Stefan Glowacz repeats Hotel Supramonte, Sardinia

Sardinia's hardest multi-pitch route, "Hotel Supramonte" 8b, repeated by Stefan Glowacz

Stefan Glowacz

April 2000

On 23 March Stefan Glowacz made the second ascent of "Hotel Supramonte" (8b max - 7c obl), an 11 pitch route put up by Rolando Larcher and Roberto Vigiani in the atmospheric Gola di Gorropu, Sardinia.

The route is characterised not only by its beautiful line, but also by the fact that it is extemely exposed and wildly overhanging.

This is what Stefan Glowacz had to say:

"I heard about this route about a year ago, put up by Rolando Larcher and Roberto Vigiani. The photographer Andrea Gallo showed me some photos and I was immediately impressed by its steepness and exposure. Together with Peter Schäffler and the photographer Klaus Fengler I checked out the first 4 of 11 pitches on the 21st. The hardest sections are all in the first 6 pitches, which are so overhanging that you need to fix a rope from one belay to the next to abseil back down.

Peter injured his finger whilst working out the moves on the second pitch and had to resort to belaying. I then checked out the next two pitches, where the exposure increased dramatically. After a rest day I decided to give it a go, even though my chances of success weren't that good. I had bolt to bolted the individual pitches, not learnt the moves and I didn't know the upper 7 pitches at all. I needed 4 attempts to free the second pitch, since a different hold broke off each time I got to the crux. I then climbed the remaining pitches first go.

Stefan Glowacz on the second pitch
photo Klaus Fengler

On the fifth pitch I used three bolts, but I'm sure that the pitch, which has a point of aid, can go free. Apart from this, the route is an incredible work of art, on a par with Silbergeier, End of Silence and Des Kaisers neue Kleider.

I didn't climb the last pitch, a 6b+, because it was getting dark. I'm sure the first ascentionists will forgive me for this.

The entire route is extremely well bolted. Nevertheless, it's psychologically demanding since it's so steep and fairly run-out. We would suggest that the first two pitches are in fact slightly harder than originally graded: the first pitch is more like 7c instead of 7b+, while the second is 8a not 7c+.

My greatest thanks go to Peter and Klaus who always really motivated me."

Stefan on the crux pitch
photo Klaus Fengler

The eleven pitches
7c, 8a, 8b, 8a+, 7c+, 7c, 7a/b, 7b+, 7b, 7b, 6b+

The route
Hotel Supramonte - Punta Cucuttos (Gola di Gorropu, Sardinia)

Put up in 5 days in May 1998 (bivouac in the "Hotel Supramonte" niche) by Roberto Vigiani and Rolando Larcher.
Others who helped were Letizia Deavi and Maurizio Oviglia.

It is 400 m high (64 bolts ,22 for the belays) with 7c obligatory and 8b max.
It was freed in 4 days in May 1999 by Rolando Larcher and Roberto Vigiani.