Il colpo di coda, new Presolana rock climb by Codazzi and Natali

On 22/09/2012 Stefano Codazzi and Daniele Natali made the first ascent of Il colpo di coda (7a+, 160m) up the South Face of Presolana, Italy. The report by Natali who made the first free ascent of the line together with Carlo Cortinovis on 06/10/2012.

This is a south face year... I hadn't walked so often to that face for a long time, nine to be precise since May, and I've always preferred Presolana's North Face in both summer and winter, perhaps because the ambient is more alpine and less popular. But this year transformed into no North, just South, with sun, mist, the desire to sort out some old routes and, where possible, try and establish something different and new.

After our experience on Alien, one "rare" and warm September day Stefano and I headed up the path once again which leads from the Presolana Pass to the base of the face. This time we walked to the basin to the left of the arete which hosts historic routes such as Bramani, Nembrini and Panico. Our idea was to establish a new route to the left of these.

Our tactic was simple: establish ground-up, with camming devices, making best use of the numerous threads and placing bolts only when absolutely necessary. In less then 7 hours we established a 160m high route up excellent pocketed limestone; the climbing is demanding and although technically not too difficult, requires "solid 6c" obligatory climbing

Thanks to Climbing Technology for the technical support.
by Daniele Natali


TOPO: Il colpo di coda, Presolana