Pelmo North Face winter ascent. A climbing story for commanders only

In its winter mountaineering history, the North face belongs to Renato Casarotto and his solo ascent of the Simon - Rossi route, five freezing days and a photo that captures him with an enormous rucksack at the base of the mountain shortly before setting off. And in its mountaineering history there is another beautiful and genuine ascent, a climb that time has written off almost completely, no image that has become famous, not much writing and even fewer words. An ascent that should be considered as one of the greatest repeats during the more favorable seasons. Three men, three trained alpinists, one true "leader", the only Italian to have climbed the South Face of Annapurna: Soro Dorotei! (Editors note: in 1988 Dorotei carried out the first repeat, together with Benoît Chamoux, of the Bonington Original British route).

I’m standing still, leaning onto the car, hands in my pockets, head tucked into a thick wooly hat, immobile at the side of the road… and I simply don’t want to take a photo, my eyes are captured by what they see and I follow their dreams. I’d like to talk to Soro about that winter ascent, I’ve often wanted to do so, but I’m not a courageous person and I remain locked in my shyness even though I’d like to hear what he has to say.

Winter mountaineering changes with each winter, it changes with the aspect of the mountains, with the gear. But winter mountaineering on Pelmo’s North Face hasn’t changed, it’s stopped still during those short, freezing days of yesteryear, when a "commander" led his climbing partners all the way to the summit.

Alessandro Masucci describes this outstanding ascent as follows in the publication 'Le Dolomiti Bellunesi': "... I believe only the local newspapers reported about it somewhat soberly. After a quarter of a century their "undertaking" perhaps deserves slightly more consideration, if only because twenty degrees below zero on the North Face of Monte Pelmo in winter, are no less cold than those on the North Face of the Matterhorn, or the Eiger or Jorasses. Soro and Renato (Panciera) embarked into the adventure alone, ascending and then fixing the first section, almost to the ledge Steger. Giuliano (De Marchi ed) joined later. The lower section was plastered in wet snow, frozen, forcing the leader Soro to climb with crampons. Despite the loads being distributed better as a trio, it took them another two days (January 26 and 27) to transport all the gear to the left edge of the Steger ledge. They bivouacked there for the third time, having spent the first two nights in a cave at the base of the wall. The 28th was spent negotiating the middle section of the route, namely another 300m to reach the upper ledge, at the base of the blocked red chimney.. After a fourth bivouac on the ledge, on the 29th Soro led the team to the summit. Without hesitation and with bare hands, because, he stated, "on those difficulties you cannot climb with gloves." On the upper third of the very steep wall they strangely encountered very different conditions, as the wind blowing down from 3000m had swept down spindrift. For the first time Soro managed to take off his crampons. From the summit they quickly descended the Vallon and managed to avoid the far too long Ball ledge, by abseiling off where this starts down the face below, reaching the base of Pelmo before night fell for the fifth time."

I step back into the car, the heating is on full, the winter chains provide comforting safety as I head off home. I’ve just seen a unique face, for real "warriors" only, only for "commanders".

Thanks Soro, Renato and Giuliano, I often stop to admire that face in winter, while I treasure your winter ascent.

by Ivo Ferrari

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