Via Valeria, first repeat on Crozzon di Brenta

On Saturday 12 January 2013 Giorgio Bertagnolli and Cristian Defant made the first repeat of Via Valeria on Crozzon di Brenta, Dolomites, the ice climb established on 6-7 January 2013 by Gianni Canale and Aldo Mazzotti with difficulties up to VI- ice, M6, VI+ rock.

A five star route. Last Saturday, my climbing partner Giorgio Bertagnolli and I set off early in the morning up Val Brenta to reach the base of the route Valeria, first ascended the week beforehand by Gianni Canale and Aldo Mazzotti. After skinning up the entire approach, three and a half hours later we finally reached this spectacular line. just the sight of it leaves you breathless. Yes, because routes as beautiful as this are few and far between, especially in environments as magnificent as the Brenta Dolomites.

This route offers some beautiful pitches that gradually increase in difficulty and culminate with the crux fifth pitch, up rock and ice and past some really great climbing. We needed circa five hours, plus another hour to quickly abseil off the bolt belays, comfortably equipped by the first ascentionists. I'd say that except for the ice that was fairly brittle and fragile, the rest of the climb was great and never banal. We reached the base, strapped on our skis for the descent before darkness set in and reached our car after 11 non-stop hours on the go.

Thanks are certainly due to Gianni and Aldo for having discovered and then made the first ascent of this wonderful line, located in such a beautiful setting. And thanks also to my friend and climbing partner Giorgio, for sharing beautiful moments on this spectacular route called Valeria.

Cristian Defant


ROUTE TOPO: Valeria, Brenta Dolomites