Vivere la Vita - Pik Slesova South Buttress - Wall of Dykes - 3810m
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Federica Mingolla, Mountain Guide
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Vivere la Vita: Peak Slesova South Buttress Sud - Wall of Dykes - Peak 3810
Planetmountain
Beauty
First ascent
Niccolò Bartoli, Federica Mingolla 08/2022. The last 4 pitches were established by Mingolla and Jon Segurola.
By
Federica Mingolla, Mountain Guide
Length
800m
Difficulty
7b max
Route
Vivere la vita climbs the west face of the South Buttress of Pik Slesova, also referred to as Peak 3850m or The Wall of Dykes past difficultes that aren't extreme. In fact the difficulties are usually in the region of 6c, with some pitches graded 7a and a 7b, but despite the number of bolts the route needs integrating with trad gear (2 full racks + micros) that isn’t always easy to place. And of course it’s long. Climbing it in a single day is top notch!
The belays are equipped with 8mm bolts with abseil rings and, above all, the rappels are straight. The only flaw, if we want to call it like this, is that the ropes have to be at least 70m long. In any case, I reckon that currently it’s the best equipped route in the area when it comes to quality of the in-situ gear and wear and tear, due to the fact that it’s completely new and that we decided not to be stingy with the bolts at the belays.
The belays are equipped with 8mm bolts with abseil rings and, above all, the rappels are straight. The only flaw, if we want to call it like this, is that the ropes have to be at least 70m long. In any case, I reckon that currently it’s the best equipped route in the area when it comes to quality of the in-situ gear and wear and tear, due to the fact that it’s completely new and that we decided not to be stingy with the bolts at the belays.
Itinerary
Pitch 1: 4 50m, follow an easy way to the right until the belay
Pitch 2: easy scrambling to reach the base of the 3rd pitch, belay
Pitch 3: 35m no bolts, 6b, follow the right until you see a dihedral, follow it, then you have two options: easy offwidth or on the left of it easy crack ,difficult to see from down, belay on a good pillar
Pitch 4: 45m, 3 bolts, 6c, follow the crack then at the end traverse a little on the right, bolted slab, belay on the little ledge (this is the only belay you should make with cams or you can go on, pay attention at the attrition)
Pitch 5: 25m, 1 bolt, 6b, little boulder near the bolt then easy crack climbing, traverse on the left at the end to reach the ledge with the belay station
Pitch 6: 35m, 3 bolts, 7a, it starts with a chimney and then at the second bolt you should traverse on the left downclimbing until reaching an easy way to climb up again and reaching the 3rd bolt. From there crack climbing. Last hard traverse move to reach the belay station on the left.
Pitch 7: 40m, 3 bolts, 7b, come back in the dihedral and climb it up until the end, then follow on the left the bolts, last part is a split crack really nice to climb, belay on a little ledge (you skip it on the way down)
Pitch 8: 35m, 5 bolts 6b, traverse on the left, follow the crack in the dihedral then traverse on the left. Always climbing on the left until you see the belay under the roof. Belay on little ledge
Pitch 9: 45m, 6 bolts, 7a, before easy climbing with big holds under the roof, then slab climbing, after the last bolt traverse totally on the right. Belay on a good ledge.
Pitch 10: 40m, 4 bolts, 6c, climbing traversing slowly to the left, you see bolts, crux is well protected by the 1st bolt. Belay not really comfortable(you skip it in the way down)
Pitch 11: 25m, 7a, go to the right and reach the arch with the crack, when it turns right go straight on the slab crossing the little roof and reach the belay on little ledge.
Pitch 12: 55m, 3 bolts 6b go on the left and follow the semi-dihedral then traverse on the right after the last bolt, there’s a good ledge, belay on the top of the right
Pitch 13: 50m, 6 bolts 6c, hard to find the first bolts, from the belay climbing traversing on the left, hard to protect with cams.
Pitch 14: 55m, 3 bolts 6b, after the 1 bolt traverse on the left and follow the dihedral, belay on a good ledge. Possible good bivy two people on the left, climb up 15 meters on easy cracks, 1 bolt on the ledge for belaying and rappelling down
Pitch 15: 2 bolts, 6a, 1 piton e 1 nut, 30m, after the 2nd bolt traverse on the right, nut and piton, go straight on to reach the ledge.
Pitch 16: 45m, 6b 1 piton e 1 nut, after the piton go straight on and then right, there’s a nut stuck, from there climbing straight on and left, belay on a good ledge
Pitch 17: 40m, 6b 1 piton, 1 bolt, go on the left, after the first bolt go straight on 5 meters and then traverse on the left, good ledge, piton, go straight on and follow the crack system on the left until it becomes thin, traverse on the right, belay on very little ledge.
Pitch 18: 40m, 6c, 1 nut, follow the slab up the belay station, after the nut go straight on 3 meters and then turn left to follow the evident arch with the crack . Follow it until you see the belay.
Pitch 19: 40m, 6c, 3 bolts, 1st bolt on the slab, then climb going up to the right, reach the roof where it’s easier, there you can put some cams, just up to the roof there is a bolt, from there slab climbing to reach the belay station.
