On February 6th, the four Italian alpinists Francois Cazzanelli, Jerome Perruquet, Marco Farina and Stefano Stradelli opened a new route on the exposed and rarely used south face of the Matterhorn: Una Follia per Adriana - The Great Dihedral of The South Face (800m, M7 , 6b, R4).
The Italian team had already attempted to climb the line at the end of January, but had to abandon the attempt due to unforeseen difficulties. Returned a week later François Cazzanelli, Jerome Perruquet, Marco Farina and Stefano Stradelli with new vigor and a new strategy Matterhorn south face back. With success: 12 hours after starting in Seggiovia Pancheron they were at the summit.
Your new route Una Follia per Adriana – The Great Dihedral of The South Face (800m, M7, 6b, R4) runs between the Picco Muzio (4187m) and the Pilastro dei Fiori (4000m). It includes 300 meters of climbing in the steep snow couloir and 500 meters of challenging and exposed mixed terrain.
Field report by Francois Cazzanelli
Surprised by difficulties
I saw this route while skiing with my cousin Teto. I immediately spoke to Marco about it and he had also noticed it a few years ago. We called Jerome and Stefano and the team was ready.
On the first attempt we had no clear strategy or idea of what the route would be. We didn't expect such a steep and vertical wall that sometimes overhangs.
François Cazzanelli
The problem was that we didn't have a clear plan. We also realized pretty quickly that climbing this route requires special conditions. Still, we managed to climb six pitches of the route that day, with Jerome leading four and Marco and I leading the other two.
In the wild, exposed and rarely visited south face of the Matterhorn. Images: Damiano Levati | Storyteller Labs
Success on the second attempt
Everything just came together on Tuesday. The atmosphere in the team was great and the conditions were perfect! After a few days that were too hot, the temperatures had dropped and the sky was cloudy - perfect for us! The route conditions were a bit dry but still good.
Again it was Jerome who climbed the first four pitches, I climbed the next two, and by 11am we were already at our highest point of our first attempt. Back then we only got there at 16 p.m. At this point I put on my climbing shoes and opened the next two pitches.
The first was very impressive, a gigantic offwidth with lots of air under my butt! The second one was easier, but the flat entry really challenged me.
François Cazzanelli
In memory of Adriana Pession
Then it was Marco's turn, who opened a pitch with very bad rock. The last section was easier and eventually we came out into the sun under the huge block that overhangs the pillar. We would like to dedicate this new route and its name to the late Adriana Pession.
Adriana worked her whole life as secretary of the Society of Mountain Guides of the Matterhorn and was like a second mother to us and all the mountain guides here.
François Cazzanelli
That might interest you
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- Franz Cazzanelli and Pietro Picco open a new route on Nanga Parbat
- Italian alpinist trio successful on the Matterhorn
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Credits: Cover Image: Damiano Levati | Storyteller Labs