Diamante pazzo on Becco Meridionale della Tribolazione, by Ivo Ferrari
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archivio Ivo Ferrari
As I climb I place my fingers on the same holds and let my imagination take flight, at times I return to the valley with more "friends" than before and I never leave home without having done my homework beforehand, I like the idea of them being my friends even before I set off. Sometimes, after having repeated their routes, we really do become friends as we exchange stories that are the fuel that drives the engine. Other times "they" are no longer, time and destiny have already moved on, I can't talk to them directly, but I can feel them tightly through my fingertips, via their routes, with the help of people who tell me "who they were."
I love all of this, the book I have in my mind is filling up with more and more memories, anecdotes, stories. A book that Vinicio of Planetmountain has allowed me to download onto the internet to share with you. Please excuse me if the lines I write are too few, a "cut-price" version so to speak, but the entire text would simply take too long and I think it's nice to keep the original to myself... plus a copy for my children, in the hope that they do not swap them for a mobile phone!
A "DIAMOND" IS FOREVER by Ivo Ferrari
The motivation for repeating this route came from browsing through an old guidebook written by Maurizio Oviglia about climbing in the Gran Paradiso area, while the moment came after having climbed in the shade of Becco di Valsoera. Behind me the sun shone onto a mountain I knew well but which I had never had the pleasure of climbing...
One route had struck me, along with the succinct statement by one of the first ascentionists, the late Roberto Perucca in the pages of the guide: "In three hours we forged the line, with only two quickdraws per pitch. Establishing a route on Becco della Tribolazione was a really special moment for me as it sits right outside my doorstep..." Simple words that took me back to 1984 when Diamante Pazzo, Crazy Diamond, was first ascended. In a clean style, after plenty of preparation and desire to look towards the future, to leave a "mark" with a beautiful, true and genuine climb.
We set off at half past five from the Teleccio dam, all four of us, one team intent on the Diamond, the other planning to climb the direct line up the SE Arete of Becco della Tribolazione. This is Gianmario backyard and he guided up into the mountains, pointing out everything that appeared on the horizon. We ascended easily, the sky was blue, it was hot... I was excited, I wanted to get to know the Diamond, my camera shot plenty of pictures as the Becco lured us in, it's a wonderful, stupendous and spectacular peak!
At the base we bid farewell to Gianmario and Federico and agreed to meet on the summit. After the initial pedestal we saw another two parties, one on the classic Grassi-Re and the other heading for Malvassora, another super-classic on this face. We swung leads and I immediately understood what I had imagined, the line was beautiful and logical, with little in-situ pro but easy to protect with Friends. Time began to go backwards, directly into the past as I tried to imagine Roberto and Rinaldo climbing fast and safe, protected by their skill, the recklessness of being 20 years old and by the good pegs.
Twenty-nine summers have passed, countless routes, imaginary lines, techniques and climbers ... But on photogenic and sunny Becco, right up the middle, straight into the sky, there's a "present" forged by two strong climbers, reckless, in love with climbing and these valleys. A gift that has stood the test of time, resisted fashions as it lies silently in wait for those who don't follow fads. This is how things should be, cerain routes are so beautiful that they are timeless... and a diamond is forever!
Ivo Ferrari
REMEMBERING ROBERTO by Gianmario Bellini
I remember one of the first times I was fascinated by Roberto Perucca's stories, it was the early nineties, a winter evening in a bar at Locana in Valle dell'Orco. I was about 15 at the time, Roberto was wearing a t-shirt that said "Go climb a rock" and was rolling a cigarette. He passionately talked about his route Diamante pazzo on Becco della Tribolazione and I reckon that it was during one of his storied that I decided to start climbing and then became a simple fan of this sport.
Unfortunately my love for climbing had only just started in 2000 when Roberto died at Piantonetto and therefore I have to say that I knew him more because we both lived in the same town rather than because of his climbing. He was a nice person, honest and sincere, a mountain guide and talented climber. Sometimes he was quiet. But his best attribute, put simply, was that he was interesting person, had a thousand things to say and could bank on a vast experience.
I remember how one evening in the summer of 1998 he managed to fill the Rosone hall in Valle dell'Orco to the brim as he showed slides of his climbing trip to Yosemite. Proof of his charisma came from the fact that most who had come to watch him that evening weren't climbers, but ordinary folk interested more in what he had to say than rock climbing.
IVO FERRARI 2013
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