gundul
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -21.0861, 55.4661
Difficulty: Sangat sulit (alpinisme) — tidak ada jalur berpenanda ke puncak; jalur klasik menyusuri arête ~1,7 km dari Piton des Neiges, umumnya dengan pemandu gunung
Best Season: Musim kering austral (Mei–November) untuk langit cerah & batu kering; hindari musim hujan/siklon (Desember–April)
Permits & Rules: Kawasan Parc national de La Réunion; tanpa izin khusus, tetapi pendakian sangat dianjurkan bersama guide de haute montagne karena medan alpinis
Hazards: Arête tajam, rempart & tebing tegak, batu vulkanik rapuh, tanpa jalan setapak dan paparan jurang; kabut serta perubahan cuaca cepat di ketinggian; risiko tersesat

Description

Le Gros Morne (3,019 m) is the second-highest peak on Réunion Island, lying just west of its slightly taller neighbour, the Piton des Neiges (3,070 m). Both belong to the Massif du Piton des Neiges — the extinct shield volcano that built the north-western half of the island. Gros Morne stands at the meeting point of the Cilaos, La Possession, Saint-Paul and Salazie communes, separating Réunion's three great cirques (Cilaos, Salazie and Mafate). The Rivière des Galets rises on its western slopes. Unlike the tourist path up the Piton des Neiges, no marked trail reaches the summit of Gros Morne; access is a genuine mountaineering outing along a bare ~1.7 km summit ridge held between 2,900 and 3,000 m, usually done with a mountain guide from the Cilaos or Salazie side. The peak was long thought unclimbable, with the first recorded ascent in 1939. On a truly clear day it is said to be the only point on the island from which both the east and west coasts, all three cirques, and every major Réunion summit can be seen at once.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Akses berpemandu dari Cilaos atau Salazie

Alpinisme terpandu — hanya untuk yang menguasai teknik gunung

±3–5 jam pendakian (bagian teknis), tergantung sisi & kondisi

An alternative approach to the Gros Morne massif from the Cilaos or Salazie side, usually organised by local guiding bureaus. Because Gros Morne stands at the meeting point of the communes and separates the three cirques, it can be approached from several directions, but all end in alpine terrain with no tourist path. Guide-Réunion.fr stresses that the summit is for mountaineers only; hikers are advised to pick dry, clear weather so the rock is not slippery and the panorama over the three cirques is fully open.

Source

Arête des Salazes — traversée dari Piton des Neiges

Alpinisme — arête terpapar tanpa jalur berpenanda; disarankan bersama guide de haute montagne

Course alpin panjang, umumnya 2 hari (sering dengan bivak di dekat puncak)

The classic route to Gros Morne. From the Piton des Neiges area (usually via the Caverne Dufour hut), climbers follow the ~1.7 km arête des Salazes linking the Piton des Neiges to Gros Morne, staying around 2,900–3,000 m. There is no marked trail; the terrain is a narrow ridge, ramparts and friable volcanic rock with cliff exposure on both sides. It is usually done with a mountain guide and often with a bivouac to enjoy sunrise from Réunion's second-highest summit.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Climbing Le Gros Morne (3,019 m) is a mountaineering experience, not an ordinary trek: no marked trail reaches the summit. The classic route follows the long ridge (arête des Salazes) linking the Piton des Neiges to Gros Morne, usually with a mountain guide and often with a bivouac near the top. Climbers' footage shows bare rocky terrain, a narrow exposed ridge, and extraordinary panoramas over Réunion's three cirques. Most sources are in French and stress that the ascent is for the experienced and for dry weather only; fog and friable rock are real hazards.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.