Via dei 6 Pilastri, new route on the Marmolada by Giordani, Ferrari and Paoletto

Marmolada, the Queen of the Dolomites which peaks at 3343m in height with its Punta Penia, possesses of the most fascinating vertical rock faces in the entire Dolomites: it's South Face. The steepness and the shapes of this face has long stimulated the creativity of climbers from all over the world who have, over time, written important chapters in this mountains rock climbing history.

The mountain guide from Rovereto Maurizio Giordani is a true connoisseur of Marmolada's immense South Face and last summer he completed the first ascent of a new route together with Trentino Mountaineering Club SOSAT president Luciano Ferrari and Nancy Paoletto, Giordani's life and climbing partner, the first woman from Italy's Trentino region to climb an 8000er, Broad Peak in 2004. The first part of the route was forged in 2011, during the SOSAT's 90th celebration, while three summer's (2010, 2011, 2012) were required to finish their Via dei 6 Pilastri, the route of the 6 Pillars.

"With my friend Maurizio Giordani and Nancy Paoletto, both members of the Trentino Mountaineering Club" - explained SOSAT president Luciano Ferrari "we started thinking about a new route in 2010 in order to add the SOSAT's name to this face. So we started to forge a line up the South Face - up the Piz Serata pre-summit - to dedicate it to the club's 90th anniversary, from 1921 - 2011. We succeeded in completing the climb up this buttress, 8 pitches, circa 350m in length, with difficulties up to 6b+, called Pilastro 90° SOSAT and dedicated to the Sezione Operaia della Sat. This year the route was completed fully and, as a result of its form, has been named "Via dei 6 Pilastri", route of the 6 Pillars

This totals 20 pitches, is 940m high, with difficulties up to 6b+. The beautiful route climbs solid, well-protected slabs. The difficulties indicated in the topo should be considered obligatory and the belays are all equipped with either bolts or pegs. Furthermore, all belays up to pitch 14 are equipped with rings for abseil retreat.

During the same period Giordani and Paoletto also climbed a new route to the left called Via Piacevole. This 9-pitch line breaches 450m up to 6b and joins the previous route at the height of the Pilastro Stefano and Natale pillar. These features are named after those who helped conceive and create this wonderful route, namely Stefano, Natale, Luciano, Georgio, Nancy and Maurizio. This new route offers pleasant climbing which is never banal and it might well become a future classic of the Marmolada South Face. It should be noted that the SOSAT pillar may be interpreted as an independent route from which you can easily return to the base of the wall.