Bivouac d'Estelette (Adolfo Hess)

The place

Small Italian bivouac at 2958 m north of the limestone pyramids, between the Aiguille des Glaciers and the Aiguille d'Estelette (Mont Blanc massif, Italian side). Built in 1925. Since 1951, dedicated to the memory of Adolfo Hess, a Turin electrical engineer and mountaineer who designed the first fixed high-mountain bivouacs. Hess designed the emblem of the CAAI (Italian Academic Alpine Club), of which he became president. 4 sleeping spaces on mattresses. Always open, unstaffed. Equipment: water and stove. Access in 3h15 from La Visaille (car park at the end of the Val Vény road), or in 2h from the Refuge Elisabetta — difficulty EE.