Mamma Anna mixed climb added to Punte di Campiglio in Brenta Dolomites (Italy)

For a few weeks now, Emanuele Andreozzi has been keeping me updated on some projects in the Brenta Dolomites. One of them particularly intrigues me because it's located right in front of my parents' house.

I briefly describe where I plan to go to my mother, and she maps out the route and the descent we have to tackle as if she were Rolando Garibotti in El Chaltén.

The line is very obvious: it goes straight up a chimney. In summer it's not at all appealing, and halfway there's a hard section. Emanuele, who hates the sun and loves ice, is drawn to these kinds of lines.

We agree on the plan the day before. I ask my girlfriend Anna if she remembers the day I got injured during Covid. April 6th. Perfect – my unlucky day has passed. Tomorrow I can move carefree.

We leave at 4 a.m. from Vallesinella – Emanuele, Ruggero Samaden and I. At the Casinei hut we realise we've forgotten the pegs, so Emanuele leaves his hammer there, since it won't be of any use whatsoever. The night is dark as we make our way through the woods, but once we reach the SOSAT trail, a beautiful moon greets us.

We start up the route and are pleased to find some nice ice streaks. My climbing partners tell me that on the route they recently opened on Cima Tosa, there was no ice at all. This chimney, facing west, allows the snow from the upper slope to melt and flow down; sheltered from the sun, it can offer excellent conditions.

We reach the overhang on the crux pitch. My partners offer me a gel, which I put in my pocket in case the battle ahead turns into a long one. I climb slowly but steadily and reach the belay, very happy with what I've just climbed.

We reach the top of the gully and descend via the couloir normally used to reach the Punte di Campiglio in winter.

My friends ask if I'd like to name the route, and I think of my girlfriend, Anna. Compared to the past, I dedicate fewer days to myself, giving more space to family and work. But when I do go climbing, she's the one who looks after our daughters. And of course when I work, I'm often away, like many mountain guides.

For those like me who are lucky enough to have a family, in order to continue doing what we do, we need solid, reliable support at home. And if our partners are also mothers, they have a really hard time. I'd therefore like to dedicate this route to all the mothers of climbers and to the wives/partners of mountain guides, whom we often leave at home alone.

- Silvestro Franchini, Madonna di Campiglio

Link: www.mountainguidecampiglio.com