Stefano Ragazzo completes winter solo of Moulin Rouge on Rotwand, Dolomites

Italian mountaineer Stefano Ragazzo has carried out what is likely to be the first winter solo of Moulin Rouge, the famous multipitch established on Rotwand (2806m) in the Rosengarten group of the Italian Dolomites by Oswald Celva and Christoph Hainz in 2002.

Ragazzo reached the base of the mountain on the 16th and scrambled to the base of the route where he stashed some gear after having climbed and fixed the first two pitches. He left his tent at 04:45am the next morning and started climbing at 06.00. After jumaring up to his highpoint he ventured into for him unknown territory.

Writing to planetmountain the Italian alpinist explained "From the moment I started climbing, I've worked incessantly, trying not to waste precious time. My biggest worry throughout the entire route (apart from jumaring through the void up a rope tied off to peg belays) was that of ending up in the dark somewhere in the middle of that overhanging wall, without a comfortable bivy spot. Even if it doesn't seem like it, the route traverses constantly and dealing with the ropework and the haulbag proved tiring."

Fatigue started to set in shortly after half-height. "The third to last pitch is graded VIII+ and tackles an overhanging roof before leading to the last two easier pitches. While dealing with this roof, I literally exploded: cramps in my arms and hands, aching feet and blood in my fingers. I clipped to my fifi hook and hung there 10 minutes, clipped to a peg above the drop trying to recover and chase away the negative thoughts that pervaded me. I forced myself to continue and with deep breaths and a few screams I reached the belay. I knew I'd done the hardest bit, but also that there was still lots left to do. I still had to strip that damn traverse and two pitches still separated me from the top."

Ragazzo persevered and summited in last light at 18:35. He recuperated all his gear and, despite the piercing cold, savoured the moment and a bite of cheese he'd saved up for the top, before descending quickly to his tent.

Summing up his experience alone on the wall, he recounted "The next day, taking all the time in the world, I woke up and descended to the parking lot at Passo Costalunga. Around me only skiers, preparing for their day skiing on slivers of snow in the middle of the meadows. I wanted to have chat with someone, tell them about what I'd just done, but I felt like I was from another world, a fish out of water. How strange, you flee from civilisation, only to realise that you miss this world a little."

Stefano Ragazzo thanks: SCARPA, Grivel
Info: www.alpinevibes.it