The Mystery of Phandambiri established by Italian expedition in Mozambique

Following the successful ascent of 'O caminho dos cogumelos' by Mirco Grasso and Samuele Mazzolini to the north pre-summit of Phandambiri, on Saturday 9 August Maurizio Giordani and Manrico Dell’Agnola, along with Nancy Paoletto and Antonella Giacomini, completed their route to the mountain's main summit. The new route is called Il mistero del Phandambiri (The Mystery of Phandambiri) and reaches the 1,436 summit via the southeast pillar.

The climb was initially intended as an easy normal route to the summit, but as things turned out, it required 19 pitches to breach the 800 meters of vertical gain, with 1,100 meters of actual climbing. Only the final 150 meters traversed ledges and grassy banks up to the final rock step to gain the true summit. The entire undertaking took approximately 6 days and two bivouacs.

From the initial reconnaissance during the first days, during which the four climbers had explored all sides of the granite massif, it had become clear that the mountain offers no easily accessible faces. The choice therefore fell on the southeast ridge, which towers above base camp and appears as the massif's most vulnerable aspect. There were many surprises: the granite proved very compact from the start, devoid of cracks, requiring traditional means for protection, with friction slabs that once again confirmed Maurizio Giordani—who led every pitch—as an "artist" in technical climbing. The most demanding section: the 5 central vertical pitches with moves of 6a and 6b, and the final slab with an elegant 6c move balancing on the only available hold.

Giordani stated: "This was a complete and complex experience, up a long and never straightforward route, where mistakes were not permitted, both due to the runout pro and the fact that we were in a remote location. Even a minor accident could transform into a serious problem. This climb required skillful route reading. We are very pleased with the result because the project aimed to reach the summit as a team of four, and we achieved exactly this; even though it was more complicated than expected, each of us realised our dream."

Manrico Dell’Agnola added: "After the first few pitches and having assessed the rock characteristics, I had no problem handing over the lead to Maurizio. Delicate slabs, the impossibility of placing protection, and careful footwork reflects his style perfectly. Furthermore, I must add that before setting out, I was pretty concerned. Despite last year's reconnaissance, which allowed us to determine that the rock was solid granite, since we hadn't ever climbed on it, I couldn’t guarantee one hundred percent that we'd be able to forge a new route. Two quality climbs, plus a probable third, which Mirco and Samuele are establishing as I write on the overhanging walls of a nearby peak, prove that my hunch was right. I'm satisfied with our success."

This discovery inspired to most imaginative ideas, which in turn led to the second mystery: the mountain, at some indefinite time in the past, literally went up in flames. The devastating fire, likely caused by the loss of control of fires used to clear the forest of dry grass and fueled by the almost constant wind, left indelible marks on all faces all the way to the summit. This might suggest that before the fire, some sections of the wall could have been climbed using the vegetation which, after burning away, revealed extensive patches of white granite. Needless to say, after the initial moment of disappointment and perplexity, curiosity and a desire to find out more about these two mysteries got the better of the team. Anna Mazzolini, the expedition's cultural mediator, will be essential in trying to find out more.