Pitch 20: 30m, 5, 1 bolt, easy climbing to reach the belay on a good ledge
Pitch 21: 35m, 6b+ crack Climbing, belay at the end of the crack on a good ledge
Pitch 22: 35m, 2 bolts, 6c, go to the right to the thin crack and climbing to the top of the pillar then straight on the slab, belay on a good ledge
Pitch 23: 50m, 5, follow the crack straight on the belay then go on the left and follow the easy climbing that bring you on a good ledge (belay, you skip it on the way down)
Pitch 24: 40m, 2 bolts, 6a, slab climbing to the right until reaching the ledge, belay on the big pillar on the right (rappel down 70m rope). Descent
Abseil down the route
Pitch 1: 4 50m, follow an easy way to the right until the belay
Pitch 2: easy scrambling to reach the base of the 3rd pitch, belay
Pitch 3: 35m no bolts, 6b, follow the right until you see a dihedral, follow it, then you have two options: easy offwidth or on the left of it easy crack ,difficult to see from down, belay on a good pillar
Pitch 4: 45m, 3 bolts, 6c, follow the crack then at the end traverse a little on the right, bolted slab, belay on the little ledge (this is the only belay you should make with cams or you can go on, pay attention at the attrition)
Pitch 5: 25m, 1 bolt, 6b, little boulder near the bolt then easy crack climbing, traverse on the left at the end to reach the ledge with the belay station
Pitch 6: 35m, 3 bolts, 7a, it starts with a chimney and then at the second bolt you should traverse on the left downclimbing until reaching an easy way to climb up again and reaching the 3rd bolt. From there crack climbing. Last hard traverse move to reach the belay station on the left.
Pitch 7: 40m, 3 bolts, 7b, come back in the dihedral and climb it up until the end, then follow on the left the bolts, last part is a split crack really nice to climb, belay on a little ledge (you skip it on the way down)
Pitch 8: 35m, 5 bolts 6b, traverse on the left, follow the crack in the dihedral then traverse on the left. Always climbing on the left until you see the belay under the roof. Belay on little ledge
Pitch 9: 45m, 6 bolts, 7a, before easy climbing with big holds under the roof, then slab climbing, after the last bolt traverse totally on the right. Belay on a good ledge.
Pitch 10: 40m, 4 bolts, 6c, climbing traversing slowly to the left, you see bolts, crux is well protected by the 1st bolt. Belay not really comfortable(you skip it in the way down)
Pitch 11: 25m, 7a, go to the right and reach the arch with the crack, when it turns right go straight on the slab crossing the little roof and reach the belay on little ledge.
Pitch 12: 55m, 3 bolts 6b go on the left and follow the semi-dihedral then traverse on the right after the last bolt, there’s a good ledge, belay on the top of the right
Pitch 13: 50m, 6 bolts 6c, hard to find the first bolts, from the belay climbing traversing on the left, hard to protect with cams.
Pitch 14: 55m, 3 bolts 6b, after the 1 bolt traverse on the left and follow the dihedral, belay on a good ledge. Possible good bivy two people on the left, climb up 15 meters on easy cracks, 1 bolt on the ledge for belaying and rappelling down
Pitch 15: 2 bolts, 6a, 1 piton e 1 nut, 30m, after the 2nd bolt traverse on the right, nut and piton, go straight on to reach the ledge.
Pitch 16: 45m, 6b 1 piton e 1 nut, after the piton go straight on and then right, there’s a nut stuck, from there climbing straight on and left, belay on a good ledge
Pitch 17: 40m, 6b 1 piton, 1 bolt, go on the left, after the first bolt go straight on 5 meters and then traverse on the left, good ledge, piton, go straight on and follow the crack system on the left until it becomes thin, traverse on the right, belay on very little ledge.
Pitch 18: 40m, 6c, 1 nut, follow the slab up the belay station, after the nut go straight on 3 meters and then turn left to follow the evident arch with the crack . Follow it until you see the belay.
Pitch 19: 40m, 6c, 3 bolts, 1st bolt on the slab, then climb going up to the right, reach the roof where it’s easier, there you can put some cams, just up to the roof there is a bolt, from there slab climbing to reach the belay station.
Pitch 20: 30m, 5, 1 bolt, easy climbing to reach the belay on a good ledge
Pitch 21: 35m, 6b+ crack Climbing, belay at the end of the crack on a good ledge
Pitch 22: 35m, 2 bolts, 6c, go to the right to the thin crack and climbing to the top of the pillar then straight on the slab, belay on a good ledge
Pitch 23: 50m, 5, follow the crack straight on the belay then go on the left and follow the easy climbing that bring you on a good ledge (belay, you skip it on the way down)
Pitch 24: 40m, 2 bolts, 6a, slab climbing to the right until reaching the ledge, belay on the big pillar on the right (rappel down 70m rope). Descent
Abseil down the route
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Beauty
First ascent
Niccolò Bartoli, Federica Mingolla 08/2022. The last 4 pitches were established by Mingolla and Jon Segurola.
By
Federica Mingolla, Mountain Guide
Length
800m
Difficulty
7b max
Route
Routes in the same mountain group
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