With his repeat ascent of the difficult trad route "Meltdown" (8c+) in Yosemite Valley, the Italian climber Pietro Vidi becomes part of an elite circle of only a few ascenders.
In 2008, Beth Rodden Ron Kauk's Ultra Crack Project »Meltdown“(5.14c/8c+) in Yosemite – creating a route that would challenge professional climbers for over a decade. It wasn't until 2018 that they finally succeeded.” Carlo Traversi the first repetition of the line in Cascade Creek.
Since then, "Meltdown" has only seen a handful of further ascents: starting with Jacopo Larcher, Babsi Zangerl and last Connor HersonThe Italian has also recently joined. Pietro Vidi Part of the select group of top climbers. The 22-year-old repeated the route approximately two weeks after his ascent of the 35-pitch route »Pre-Muir Wall« on El Capitan.
One of the toughest trad routes in the world
While Vidi was on El Capitan together with his compatriot Camilla Moroni While he was on the move, he took on the challenge of "Meltdown" solo. He spent two sessions working on the individual moves of the route and then started working on individual links.
After a total of six days on the project, the Italian clipped the redirection of "Meltdown", which he compares in terms of difficulty to his toughest project to date:Tribe« in Cadarese.
Certainly the hardest trad route I've ever climbed – together with "Tribe". Beth's first ascent in 2008 was absolutely ahead of its time.
Pietro Vidi on »Meltdown«
Both routes are rated E11, the second hardest grade currently used in traditional climbing. There are only eleven such lines worldwide. The special rating system (E-gradeThe term "difficulty" originates from Great Britain and describes the physical challenge and risk of a route. Its counterpart is the technical difficulty.
Pietro Vidi: A true all-rounder
Pietro Vidi will turn 23 in a few weeks. Despite his young age, the Italian is increasingly developing into one of the best all-rounders in the scene. Yosemite Valley, in particular, seems to have captivated him: there, he has already achieved this year with »Never ending Story« (with Moroni) and »Lurking Fear“Two 8b+ lines on the Petit Clocher du Portalet and the legendary El Capitan. At home in Val di Mello, he repeated the 20-pitch route ‘Joy Division’ (8b) with Alessandro Larcher.”
In the lead-up to "Meltdown," Vidi also collected several trad tours in Great Britain in 2025 – for example, "Dynamics of Change" or "Appointment with Death(both E9). The Italian also recorded several 8Cs in bouldering this year. In September he was the first to repeat »Permanent Midnight Low« (8C+) in Fionnay, his second boulder of this grade.
That might interest you
- Pietro Vidi repeats »Permanent Midnight Low« 8C+
- Pietro Vidi and Alessandro Larcher achieve a free ascent of »Joy Division« (8b)
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Credits cover photo: Daniel Gajda