It was a real effort to drag ourselves out of bed at 6:30 this morning, but it turned out to be really worth it. We climbed 'Via Maria' (Gd. IV+) which at 300m was our biggest route yet. The early start was partly due to wanting to hike the hour uphill to the base of the cliff before it got too hot and partly due to us wanting to be the first team on the route and therefore less exposed to rockfall. The Dolomites are notorious for loose rock and on a route this big we wanted to minimise the risks as much as we could.
The hike was as sweaty as you'd expect, but over relatively quickly at least. At the base of the cliff we were met by an Italian team who (thankfully) were searching for the base of a neighbouring climb. It took a while, but between us we worked things out and set off up and onto our respective routes on the giant face.
The climbing was much better than on the other big face we'd climbed - Piz Ciavazes. The rock was better, the descriptions matched the route and the belays were identified by big ring bolts.
The route weaved its way up the face of a huge pinnacle, via some big pitches, before traversing back on the main cliff.
We stopped for lunch three pitches from the top on a ledge with an amazing view! I got out my rock hard, stale, peanut butter roll, and looked on enviously as Clare produced a pot of fresh buckwheat and veggies. By the time I'd gnawed through half my roll, all moisture had been absorbed from my mouth and I could barely operate my jaws! I was only saved by downing half a litre of water!
While we ate, we let two teams (one Brit and one Italian) pass us by, before tackling the finally ampitheatre, then ridge that leads up to the summit. And somewhat bizarrely, the cable car station!
Under the watchful eyes of a multitude of spectators we carried on up the final sections. The cable car came past a few times, full of people waving and taking photos! It really felt close by at times!
I left Clare's final belay (a massive metal cable that was bolted to the cliff) and made the final few moves up to to the station, and amidst a whir of clicking cameras, climbed over the safety rail and on to the viewing platform, before connecting the ropes to what is probably one of the most secure anchors I've ever used rock climbing - a massive iron girder!
Clare soon joined me amidst the bizarre crowd of tourists. We found a table and sat down to soak up the scene. It wasn't your average summit experience!
To get a bit of solitude and to soak up the views without the noise, we walked a short distance away from the station, where there was a cool hole in the ground, through which you could see all the way down to the pass!
I also couldn't resist taking a peek over the edge, where a wild, wild climb finished (not ours - this one overhangs a 350m drop!).
Then, before the buzz could wear off, we decided to head down. And although it was a strange finish to a climb, our knees weren't complaining - for €8.00 we were whisked effortlessly back to the waiting van. We slid the door open, climbed greatfully onto the sofa!
700m descent in under 5 minutes! Some things are worth paying for!
Sass Pordoi:
- Voa Maria/Mariakante UIAA IV+
11 pitches
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