New mixed climb in Valle Argentera (Valle di Susa), Italy

The Susa Valley, in the heart of Piedmont's mountaineering offerings, is often seen as Cinderella compared to the more famous Alpine resorts across the border. High-quality rock is a rarity here, and the same goes for icefalls. Sure, there are some unmissable ice climbs, but overall what is on offer appears less interesting than elsewhere.

However, nature likes to mix things up a little every now and then, and this year the Argentera valley has transformed into an unexpected paradise for ice climbing! A unique mix of abundant rainfall, not much snowfall and freezing cold temperatures has transformed the valley into a playground for mountaineers, revealing new routes and bringing to light climbs that have been forgotten about for over two decades.

While repeating one of these climbs I was fascinated by a magnificent fringe of ice, suspended above and to the left of the famous Coboldo Caustico. Curiosity got the better of me and so, a few days later, we made our way to the base, drill in hand, ready to find out what we'd be capable of creating. The result was as good as we expected and a few hours later our new route came to light.

The choice of the name, Ecofly, is not only a tribute, but also a way to keep the memory of Marco Diliberto alive in every step we take. He perished in a mountaineering accident in September 2022 and now it is as if, through this climb, we can maintain a connection with him, through this bond that goes beyond time and space.

by Lucio Rinetti