New mixed climbs on Piccolo San Bernardo (Aosta Valley) by Niccolò Bruni, Marco Farina, Giovanni Ravizza

I spotted them one day while working as a guide heli-skiing and I immediately took several photos and told myself that I'd have to return to climb them.

Back at home I did some research to find out if they'd already been climbed before, on the internet, in various guidebooks dedicated to icefalls and gullies in the area, and I also asked my superbly expert colleagues, but to no avail.

So on my first day off I said to myself that I'd absolutely have to give them a go... and that's precisely what I ddi, together with my super climbing partners Marco Farina and Giovanni Ravizza.

The result is 'Tutte le Guide del Presidente' and 'Sento puzza di fuoco', two amazing winter climbs just a stone's throw from the Piccolo San Bernardo pass, below Punta Tormotta in the Barmette valley

TOPO: Tutte le Guide del Presidente, Piccolo San Bernardo, Valle d'Aosta

TOPO: Sento puzza di bruciato, Piccolo San Bernardo, Valle d'Aosta