The Dolomites

The holiday went 'so well' I didn't have the inclination to write up its failings, a few months later here it is in note form:

June = Too early, huts closed, lifts closed, snow in descent gullies and only Eastern Bloc climbers (i.e. mentalists) climbing.

Do NOT be second on the route. Said Eastern Bloc climbers have no remorse at literally throwing large pieces of rock in your direction. When they're hitting the slabs just above you, its time to bail.

Cinque Torri is crap.

The Marmolada is friggin' huge (~870m).

Abseiling off one single ring peg (about a 4mm ring) with no chance of backing it up is terrifying, even if you weigh as little as I do.

If you can't see the rock, don't try and climb a 600m route.



When you DO see the rock, run away as it looks like this:



Driving to Val di Mello in a 1.2 L Panda takes nearer 7 hours than Googles predicted 4.30. With only one person on the insurance and a good forecast for the next day it isn't fun to attempt in an evening.

Val di Mello is incredibly beautiful. The rock is pristine. Coming here to boulder is an insult.

The little lake drawn in the Solo Granito guide is NOT the first lake, it is the second one with the rock (complete with bolt), take the path here to Luna Nascente, do NOT walk out of the valley by mistake on an earlier path. Especially when you've got up early to jump a dodgy forecast.

Luna Nascente is amazing. If its at your limit be prepared to be a tad run out at times.



When you get to the big roof (unlike last time!) you DOWN CLIMB for 6m around the corner, the next bit is easy but there is little pro all the way to the belay. How we got this far previously with an incomplete grit rack I'm not quite sure.

Imagine a perfect corner, got it? The next pitch is it from here upwards:



The final slab is easy, very easy in fact, but once again there is NO pro for 40m (and no, its not this shallow all the way).



It is also a 60m pitch, by that I mean as I bounced on stretch to clip the tree at the top, all I heard was "climbing". Good to know.

Carrying a headtorch is golden although after the Dolomites descent without, whilst handcuffed would have been a walk in the park by comparison.

Finish at the Luna hut, Pizzocheri (local dish) and finish with an Espresso.

Rain. Watch as your planned router literally forms a waterfall.

Work out how much it has cost you per pitch of climbing. Go to Verona and drown sorrows in Aperol Spritz and complain that the ladies were more attractive last time you where here.

Heed the Spherical Cow!

The End.

ps - the S95 > LX5 for this stuff, and when are we going back?