Italian Fabio Valseschini has made the first solo winter ascent of the Northeast Face of Piz Badile, on the border between Switzerland and Italy. The 3,000-foot wall of slabby granite is one of the legendary “six great north faces” of the Alps, first climbed in 1937 by a team led by Riccardo Cassin. Valseschini followed the more difficult Via del Fratello (5.9 A2), established in the winter of 1970. Starting in the morning of December 26, he reached the top late on December 31. After a sixth bivouac on the 10,853-foot summit, he descended by a helicopter that had been dispatched by worried friends.
Just read Malcolms article - good reading Met these boys at the Sciora hut and followed their progress on the Punta Pioda from the Flatiron ridge. We liked their can do approach ie 20 odd pitch route on the first day out!
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