If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again... Austrian climber David Lama finally completed the first free ascent of Monte Brento in Italy last week after two previous attempts.
Together with the Netherlands’ Jorg Verhoeven, Lama scaled the massive peak near Lake Garda famous for its huge, overhanging wall and as a popular venue for base jumping.
Lama's last attempt came in the autumn of 2009 but he would not be denied this time as he drew a new line up the massive wall. The ascent involved 600 metres of climbing up to 8b and afterwards the first free route to breach the enormous mountain roof.
'More than 1000 metres of climbing and we have finally done it!' – Lama
After a 4am start on Tuesday, May 25, Lama and Verhoeven needed just an hour to scramble up the 400-metre pedestal to the start of the route proper.
The pair quickly climbed up the first seven pitches which led to the more challenging section. Jorg led the pitch clean first go, while the next pitch proved more complicated for Lama.
The next pitches all ran smoothly up to the portaledge, strategically left in-situ beneath the roof following Lama's previous attempt. At this point the two had already covered 20 pitches but, as David explained in his diary, “from here to the summit there are 'only' another eight pitches, but they're not to be underestimated. The rock is still friable and the climbing is hard: 8b, 8a+, 6a, 7b, 7b, 8a+, 8a+.”
Lama and Verhoeven swung leads, managing to climb the pitches straight off, including the final pitch whose crux moves were checked briefly by Lama before his final ascent to the summit. They reached their goal, exhausted, elated and safe in the knowledge they had made history.
To read more about the star’s impressive list of achievements, visit david-lama.com.
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