10 ALPINE PEAKS 9


Monte Viso, East Ridge AD Italy


I


f you are on any of the big peaks of the Valais and you look to the south you will see a perfect pyramid - this


is Monte Viso. At 3,841m it is the last big peak before the plains of Italy’s Po Valley. The summit sits 500m higher than any of the peaks around it, so it has a unique feeling of space. There are two classic routes on Monte Viso. The east ridge is a 1,200m AD, which has everything on it, moving together, pitching on rock and on snow to a perfect summit. The easier ‘classic’ or ‘normal’ route is anything but normal, spiraling its way from the hut over a col and round to the south side of the mountain where it climbs a series of grooves and ramps to the summit. The view is incredible with the whole Valais laid out to the north and the planes of northern Italy to the east. The mountain can be busy in summer because it’s visible from far away and the normal route is relatively easy.


Pitch on rock and snow to a perfect summit. PEAK POINTS


R Monte Viso refl ected in Fiorenza lake.


here’s a big peak to the south of the Bernina range, it’s the last big peak in this part of Italy before valleys of the Italian Lakes and it’s called Monte Disgrazia (3,678m).


T


Legend has it this mountain used to be called ‘Beautiful Peak’ (‘Pizzo Bello’), but God cursed some arrogant shepherds on the top of it, and now it’s called ‘Mount Disgrace’. I had wanted to climb it for years but was always put off by the fi ve hour hut approach caused by a blocked road. Last summer was the anniversary of the fi rst ascent, so the road was cleared, reducing the approach to the Ponti Hut to an easy hour and


PEAK POINTS Head here to have the mountain to yourself.


half. We climbed the northwest ridge, the ‘normal route’, which gave a superb PD+ / AD- route with diffi culties on rock snow and ice. The mountain is not very popular so we had it to ourselves and could enjoy perfect views to the Bernina. At 3,800m the mountain is a perfect acclimatisation route for the bigger peaks of the Bernina. Sitting above the Val d’Mello, it can be combined with some great granite cragging.


Monte Disgrazia,


North-west Ridge PD+ Italy


Thanks to Bruce Goodlad for the words. Bruce is an IFMGA mountain guide and the new technical director of the British Mountain Guides. He’s supported by Dynafi t, Back Country Access and Haglofs.


Find him at: www.mountainadventurecompany.com.


R On top of the world: the summit of Monte Disgrazia.


20 | 70TH ANNIVERSARY | FOR BRITISH CLIMBING AND WALKING SINCE 1944


TOP


PHOTO: BRUCE GOODLAD.


PHOTO: MARCO BARONE.


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