TORRE TRIESTE a new route dedicated to Patrick Berhault SEPTEMBER  2004   The last time I climbed this Tower it was 1988 and I was repeating the Cassin Route. And then, I don't know why, I just forgot all about it!   Fast forward to August 2004. I had always wanted to free climb old routes opened by aid climbing even though I knew I'd find the same old views: rotten yellow rock and the usual rusty bolts. This time round I found myself on the Marampon Route on the south wall of the Venice Tower (Torre Venezia). Aid climbing at its best: a line of pitons that pass straight through the most difficult overhang of the entire wall. It wasn't the first time... and it certainly won't be the last... that I find a line of pitons crossing a smooth roof and think that with my skills I won't be able to free climb it. And so... head low and rappel down! Another chapter in the book of "Maybe One Day"! There are times when you feel lost and have no goals to reach and find a reason to go on. To find the motivation I had to change the type of climb I was used to doing. I was fed up with the usual stuff and maybe the time had come to try something new and open a new route! It would be my first on the Alps! These thoughts first came to mind on the way back from the Venice Tower when I passed right under the impressive southwest wall of the Trieste Tower. 750 metres of grey vertical wall and yellow overhangs, divided by a sole route, opened in 1959 by Piussi and Redaelli. There was room for a new line after all and off I went full throttle, all the time hoping I had embarked on the right project. And so I set off and opened my first route on the Dolomites, the mountains closest to home. After my experiences on granite rock, I didn't think the often flaky yellow rock would make me suffer so much! It wasn't at all easy putting pitons in the rotten rock and hammering bolts in by hand while holding on at the same time... which in itself was a trial! After 15 years of doing this, one thing I know I do well is hit a hammer on the head of a chisel, so hammering bolts on my own has never been a chore. This time though, the increasingly uncomfortable positions while hanging on small pitons that weren't all that steady made it all so difficult. In fact, I was left hanging with one hand more than once while hammering! I had no intention of bringing a drill with me...could be 'cause I don't own one... that reminds me, I really should go out and buy one! Plus, I didn't think I would need to put so many bolts... luckily experience makes you think more and calculate things better. If it had happened when I was younger, I would have put in half the amount I actually did. * * * As in any other climb, a large part of the merit goes to my companions who were on the wall longer than me; sleeping in the portaledge I had set up...my companion this time was Stefano Figliola from Trieste. Gianmario Meneghin (Ghin), and Aldo Michelini both from Trieste came by for a while as well as Giuseppe Ballico (Beppe) who spent a few days and on the 30th September accompanied me on the new route for the whole pitch. And in the end again it was The Man, Fabio Dandri who says the same thing time and tim again: "That's it! I'm not coming anymore!" But who I always manage to convince to take a photo or two. I don't think it's my powers of persuasion but rather his passion for photography that convinces him. This route is the most important to me; as important to me as Patrick Berhault who inspired and influenced my style of climbing way back in 1996 when I had the pleasure of shaking his hand... and he was wearing his legendary pink pants! And it's for this reason that I dedicate this route to him with all my heart! This is what I feel...! My route is an honest one, just like Patrick was honest. Therefore I don't want to endanger people who want to repeat the route. It is a difficult climb along a beautiful logical straight line that goes right through to the top. Apart from nuts and friends I left the materials on the wall, unfortunately also on the flaky parts despite all the time I spent cleaning up the route. If I had continued cleaning away the rot, I would have risked getting to the other side of the mountain! But this what makes the Dolomites so unique.   Bubu				Route "Patrick Berhault" TORRE TRIESTE (Civetta, Dolomiti) Report   The picture of the route Photogallery New photogallery by Fabio Dandri   New photogallery by Giuseppe Ballico Movie (5,76 Mb)
						Photos by Fabio Dandri