{"id":20759,"date":"2023-07-12T22:07:30","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T20:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.albertodegiuli.com\/en\/2023\/07\/via-egger-sauscheck-cima-piccola-lavaredo\/"},"modified":"2025-06-03T16:56:55","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T14:56:55","slug":"climbing-egger-sauscheck-cima-piccola-lavaredo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.albertodegiuli.com\/en\/2023\/07\/climbing-egger-sauscheck-cima-piccola-lavaredo\/","title":{"rendered":"Climbing the Egger-Sauscheck on Cima Piccola di Lavaredo."},"content":{"rendered":"

The other day, while approaching the start of the normal route on\u00a0Cima Piccola di Lavaredo, I once again looked up at that yellow shield of rock split diagonally by a crack. A subtle line on an overhanging wall\u2014likely not the most solid\u2014where several modern high-difficulty routes (with or without bolts) have emerged in recent years. The classic line, powerful and imposing, follows that very crack. It was first climbed in\u00a01955: the\u00a0“Egger-Sauscheck”. The same Toni Egger who, in 1959, vanished with his camera during the legendary ascent of Cerro Torre with Cesare Maestri.<\/p>\n

I owe thanks to my friend and colleague, Mauro Valmassoi, who reminded me of my own ascent of the Egger route on Cima Piccola with GioPilli in the summer of\u00a02021. Had I called him back then for advice\u2014him<\/em>, who\u2019s climbed it 24 times!\u2014I\u2019d have saved some trouble. I even returned home with a fascinating anecdote: that the Egger-Sauscheck on Cima Piccola was essentially solved up to the roofs (the crux) by a young Alziro Molin. Then Francesco Mazzetta, keeper of Rifugio Lavaredo, let slip the details to Toni Egger\u2014one of the era\u2019s star climbers\u2014prompting him to rush and finish the route, claiming the glory.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s take things in order.<\/p>\n

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Egger-Sauscheck, Cima Piccola di Lavaredo. The iconic photo showing Hans Kammerlander soloing the route in 1978, taken from his book\u00a0Descent to Success<\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\n

I recall that the first time I heard about the Egger route on Cima Piccola was while reading Hans Kammerlander\u2019s book\u00a0“Descent to Success”<\/em>, where he describes his 1978 free solo ascent \u2013 accidentally witnessed by a German climber observing from Cima Grande.<\/p>\n

Over subsequent years, especially after becoming a mountain guide, the information I gathered about the route wasn\u2019t encouraging. I remember a Facebook post where a guide, after climbing the first pitches, declared: “It\u2019s all rotten, choss – we rappelled off.”<\/em> Among the dissuasive opinions, the most memorable came from fellow guides in Sesto. Some agreed that if you knock on the big hollow flake up high, it resonates like a bell… with no telling how much longer it might hold.<\/p>\n

Now, a sensible person\u00a0would abandon the idea entirely. Yet these very details fueled my determination to see it firsthand. As Jean, one of my longtime clients, says: I always recruit\u00a0“my victims”<\/em>\u00a0for these experiments\u2014and none suited better than the legendary\u00a0GioPilli, who\u2019d also nurtured curiosity about this route over the years.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t mistake this for recklessness\u2014I researched meticulously.\u00a0Two key factors convinced me:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    A German colleague\u2019s online report detailing his repeat (linking to a\u00a0Bergsteigen<\/em>\u00a0route description).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Simon Gietl\u2019s recent free solo repeat\u00a0during filming for the Hans Kammerlander documentary.
    \nI even messaged Simon, whose reply was:\u00a0“If your guests enjoy alpine climbing, they\u2019ll have a blast.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Critically, Mauro Bernardi\u2019s “bible”<\/em> (definitive guidebook for the area of Cortina d’Ampezzo and Tre Cime di Lavaredo) includes an accurate Egger description: “Pitons where needed, bolted anchors.”<\/em>\u00a0All reassuring intel!<\/p>\n

    Thus, July 2021 arrived – a flawless morning. We approached the objective leisurely, certain no competitors awaited us at the base.<\/p>\n

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    Egger-Sauscheck, Cima Piccola di Lavaredo. The pitch of the cracked dihedral beneath the roof.<\/p><\/div>\n

    T<\/em>he first pitch follows an easy gray ramp \u2013 a fitting welcome to this adventure. Rock quality is good, but protection opportunities are nearly absent. The second pitch is the crux. To reach the demanding horizontal crack, you traverse unsettling rock. The free-climbing section isn\u2019t extreme (UIAA VI+\/VII- or\u00a0 5.9 \/5.10a), well protected with pitons, but requires serious self-control to avoid grabbing draws and rest. The next couple pitches feature easier climbing (UIAA III-IV ? YDS 5.4-5.6) on solid rock, they lead to the base of the cracked dihedral \u2013 often wet and capped by a roof. This is a beautiful, alpine-style pitch: well-protected, not difficult (UIAA V+ or 5.7), with surprisingly solid rock despite photos suggesting a \u2018house of cards.\u2019 This ends at the infamous yellow flake.
    \nMove carefully here. Though cleaned by repeats, this pitch requires caution on a few meters below the belay \u2013 a small past rockfall zone.<\/p>\n

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    Egger-Sauscheck. Climbing the iconic yellow flake. GioPilli below the delicate section.<\/p><\/div>\n

    I recall the pitch after the flake as a slightly grumpy off-width crack \/ chimney. Oh yes \u2013 plastered in bird guano (I hate that!), and a family of choughs resented our intrusion… we were unwelcome guests. Before the final easing, a perfect chimney demands technique (a long piton helps for pulling through in case you need to aid). We took the outside variation; I recall an Instagram video of a French team squeezing through the \u2018black hole\u2019 beneath the belay.<\/p>\n

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    Cima Piccola. Zsigmondy Chimney (left), original Innerkofler Chimney (right).<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

    Three easier pitches (up to UIAA V or 5.6) on excellent rock lead below the sub-summit. Years prior with GioPilli (after the Spigolo Giallo route), we\u2019d started the rappels here. This time, we continued \u2013 I wanted the true summit and for Gio to revisit the \u2018Zigul\u00ec Chimney\u2019 (his nickname for Zsigmondy), which had shattered him psychologically on his first ascent together via the Normal Route.”<\/p>\n

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    GioPilli on the Zsigmondy Chimney.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

    What to add? I\u2019m slightly disappointed the flake didn\u2019t ring like a bell \u2013 but the route exceeded expectations. I loved its adventurous alpine character versus the Spigolo Giallo. Difficulties are comparable (UIAA VII- max \/ YDS 5.10a), making it a worthy alternative when crowded (though not a \u2018pre-packaged\u2019 or easy climb). Belays are well-equipped (bolts\/pitons), and 10 quickdraws suffice. Bring cams up to #2 and slings. Highly recommended for alpine line seekers: an unmissable climb.<\/p>\n\n\t\t