Dent d'Hérens

The 4,171 meters high Dent d'Hérens, which lies in the shadow of the Matterhorn in the Valais Alps, has a narrow, snow-covered peak. Its summit is bisected by the Italian-Swiss border. The Dent d'Hérens offers difficult ascent routes with rock climbing passages, but due to its difficult access location, it is relatively unvisited. The Tiefmatten glacier is located on the northern side of the mountain, while the south side is characterized by rocky ridges, with the east ridge being one of the longest in the Alps.

On August 12, 1863, Florence Crauford Grove, William Edward Hall, Reginald Somerled Macdonald, Montagu Woodmass, Melchior Anderegg, Jean-Pierre Cachat, and Peter Perren made the first ascent of the mountain.

The name of the mountain comes from the Val d'Hérens, a valley to the north. The Dent Blanche was most likely the original name, which is now shared by the nearby Dent Blanche, which overlooks the Val d'Hérens. The Dent d'Hérens was given the name because cartographers usually made their observations far away from the more remote areas, and also because the Dent Blanche is sometimes hidden behind the Dent d'Hérens, making it less visible. The Dent d'Hérens was known as the Dent Blanche by residents of the lower Val d'Hérens, but the Dent de Rong or the Dent d'Erins by residents of the upper Val d'Hérens, adding to the confusion. Since the completion of the Dufour map in 1862, the names used today have been the official ones.

Elevation: 4,171 m

Location: Pennine Alps, border between Italy and Switzerland