New mixed climbs on Rognon Vaudano (Mont Blanc) by Niccolò Bruni & Co

After establishing the summer climbs Cric e Croc, C'era una volta il West and Camalot, last December Courmayeur mountain guide Niccolò Bruni returned to the Rognon Vaudano nestled below the Dent du Géant in the Mont Blanc massif to open three new moden mixed winter climbs.

On December 11, together with fellow guide Alberto Boschiazzo, he opened Le Piolet perdu, described as "a beautiful, sustained mixed route over all five pitches, with difficulties not exceeding M5+."

On December 14, he returned with his girlfriend, Federica Furia, to open Facile Facile 2.0, "a beautiful route on excellent red granite. The entire route has to be protected wit trad gear; only the belays are in-situ."

On December 26, he was back on the wall, once again with Furia, to open Veloce Veloce 2.0. The route gets its name from the fact that, due to the weather, the two started at 11:00 a.m. and had to hurry to catch the last cable car. The result, however, is another "very nice route, but above all, decidedly easier than the other two nearby." In fact, it offers difficulties up to D+ M3+ over its 140 meters.

Of the three, Bruni reckons Facile Facile 2.0 is the most beautiful, but all have already met with considerable success, receiving several early repeats immediately after the first ascents.

Rognon Vaudano was dedicated to Davide Vaudano, who tragically died on the Rutor Glacier in August 2009.

Link: www.guidecourmayeur.com