Why didn't I read this sooner? GREAT trip report. Stelvio NP is one of my favourite places in the Alps.
BTW: there is a basic campsite near the Reschenpass (also a gasstation). Nothing special, but it's the only camping I've ever been too where they have a sauna! Great after a day climbing or skiing...
Thanks very much. I agree, it's an amazing place and I can't wait to go back for the Koenigspitze and other peaks. Good to know about the campsite, could be helpful for the drive home next time. I like the view of the range from the pass, that would be great to combine with a sauna!
This is the campsite I talked about. I visited Stelvio many times as a kid. Because of that the names of those mountains sound like something magical.
Now I can go climb them myself. Climbed Hoher Angelus, not far from Ortler, last march. But I want to go back for the 'big fish'. Anyway, here's some pics I took then: here and here.
Very nice! And hey congratulations on the Cassin! We had a week at the end of August and that was our dream climb. But the weather was terrible so we have to wait :-((.
I did this traverse with 2 friends in summer 2003 and I guess that I could have soloed (in principle - if my nerves would permit that) everything except - absolutely - (1) the very exposed climbing passage some 100m beneath the summit and (2) the last passage after the bivy hut and the Tabaretta ridge. How did you do that?
In general I think that all the glacier descent on the normal way is not calculable for soloing.
(1) if you mean the grade IV step, I pulled on a piton, and if you mean a pitch of mixed III+ above that, well I just soloed it.
For (2) again just soloing carefully. Though you are certainly right, it's always dumb to solo on a glacier!
Not that there is anything I can say to make the adventure seem anything less than foolhardy, but to try to answer your question I did the following.
1) tied a sling to a fixed camelot at the base of the corner. Pulled hard on this, it held.
2) Stood up and attached my daisy chain to the fixed piton. Bounce tested it hard. It held as much weight as I could bring to bear on it.
3) Disconnected the sling, trusted my life to the piton while I thrutched up and reached an anchor. :-).
mvs - Jul 20, 2007 8:43 am - Hasn't voted
Re: CongratulationThanks Lupino, I was lucky to enjoy such a great day. You'll have to go climb it soon!
Koen - Sep 27, 2007 7:05 am - Voted 10/10
KudosWhy didn't I read this sooner? GREAT trip report. Stelvio NP is one of my favourite places in the Alps.
BTW: there is a basic campsite near the Reschenpass (also a gasstation). Nothing special, but it's the only camping I've ever been too where they have a sauna! Great after a day climbing or skiing...
mvs - Sep 29, 2007 2:30 am - Hasn't voted
Re: KudosThanks very much. I agree, it's an amazing place and I can't wait to go back for the Koenigspitze and other peaks. Good to know about the campsite, could be helpful for the drive home next time. I like the view of the range from the pass, that would be great to combine with a sauna!
Koen - Sep 30, 2007 5:45 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: KudosThis is the campsite I talked about. I visited Stelvio many times as a kid. Because of that the names of those mountains sound like something magical.
Now I can go climb them myself. Climbed Hoher Angelus, not far from Ortler, last march. But I want to go back for the 'big fish'. Anyway, here's some pics I took then: here and here.
mvs - Oct 1, 2007 6:37 am - Hasn't voted
Re: KudosVery nice! And hey congratulations on the Cassin! We had a week at the end of August and that was our dream climb. But the weather was terrible so we have to wait :-((.
reinhard2 - Oct 17, 2007 3:05 pm - Voted 10/10
Awesome - or too risky?I did this traverse with 2 friends in summer 2003 and I guess that I could have soloed (in principle - if my nerves would permit that) everything except - absolutely - (1) the very exposed climbing passage some 100m beneath the summit and (2) the last passage after the bivy hut and the Tabaretta ridge. How did you do that?
In general I think that all the glacier descent on the normal way is not calculable for soloing.
mvs - Oct 31, 2007 10:29 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Awesome - or too risky?(1) if you mean the grade IV step, I pulled on a piton, and if you mean a pitch of mixed III+ above that, well I just soloed it.
For (2) again just soloing carefully. Though you are certainly right, it's always dumb to solo on a glacier!
reinhard2 - Nov 4, 2007 4:24 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Awesome - or too risky?"(1) ... I pulled on a piton" - whow, did you know before that there is a reliable one? And anyway without further securing?
mvs - Nov 6, 2007 8:37 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Awesome - or too risky?Not that there is anything I can say to make the adventure seem anything less than foolhardy, but to try to answer your question I did the following.
1) tied a sling to a fixed camelot at the base of the corner. Pulled hard on this, it held.
2) Stood up and attached my daisy chain to the fixed piton. Bounce tested it hard. It held as much weight as I could bring to bear on it.
3) Disconnected the sling, trusted my life to the piton while I thrutched up and reached an anchor. :-).
reinhard2 - Nov 12, 2007 7:30 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Awesome - or too risky?Thanks for all these details. You are very strong in self-confidence indeed, and the mental experience of such a trip must be extremely formative!