New mixed climb up Pizzo Porola in Bergamo Alps

On 25 January 2019 Marco Birolini (CAAI) and Ennio Spiranelli (CAAI) ventured into the heart of the east face of Pizzo Porola to complete a line they had previously attempted with Alessandro Ceribelli.

The two mountaineers followed a series of obvious gullies that alternated sections of alpine ice, powder snow and rock to reach the ridge where the wind was so strong that they were forced to rig an abseil, descend into the southeast gully, and then climb this to the summit. The two reached the cross at around 5pm, then descended down the north ridge to Passo di Coca and then on to the Rifugio Coca.

"Overall it is a challenging route because you have to know how to climb safely on all types of terrains," Spiranelli told planetmountain.com "The belays all need equipping, and there’s only one peg left insitu, at the 10th belay. The first shot was the hardest technically speaking, while on the upper section route finding proved testing. "

The new route is called 80 Primavere, 80 spring seasons, is graded TD+ and has been dedicated to Mario Bergamelli, Honorary President of the Nembrese Alpinist Group, for his 80th birthday which he celebrated in early February.

TOPO: 80 Primavere, Pizzo Porola, Bergamo Alps

Si ringrazia: Grande Grimpe, Gruppo Alpinistico Nembrese, Club Alpino Accademico Italiano