Gran Sasso Paretone. By Ivo Ferrari

Paretone, so there I am, walking up to Rifugio Franchetti, run marvellously by hut warden Luca Mazzoleni and Friends. My rucksack weighs heavily on my shoulders, burnt red by the Sun, there are lots of people all over the place. Tomorrow I'll enter the face with Massimo, Davide and Lorenzo, it seems as if the most classic outing up the Third Pillar awaits, I've wanted to climb it for years and now... the time has come!

My Friends stop to sleep at the hut, while I've got a promise to keep, I've got to wave my headtorch from the summit so that the kids, “parked” at Prati di Tivo, can see it. After the usual greetings and new encounters, I set off up Ferrata Ricci that leads to the top of the Western Summit of Corno Grande. The panorama stretches around for 360°, in the north there's Camicia, piana di Campo Imperatore, Lago di Campotosto, the sea, hills and green mountains... A bright, full moon accompanies me throughout the entire windy night and first light arrives suddenly, followed by my partners. Massimo is one of the main players on Gran Sasso, the man behind Great cold ascents, responsible for those marvellous new routes on the Anticima. Massimo... has the task of leading us to the base of Diretta Alessandri on the Terzo Pilastro... of the PARETONE! The descent is quick, requires maximum attention as the devastating rock fall in 2006 left everything in disarray... Rocks, gravel, grass, seeping water, this Canale Jannetta is a great place, but perhaps not for your holidays!

Once we reach the base of the Terzo Pilastro we form two teams, Massimo and I (the oldies) and Lorenzo and Davide (the young guns!), and we begin to climb up rock I thought we more friable. But as we gained height this became increasingly beautiful; the route takes a logical line, is a sign of its time and well worth repeating nowadays, a great classic in Central Italy.

Paretone, once we reach the top everything mingles in my mind, tiredness, joy, fears and desires... those strange desires that hit you once the game is over, that ceaseless desire returns, returns quickly for the next climb... It's a strange game, this mountain climbing, serious and fun, dangerous and tranquil.

Cake, drinks... today at Rifugio Franchetti it feels like we're in Piazza Duomo in Milan, there are loads of people, harnesses, telescopic walking sticks, heavy walking boots and climbing slippers... high-heeled shoes and shoes with smooth soles! What a great day, for me, for my Friends, for all of these marvellous people around me! Thanks Friends, thanks Paretone, we'll see each other soon, I'm certain!

by Ivo Ferrari


20/08/2014 - Diretta Consiglio: sun, sky, rock and the Gran Sasso d'Italia.