Luna Nascente

After climbing the Marmolada south face we tried to climb the third pillar of the Tofana di Rozes close to Cortina d’Ampezzo, but it was raining and according to the guardian of the Dibona hut there was still too much snow on the north side. The descent could be dangerous due to wet snow avalanches… After our experiences earlier that week we wanted something different:  solid rock+ long routes+ no bolts+ good weather = Val di Mello.

After six hours driving we arrived in the Mello at 9.00 PM. Next morning we set out for climbing Luna Nascente. This is one of the major classics in the valley: 11 pitches up to 6b+ along with some really cool cracks and diedres.

Candidates of Luna Nascente should be confident in climbing cracks, placing friends and last but not least they should be really confident on slabs. There are two pitches of slab climbing (pitch 9 and 11) that require good technique and a “Zen”like mind.

 Pitch 9 is a traverse of 40 meters on a slab with exactly one piece of protection possible. Pitch 11 is even better: a diagonal climb on a slab of about 45 meters with one piton after 35 meters. Falling in this pitches results in a king swing for both the lead climber as well the seconding climber… as always, don’t think about falling – you must climb this route because of the Yosemite like features of cracks and diedres…. Really really cool…. All other pitches are perfectly protectable!!


pitch 11: looking back, a lot of rope, no pieces of protections....to be honest, I was happy that Andreas had to lead that pitch :-)

The 6b+ pitch halfway up is brilliant technical climbing. The topos say to use a friend no.4 under the expanding flake at the start of the pitch – if you do this like I did, you really get an interesting end of the pitch because after climbing the 6b+ you climb up in a big crack for another 10 meters. I only had one friend no. 4 and that damn thing was down there at the expanding flake which meant to me that I had to climb to the belay with my last piece of protection 15 meters underneath….


start of the second pitch just before the underhand traverse to the right

the third pitch: brilliant piaz crack

the fourth pitch: crack attack...



7th pitch: after the 6b+ pitch this is another 50m crack...





no bolts, only pitons, but in this solid rock we don't care...


oops, we did it again...

FACTS: Luna Nascente, we took a 60 m dubbel rope, and a dubbel set of friends with one no.4 :-), it can be really hot, so don’t forget tot take enough water with you. Good topo is in the German Topoguides books.

Extra info here: http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/223002/fr/scoglio-delle-metamorfosi-luna-nascente