Happy Ending, new icefall in Val Trementina, Paganella

From down in the valley, it’s impossible not to notice those drips of ice overlooking Val Trementina. Constantly inspected through our binoculars… constantly feared. Just before Christmas, Giordano told me he’d climbed the last pitch on top rope with Mattia, Stefano and Monika. judging by the photos, it all looked very exciting. Giordano had been trying to motivate the group to almost "hurry up” and get the job done, to establish something from below!

The next day our cheerful team met at the famous Battisti grotto (Stefano Vulcan had got there an hour before us to prepare the gear below the barrage of falling ice), the sun moved away and the shadows grew longer, which wasn’t a bad thing as it was rather warm. All in all the ice wasn’t too bad though and Stefano climbed the first pitch and quickly reached a belay: from there the real climbing begins.

Giordano set of up pitch two, past difficult sections on rock, then onto thin ice, past a few bolts, then the final section. I took the lead and completed the second pitch, we rappelled and returned home to drink some beers.

The next day, still not quite sober, we decided to return lighter, faster. We were joined by Luca Caldini and reached the base of the route at one. A bit late we thought, but there was no running water and, with the first two pitches bolted and knowing the moves, we climbed a whole lot faster…

We quickly reached the base of the last drip. I wasn’t at all convinced, but decided to give it a go nevertheless. I slowly gained height with some timid hooking, just enough to not be able to downclimb. I played a first ice screw and then waltzed upwards, the sunset behind me, below me the huge void as the ice gradually became more and more beautiful.

I belayed Luca and Giordano who, having failed to find their headlamps, climbed the last pitch in the dark. Still in awe, we descended directly to Renato who runs the legendary bar Valarda ay Fai della Paganella, whom we thank for his hospitality ... and beers.


TOPO: Happy Ending, Val Trementina, Paganella