Alfredo Webber completes audacious free solo at Arco

52-year-old Italian rock climber Alfredo Webber has made a daring free solo ascent of Panem et Circenses at Muro di Pizarra close to Arco, Italy. Freed by Webber himself, according to the climber from Val di Non the difficulties of the route weigh in at circa 8c.
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Alfredo Webber making a free solo ascent of Panem et Circenses at Muro di Pizarra close to Arco
Roni Andres

Alfredo Webber from the Val di Non, Italy, checks in with a cutting-edge free solo: Panem et Circenses at the crag Muro di Pizarra below Monte Colt close to Arco. The route is circa fifteen meters high and the difficulties check in at roughly 8c, perhaps slightly less according to some who have repeated the route climb. Regardless, this ascent without a rope carried out by the 52-year-old is at the absolute limit of what is possible and provides no margin for error.

Although they are obviously difficult to compare, Webber's ascent is similar perhaps to that of Dave MacLeod who in 2008 at Margalef in Spain soloed the 8b+ Darwin Dixit, or that Alexander Huber who four years earlier did without a rope on the 8b+ Kommunist at Schleierwasserfall in Austria.

Anyone who has climbed at Pizarra knows that the crag is a slightly overhanging, hyper-technical sheet of pristine limestone, with tiny crimps and shallow, slopey pockets that require more than just awesome finger strength.

Webber managed to send his first 9a at the age of 48 in 2017 and his audacious recent free solo wasn’t an on the spur of the moment decision, but the culmination of a long inner journey. Two years of specific physical and mental preparation resulted in "4 minutes of pure magic". It should be noted that, unlike many famous highballs, Webber carried out his free solo with only two crashpads and no spotters.

We underline, as always, that climbs of this sort must remain an absolute exception and never the norm. And that the reasons that motivate a climber to embark on such an enterprise must be profound and personal. In any case, our advice is as always: don’t imitate!




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