Back in January 2018 I was introduced to Andonno by my friends Alberto Pavese, Alberto Pautasso and Cosmin Ruscior. Historical is the first word that comes to mind and it’s clear that the steep walls and chipped nature of the climbing make it a colossal outdoor climbing gym. Perfect for training during the winter months.
Anyway, back on that day I was drawn to the sleek grey waterfall polished wall of Tutto da Rifare. Serendipity had it that the route was the Albertos’ project at the time and so with draws already hanging and Pavese’s voice behind me I was able to make a fast flash of the route. Descending I of course noticed the even blanker section of wall to the right – Calibro 38. On one return trip that winter I went up to have a look and could climb to the fifth bolt, but in my mind the section after was inconceivable – or I was just disregarding the amount of time/effort required. And so Calibro 38 sat in the back of my mind as a mystery churning around – what might it be like to climb that seemingly impossible section of stone?
Flash forward to new years 2019/2020, freshly returned from a very successful and fun trip to Oman where I got to climb a dream project with my longtime partner in crime Jakob Oberhauser in the Majlis al Djinn cave trailing along our idol Alex Huber and hardman Guido Unterwerzacher.
I was riding a strong wave of motivation from my two weeks of alpine style trad climbing and keen to sink my teeth into some performance climbing. Andonno came to mind for the sheer selection available and moreso for the always motivated crew of people who frequent the cliffs there. Calibro 38 was back in mind. At 8c+ proposed by Mateo Gambaro the first ascensionist and without a repeat it represented three things that interested me: One, it was unrepeated; two, it was my next level; and three, it is a style of climbing that I love – small holds, relentless power endurance – and that most others avoid. That meant that I had the line to myself. I got to clean it, devise my own methods and could try it without any waiting, whenever I wanted!
Now Calibro is, as much of Andonno, a route with notable enhanced holds (and who knows if it would even be climbable without). I am not usually attracted to this ethic, however the nature of the climbing presented a power endurance training challenge that I could accomplish outdoors and not in the gym, meaning fresh air and a slingshot into the spring season. Plus, the moves are really relentless – requiring a fluid mix of power, fingers and technical skill.
And so I hung my draws. I won’t bore you with the detail of each attempt, but after a couple of weeks I felt like I had cleaned it well and found a method that worked so with weekdays setting hard boulders in Asti Climbing to keep my fingers on fire and weekends at Andonno with the crew I was making one-hang attempts by mid-January. It was then a matter of conditions – too cold and I just can’t – too hot and I just can’t!
For the last two weekends I felt like each try could be the one and finally on February 4th, with a huge gang at the crag and full sun I tied in with very little expectation (read: it was hot) for a training run. However a sudden breeze chilled the warming mid-day stone and I found myself through my previous high-point with just the final slab double mono iron cross boulder to pass. With a grunt I hiked my left foot high onto the tiny stone chip and with a huge exhale and battle cry I lunged out left to the good hold – my voice rising as I stuck the move, howling. Across the crag I saw Alberto Pavese, owner of Asti Climbing and who had followed this short albeit intense journey, also howling! And like that I was clipping the chains with whoops of support from the equally psyched crowd of friends and fellow climbers below. It was only midday so I had the whole afternoon to work on my tan and support the others with belays and shouts of my own.
Here’s a short edit taken the week after. On the long shot I almost sent it again, but a foot slip meant it was another one-hang!
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