'The last way' at Erto freed by Luca Giupponi

The Italian Luca Giupponi frees 'The last way' at Erto after a crucial hold broke off

April 2001

On Saturday 30 March the Italian Luca Giupponi redpointed "The last way" at Erto, Itlay and suggested a grade of 8c+. In doing so he managed to make the first free ascent after a crucial hold broke off while he was attempting the route in spring 2000.
The original line was bolted by Icio dallÂ´Omo and freed by Luca Zardini, who proposed a grade of 8c. Zardini repeated the route without the crucial hold but instead of finishing up the original line he exited up "Mocio" to create "The big mother" 8c+.

This is what Luca had to say about "The last way":

"I tried the route for the first time last year in spring and almost immediately broke the crux hold. And to add to this I injured a finger so I had to give it a miss. Then in autumn I gave it another go but.. I didn’t stand a chance. So this spring I started to try the route again and managed to link the moves on the second weekend. The conditions were terrible on Saturday morning, the route was still wet. I put in the quickdraws, a good first attempt made me think that I could do it and later that evening I tried it once more. Conditions had improved and this one was decisive!”

“I’m really pleased to have freed "The last way". The route is hard, intense and physical – just the type of climbing that suits me. And I have to say that Erto has always brought me luck: in 1988 I onsighted "Acido lattico 7c", in 1992 I made the first ever flash of an 8b, "Ritorno di Ringo", flashed "Mister Rase" 8a+ and repeated "Sogni di Gloria" 8b+ , in 1995 the I made the first (and only?) onsight of "La conchiglia"8a/8a+, and now "The last way"… Hoping that "nomen non est omen...
Goodbye to all”

Luca Giupponi

> Luca Zardini 'Canon' frees "The Big Mother"
> Cristian Brenna repeats "The Big Mother"
> Christian Bindhammer repeats "The Big Mother"