Monika climbing pitch 3. Comici, Cima Grande di Lavaredo.

Exactly 6 years and 1 month later, I’m back on the North Face of Cima Grande di Lavaredo. Last time, I celebrated my 24th birthday with Max on the Hasse-Brandler route. This time, I’m with Monika to climb the masterpiece of the VI-grade era: THE route that marked a pivotal moment in Dolomite climbing history – opened by Comici and the Dimai brothers in 1933. A direct line passing just right of the vertical, at the center of the North Face, offering magnificent climbing on gold-and-grey rock with sustained difficulties at solid UIAA VI+ (occasional moves up to UIAA VII, brief 5.10c/d moves if free climbed) for 6 pitches.

So many teams today on the North Face of Cima Grande di Lavaredo!

This hot summer dried out the shaded faces thoroughly. We found the upper pitches almost perfect, with only a few wet sections. Perfect weather and Ferragosto (Italian holiday) drew crowds to the Lavaredo north walls: over 8 teams on our route, at least 5 on Hasse-Brandler, and 4 more on Iso2000! The waits on the lower pitches felt endless. Despite a freezing level above 4,000 meters, our fingers were numb for the first few pitches.

What more can I say? A glorious climb and a huge personal satisfaction – guiding the brilliant Monika up the symbolic route of the Tre Cime and one of the Dolomites’ great classics.”