Cool new multipitch on Transatlantico in Italy's Sarca Valley

The Transatlantico is an imposing wall that impresses bot for its verticality and for its colour. It has some of the best rock in the entire Sarca Valley, a top-notch yellowish-blue limestone. The climbing is technical and demands strong fingers and stamina. The wall can be considered a large crag, full of not particularly high multi-pitch sports climbs, which allows you to climb more than just one route in a day. East facing, it is ideal in mid-seasons (in summer in gets the shade as early as 12.30) and since it receives the full brunt of the Ora del Garda, the wind that blows northwards up from Lake Garda, you can even climb here late on summer afternoons.

It was on one of those afternoons that Silvia and I repeated the climb Servus Franz. While seconding the entire route the slabs on the right caught my attention and I noticed they seemed free of gear and signs of passage. Without any further scouting, one afternoon after work I decided to set off with gear to try to establish the most logical line with Silvia. The first pitch climbs the pedestal, on the classic gray limestone of the Sarca valley. On reaching this ledge that splits Transatlantico in two, the gray transforms into yellow limestone with small crimps, and I found myself below an enormous crack. During another afternoon after-work session I managed to open the second pitch and half of the third. It was simply incredible, because I had all the space I needed to follow the line of natural holds offered to me by the rock. On the third afternoon I managed to finish the third pitch and add a couple of bolts to the first, to make it safer and more homogeneous. This spring I returned to finish the last 15 meters, finding myself at the top of the wall.

Il sole e la luna, the sun and the moon, was established all free and ground-up without the use of aid between one bolt and the next. The rock is excellent, the third pitch is spectacular. The climb is totally independent, does not cross any other route, and is is located between Servus Franz on the left and La fattoria degli animali on the right.

by Daniele Bolognani