Silvestro Franchini climbs difficult new crack in Val Genova

I saw the crack for the first time in 2013; it towers above the first pitch of another climb I don’t know the name of in Val di Genoa, and with my brother Tomas I climbed it later that year.

Crack climbing is one of the types of climbing that fascinates me most. You follow a line sculpted by Mother Nature, you need to shape your body around and sometimes in the crack to not slip and fall, often it becomes a real battle. I got really keen on crack climbing and in 2014 I returned and bolted the belays. Together with Tomas and Alessandro Lucchi I started trying the roof and after a couple of days I managed to free it pink point style (with pre-placed gear).

Pre-existing pitch aside, I became fascinated by the route and where it’s located. The two pitches I added are unique. The first is a smeary slab, protected by microfriends. The second is pretty much a horizontal roof where good hand jamming is fundamental. The pro is excellent.

In order to climb Fessura del Caret you have to be a good all-rounder on granite, and be good at both slabs and hand jams. The roof, despite being difficult to climb and complicated to work the moves, offers some highly satisfying climbing

While I tried the route I obviously thought of other similar climbs I’ve done in the past, like Legoland in Valle dell’Orco and Turkey Crack at Cadarese. I sent both of these second go, and realised just how difficult and beautiful this crack in the Trentino region is.

I returned recently with Mirko Corn, Mirko Povinelli and Matteo Pavana to climb the route one last time just before the road closed, and this time I freed the roof while placing all the gear on lead. The route is comparable in difficulties to the routes I mentioned above. And perhaps Fessura del Caret is just a tad more beautiful!

by Silvestro Franchini

Silvestro Franchini thanks La Sportiva, Beal, BlueIce, Calze GM, MT Sport

TOPO: Fessura del Caret, Val di Genova

Link: www.guidealpinecampiglio.it, FB Silvestro Franchini, www.theverticaleye.com, FB Matteo Pavana, Instagram The Vertical Eye