?
? ? Mauro "Bubu" Bole returns to the north face of the Cima Grande of Lavaredo and after the first free climb of the Pellesier route, makes a 50-meter turn to the right to climb the Spanish route.
M. A. Gallego, M. Lozano, J. Carillo and A. Gomez first opened the route in the summer of 1977. The route, 450 meters long and classified V1, was completely cleared of pitons by the first climbers who only left some bolts in place. After a few attempts, Bubu successfully repeated the climb for the first time since it was opened 26 years ago - and he did it solo.
Bubu re-equipped the belays with new bolts and added normal pitons on the pitches. As soon as he finished rigging the route, still solo and free climbing, he repeated the entire route, with the exception of the last three moves from the roof of the third pitch where he had to traction, feet in the air, on three cords passed through the original pitons.
At the end of September, together with a friend and Bubu as leader, he free climbed the route again without doing the last three moves of the third pitch, which even with the help of three tractions on cord loops remains a very difficult 8a+. Repeating the route with aids was a challenge for Bubu who in various sequences was forced to climb using cliffhangers and at times took a little fall, which was inevitable considering how rotten the rock was. Bubu didn't have a written report (maybe one doesn't even exist) so at times he got lost following the original route seeing as there were no guides.
Overall a great feeling of satisfaction for this first repeat climb after so many years from it being opened... and doing it solo... even with a little bit of help... who knows, maybe one day Bubu will make it over that damned roof. Anyhow, he's taken his first step! Cheers to the first climbers! It was a great achievement considering the times.
?
?
?
SPANISH ROUTE
?
By then we had become used to the alpine rescue helicopter paying us a visit as it flew by the north wall of the Tre Cime (Three Peaks) checking to see if everything was ok. They always seem to get called by someone who spots someone who they think might be in need of rescuing. It's understandable, it's not every day you see what could be the "Michelin" man hanging mid-air, 200 metres above ground, on a wooden seat, still as a rock and with an enormous camera lens following the movements of another human as he slowly ascends and occasionally falls quickly back down!
?
You guessed it, it's me again with the usual story: 200 metres above ground, static rope, Fabio Dandri either taking photos or shooting some footage and myself, leading the way with Riccado Milani close behind.
?
This time it was really cold and at times the rock seemed like a vertical glacier. It was Saturday, the 11th of October; the end of the season, cold as hell and with a north wind and settled snow. Overall the weather was good, so we took advantage of it seeing that it might well have been the last day we could document our last climb of the north wall of the Cima Grande (Great Peak).
?
The Via degli Spagnoli, or Spanish Route, was opened in 1977 by M.A. Gallego, M. Lozano, J. Carillo and A. Gomez and its 450 metres is classified VI, A3. A week earlier I had finally completed the route, which had become an obsession with its integral ascent and most of to be free climbed. New to the group this time was the Triestine Stefano Figliola who accompanied me during the "longest day" of the route.
?
Mother nature was of no help at all, not letting me free the roof of the third pitch that was totally without holds. I solved the problem by tying three ropes as handles around the pitons of the roof so that with three suspensions I managed to connect the lower part with the roof at the end of the belay. I knew there was still something missing... tractions on pitons interrupt the flow, but maybe it was just my morale dropping... at times you have to learn how to accept defeat. Besides, you never know, maybe one day someone will manage to nail it all the way.
?
The best thing was when I completed the first repeat after the route was opened over 26 years ago. I don't know whether anyone else has completed it but you can be sure that it wasn't pleasant finding out that the route had been completely cleared of pitons except for the bolts. That means there isn't much difference between repeating the route and opening it up.
?
The main reason I decided to do it alone was the difficulty in finding someone who was prepared to belay for me everyday for who knows how long. I was really ready to do this thing that I'd never done before.
?
I spent a number of days on the wall just trying to find the original route, as I didn't have any record of the climb.
?
I got lost several times - went flying a few times too - but the first thing I wanted to do was to put new bolts at the belay and only added pitons in the pitches. Once I'd repeated the climb, I tried the sequences and memorized the whole thing so that during the "the longest day" I would be sure to connect all the dots.
?
I have to admit that those Spanish guys were very good considering they did it all those years ago. I was very tired and just a bit fed up with the Tre Cime! This was the last of the great artificial historical routes.
?
As I was climbing, there were, just a few metres to the right of me, two French guys opening a new artificial route. They also had a video camera and filmed most of my climb as well, including the moment when a hold broke... but I managed to hold on with my other hand and, rotating backwards with my feet in the air, I grabbed the air a few times till I managed to touch solid rock with my other hand. It must have been fun to watch!
?
At the belay, while I was waiting for my companion, I had already started thinking of the new French route... then I thought again... enough!
?
The only thing I should be thinking of is getting a metal detector and salvaging all those pitons that I dropped down in the valley... it's a pity we don't have three hands... one could keep the pitons still while the second tightens the crimp and the third holds a hammer.
?
Bubu??????????
? ? ?
"Via degli Spagnoli"
CIMA GRANDE
DI LAVAREDO
2999 metri
(Tre Cime, Dolomiti)
Drawing
Movie?(2,77 Mb)
?
? ? ? ? ? ? Photos by Fabio Dandri