The routes

On 07 February 2008 the Italians Rolando Larcher, Fabio Leoni and Elio Orlandi succeded in reaching the summit of Patagonia's Central Tower of Paine via their new East Face route 'El Gordo, El Flaco y l'Abuelito'.The 23 pitch line includes...

The 1300m route, first ascended by Kurt Albert, Bernd Arnold, Norbert Bätz, Peter Dittrich and Wolfgang Güllich, takes a direct line up the compact granite East Face of Paine's Torre Central and is widely considered to be one of the...

Batajan takes a line up the second Sella tower and offers fascinating and varied VI and VII grade climbing with an airy crux which leads through the great roofs on the 4th and 5th pitches.

The striking 30 pitch South African route takes the clearcut dihedral up the East Face Central Tower, Paine, Chile. First climbed in 1973/74 and graded A4/5.10, it was freed in February 2009 by the Belgian climbers Favresse, Villanueva & Ditto....

Opus Pocus on Piz Seràuta on the Marmolada is a hybrid route with a series of pitches which differ completely from one another. The first pitch for example is a classic mountain pitch on good rock which needs trad pro,...

On 28 August 2008 Mountain Guide Nicola Tondini completed the first ascent of his "La perla preziosa" up the beautiful West Face of Sass dla Crusc in the heart of the Italian Dolomites. Tondini spent a total of five days...

Nice aid route first ascended by Umberto Marampon and L. Zulian on  Piccolo Dain in 1985 and freed by Rolando Larcher in 2006. The 450m line up one of the most beautiful rock faces in the Sarca valley climb difficulties...

Very technical climbing on rock which is reminiscent of the Verdon. The route is bolted but at times there are very long run-outs.Of the routes that I've first ascended in Sardinia, this one has true character, like Hotel Supramonte and...

Nice little three-pitch route up excellent rock, easy to get to as it is located close to the Belvedere Dent d'Aire shortly after La Carel. El Gringo Loco is a good introduction to the longer more exposed climbs in the...

Climbed after five days of preparation at the end of May 2009, Southern Crossing begins by starting up the obvious right leaning ramp until it is possible to traverse directly left into the hanging corner system that forms the route.Majka...

At the start of July 2007 Mauro Bubu Bole from Trieste made the first free ascent of Donnafugata, the 750m route first ascended by none other than Christoph Hainz and Roger Schäli in summer 2004 up the massive vertical bastion...

Pleasant 100m climb located in the Zidane sector on the final outcrop of the Verdon Gorge, with great view onto Lac de Sainte-Croix. The route weaves its way past a series of overhangs in search of the weakest line up...

Trous Secs is a pleasant route up pockets and "gouttes d'eau". The 6c crux pitch is technical and ascends a series of small holds with poor footholds. The final pitch is somewhat polished.

Piccolo Principe is a mix between traditional and modern: traditional for the protection (pegs and natural pro along the pitches, bolts on the belays), and modern due to the direct line which searches for the beauty of climbing up the...

The most popular route on the crag and a great introduction to typical Picos climbing.  The difficulties are mostly low down, but a good eye for route finding is needed to keep you on track!

The blank looking East Face of Naranjo de Bulnes is an intimidating yet inspiring objective.  Early starts are recommended as it’s easy to underestimate the length of the routes on this face.