Gabriele Moroni climbs Goldrake 9a+ at Cornalba

In 2012 the 27-year-old from Novara got extremely close to clipping the anchors, tumbling off the final moves seven times with frozen fingers before falling ill and watching his hopes fade as the crag got its winter soaking. After this Moroni stopped trying the route, also because he had trouble finding belayers motivated enough to climb up to the ledge and belay him.

With rekindled motivation Moroni returned last Friday and cleaned the route, removing all the dust and cobwebs, while this morning he returned to make the first attempts. And much to his own surprise he sent the route!

Goldrake is certainly the climb that has tested Moroni most so far – both physically and psychologically – and is far more that merely his first "full" 9a+ after Classified in Germany's Frankenjura. Goldrake represents the culmination of attempts and doubts that have lasted for three years and that now, thanks also to the crisp northerly winds, have been blown away for good.


TOPO: climbing at Cornalba