Riccardo Scarian frees two new routes in Val Noana, Dolomites

A few weeks ago Riccardo Scarian added two new routes, Hatù per tu 8b+ and the variant Shantaram 8c to the quiet Noana valley, located in the heart of the Primiero Dolomites. Both routes are bouldery and this is an important detail since at the end of June he will be chief route setter at the Eindhoven stage of the Bouldering World Cup 2010. Here's his brief report which explains why the Primiero isn't only where one comes to learn the art of slab climbing.

Shantaram 8c, or rather Primiero: not just slabs!
"On 21 April I managed to send a new route in Val Noana, bolted by the evergreen and, by now, local climber Stefano Ghidini who loves bouldering and crags which have less then 5 minute walk-ins... Stefano saw a line which others had snubbed which crossed through an almost horizontal 5 meter roof, with extremely beautiful moves, powerful and at the same time balancy, as is often the case with boulder problems, which he called "Hatù per tu".

Stefano tried the route last summer, perhaps not with enough conviction, together with Juri Gadenz who, with a bit more determination and perseverance, almost managed to free the route. I joined the group after a month spent jamming my way up the cracks in Yosemite, but unfortunately my power had ebbed and I had to make do with working the single moves.

After climbing little outdoors during winter... but training hard I tried the route once more and after just a few attempts I found myself close to the redpoint. Stefano wasn't jealous, quite the opposite, he was happy that someone would manage to free the route... all I had to do was repay him with a good dinner.

21 April: the time came for me to free "Hatù per tu"... which I believe is 8b+. In the meantime glimpsed a variant, a straighter line, which would make the route even harder. Stefano agreed so I added some bolts and this resulted in "Shantaram", which I managed to free on 29 April."
Sky