Rive Gauche d’Argentière (Mont Blanc), new mixed climb 'Volevo essere un duro'

It’s Tuesday evening. Davide Cattani, Claudio Marchetti, and I are at a hostel in Chamonix during the exams in order to become mountain guides. We anxiously wait a message from our instructor, Massimo Faletti, to find out what route we'll be climbing the next morning. Fresh off two days of mixed climbing on the Tacul, we need to choose a climb despite the bad weather. We're considering some mixed or ice climbs in the Argentière basin (Rive gauche du glacier), which should be sheltered from the snowstorm. Finally, the message arrives: Max suggests Bringing Home the Bacon, a modern, all-trad mixed climb established in 2010 by Pete Benson and Nick Bullock. Initially hesitant — committing to a demanding route during an exam is pretty risky — in the end we decide to go for it!

The next morning we pack all our gear, including pegs and a hammer, into our rucksacks. The route has very few repeats, so we might need to equip belays or fix in-situ gear. The approach isn’t straightforward for non-locals: finding the right abseils, traversing across exposed snowy terrain, all while simulating guide-client protocols, slows us down and is mentally quite taxing.

When we finally get there it’s already 11:30 am — time to move. We split into two teams. Davide, always fired up, sets off with with Max. The first pitch goes smoothly: a bit of snow in the cracks and an pumpy move on good hooks. The second pitch slows us down: the crack requires careful hooks and hand jams, unfamiliar to us Dolomite climbers. Davide finishes the pitch and belays off cams to the right, near some rusty old pegs that look like they might pop out at any moment.

I suggest swapping leads and take over. From here, my subconscious tells me to ignore the guidebook — maybe a mistake? Who knows. Either way, I’m lured by a stunning crack to the right. I gain height quickly, but there's no old gear, and doubt creeps in: are we off-route? But the deed is done, and adventure calls. I push on, fueled by perfect holds and cracks. On the fourth pitch, I cross a delicate slab with no pro and stop below a splitter corner. Ahead lies a mystical vision: a flawless, 40 meter crack, alternating hand jams and thin axe locks where fingers won’t fit. I lead it on-sight with nuts and micro-cams — a true gift from nature!

I top out around 5 pm, belay Max and Claudio, who then belay Davide. Max finishes the pitch buzzing, describing it as “one of the best pitches I've ever done of this sort.” I agree! Davide, the last one up, climbs under a magical snowfall as darkness falls — we immortalise this moment with some unforgettable photos. We then quickly pack our gear , click into our skis, and descend past treacherous moguls in the dark.

The next day, while researching our line, we discover we’d climbed a new route. We name it Volevo essere un duro (“I Wanted to Be a Hardman”). The cherry on top? A few days later mixed-climbing legend Jeff Mercier repeated it and congratulated us for the line. Overjoyed, we thank the mountains for this epic adventure!

Enrico Lovato, Trento, 16/04/2025