Gendarme (mountaineering)

A gendarme, in mountaineering terminology, is a prominent, isolated rock tower or pinnacle along a ridge or arete. Gendarmes are often formed by differential erosion of a rock feature, where more resistant rock remains standing after the surrounding, weaker rock has been worn away. They can also be formed by glacial action.

These formations often present significant obstacles to climbers traversing a ridge. Depending on their size, stability, and the exposure surrounding them, gendarmes may require climbers to be overcome directly (by climbing over or through), circumvented (by traversing along their flanks or rappelling to bypass), or, in some cases, avoided entirely.

The difficulty posed by a gendarme can vary greatly. Smaller, stable gendarmes might simply require a short scramble, while larger, unstable ones may necessitate technical rock climbing skills and specialized equipment. The presence of gendarmes can significantly increase the time and effort required to complete a route, and assessing their stability and planning a safe passage is a critical aspect of mountaineering route-finding and hazard evaluation.