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Kiss or Kill, la recherche

On 26 December Luca Vuerich and Michele Martina made the first ascent of "Kiss or Kill" 800m, M6 up the NF of Cima Castrein (2502m) in the Jof Fuart mountain range.

PlanetMountain

January 2007

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Luca Vuerich

At times we're attracted by things hidden, by the vision which cannot be perceived by simply remaining on the surface. Perhaps this is the motivation for climbing a mountain in winter. And perhaps this is why we launch into solitary adventures, up through stable and inconsistent snow and ice.

On 26 December Luca Vuerich and Michele Martina set off in search of this special silence, abandoning themselves to the coldest of seasons. In doing so they found "Kiss or Kill", a line attempted previously by Vuerich and Nives Meroi in 2002 and which now weaves through a series of gullies and steps up the north face of Cima Castrein (2502m), in the Jof Fuart mountain range in the Julian Alps in North Italy.

Kiss or Kill (the reference to Mark Twight's book didn't come about by chance) is the result of 12 hour, 800m mixed climb which ascends long sections of "pressed snow". The difficulties of up to M6 can be compared to those encountered on Sanjski Ozebnik on the north face of the Tricorno. Vuerich describes the climb as being "an extremely psychological ascent... With the addition of powder snow discharges" Or, better still, an experience which goes "beyond the moves and the grade."

THE ROUTE
Cima Castrein 2502m, Jof Fuart Mountain Group
Route: Kiss or Kill
F.A.: Luca Vuerich, Michele Martina (26/12/06)
Length: 500m + 300m snow gully
Grade: hard packed snow 85Â°-90Â° - M6
Orientation: North
Approach: 3 hours circa. Set off from Val Saisera towards Bivacco Mazzeni and then continue for Forcella MosÃ¨. The gully is clearly visible on the right.
Descent: continue along the undulating ridge eastwards and then descend north to Forcella MosÃ¨, first along a crest and then, when this peters out, down the snow gully. From the col descend the gully (1 hour). It is possible to abseil from the end of the difficulties. 4 in-situ belays.