La Bruixa, new ice climb in Val Zemola, Dolomites

Ice climbing in the Facebook age... on 2 January Santiago wrote the following: "Do you know anything about the waterfall in Val Zemola? I’ve just seen a photo on Facebook." "No, I don’t" was my reply. Strange, because I’m often up in Val Vajont and Val Zemola is in my backyard so to speak. Having said that, I’d never been to Cava Buscada in winter. This was the start, alas not particularly romantic, for this great ice climb.

Because of the intense cold of January 5, the ice was rather brittle but, on the who, nevertheless climbable. When I reached the top of the third pitch, which happily congratulating Santi for the drip he’d just ascended, he shook my hand and with a sardonic look said "congratulations for your repeat, I found two in-situ bolts…" Thunder and lightning! Nevertheless we continued the climb.

Our uncertainties were resolved only at the bar in Erto, where local guide Fabio Battistuta told us he’d placed the bolts from above, while inspecting the line.

The icefall is called "La Bruixa" (pron. "The Brucha") which means witch or hag in Catalan and is a clear reference when we climbed it. And also a tribute to the magic of the valley and who knows, even a nod to the witch that is said to live in Casera Galvana, on the other side of the valley.

by Luca Vallata

Santiago Padros thanks Trangoworld and Extremlsard
Luca Vallata thanks Scarpa and Grivel


TOPO: La Bruixa, Val Zemola, Dolomites