Cima delle Dune: Marmotta in Placca (5c)

Marmotta in placca is a wonderful multi-pitch route (12 rope-lengths) entirely on magnificent granite slabs facing the upper part of the lake of Como, the Mezzola lake, the Val Codera and Val dei Ratti. The only weakness of the route is that it is not continuous, being interrupted after pitch 2, 5, 6 and 11 by vegetated terraces. Some description of the route (unfortunately in italian) can be found here and here. Feel free to contact me for any additional information on the route. A 180^opanoramic view from the summit (~1200 m) can be seen below (click on the pictures to see the full resolution).

We climbed Marmotta in Placca on April, 25^th 2004. The team was myself, Stefano, Pierre, Matteo, Tatone, Elio and Cristina. The weather was wonderful (as you can see in the panorama above), the only problem being a moderate wind (the area can often be windy). Here are some of the pics gently taken by Stefano (who unfortunately never appears) during the climb.

This is the first pitch (4b; all grades are in french technical). You can see Tatone (above) and I who lead our mates. Up in the top you see Cristina (climbing with Elio) who is already on belay.

This is Pierre on the first belay as I start the second pitch.

And this is the slab of the second pitch (5b), as I follow Cristina towards the second belay. Look at the wonderful roughness of the rock, superb!!

Tatone belays for Matteo at the base of the third pitch, on a very comfortable terrace.

And here are Matteo and I on the third pitch (3a), preparing for belay.

The fourth pitch (5a) is characterized by a superb traverse under a reversed crack. It's not at all physical as it may seem and provides you with full satisfaction. Probably the most aesthetic pitch of the route (though not the most difficult). You see here Tatone and I crossing the traverse in different styles.

And that's me placing a sling at the end of the traverse.

I have no images of the fifth pitch (4a). Yet another green terrace brings to the base of the sixth pitch (4b), characterized by a nice black slab at the beginning. Here you see Pierre and Matteo, not too concentrated, commenting on how Tatone and I address the slab.

And here you see how Tatone...

...and I address it.

At the end of pitch 6 there is another terrace, you can relax and take pictures (if the weather is good), like the one here with Pizzo Badile (capped in a cloud) and Pizzo Cengalo.

Now the serious stuff comes. The first hard pitch (5c) is the seventh, characterized by a shallow but polished black overhang, the one Cristina is facing in this pic.

It is hard, but you can circumnavigate it, as Tatone is doing here and...

...after some effort...

...I decide to do;

while Matteo psycologically prepares for the effort.

The next one (eighth pitch, yet another 5c) provides, in my opinion, the crux, with the traverse on the final moves. Here you see Tatone and I facing the lower slab, delicate on small hand and foot holds. Tatone goes for the dayses and he'll pay for it...

...when he'll have to traverse right back on track, which goes straight up.

This traverse before the belay has been my personal crux, with a panic surge promptly choked. Doesn't look too bad from here...but it's entirely on your feet...trust your shoes and go!

And finally out!!!

An easier ninth pitch (4b) leads Matteo and I to the scramble (3a and 2c) of the 10^th and 11^th pitches.

A robust final effort is though required to complete the last, extremely polished, white slab (12^th pitch, 5c), which leads just below the summit. Here you see how I start it up...

but the real trouble comes in the middle.

But at the end, we won our day!!!

Now we are left with the descent, which is not at all an easy task, so that we get lost and eventually decide to go down the route with ropes for the final two lengths. We barely stand, but we still watch the mountains with love...

From left to right: Elio, Stefano, Matteo, Tatone and Pierre.

Thanks to Stefano for taking all the pictures.

Page maintained by Davide Lazzati . Last updated: Apr. 27, 2004

Cima delle Dune: Marmotta in Placca (5c)

This is the first pitch (4b; all grades are in french technical). You can see Tatone (above) and I who lead our mates. Up in the top you see Cristina (climbing with Elio) who is already on belay.

This is Pierre on the first belay as I start the second pitch.

And this is the slab of the second pitch (5b), as I follow Cristina towards the second belay. Look at the wonderful roughness of the rock, superb!!

Tatone belays for Matteo at the base of the third pitch, on a very comfortable terrace.

And here are Matteo and I on the third pitch (3a), preparing for belay.

And that's me placing a sling at the end of the traverse.

I have no images of the fifth pitch (4a). Yet another green terrace brings to the base of the sixth pitch (4b), characterized by a nice black slab at the beginning. Here you see Pierre and Matteo, not too concentrated, commenting on how Tatone and I address the slab.

And here you see how Tatone...

...and I address it.

At the end of pitch 6 there is another terrace, you can relax and take pictures (if the weather is good), like the one here with Pizzo Badile (capped in a cloud) and Pizzo Cengalo.

Now the serious stuff comes. The first hard pitch (5c) is the seventh, characterized by a shallow but polished black overhang, the one Cristina is facing in this pic.

It is hard, but you can circumnavigate it, as Tatone is doing here and...

...after some effort...

...I decide to do;

while Matteo psycologically prepares for the effort.

The next one (eighth pitch, yet another 5c) provides, in my opinion, the crux, with the traverse on the final moves. Here you see Tatone and I facing the lower slab, delicate on small hand and foot holds. Tatone goes for the dayses and he'll pay for it...

...when he'll have to traverse right back on track, which goes straight up.

This traverse before the belay has been my personal crux, with a panic surge promptly choked. Doesn't look too bad from here...but it's entirely on your feet...trust your shoes and go!

And finally out!!!

An easier ninth pitch (4b) leads Matteo and I to the scramble (3a and 2c) of the 10th and 11th pitches.

A robust final effort is though required to complete the last, extremely polished, white slab (12th pitch, 5c), which leads just below the summit. Here you see how I start it up...

but the real trouble comes in the middle.

But at the end, we won our day!!!

Now we are left with the descent, which is not at all an easy task, so that we get lost and eventually decide to go down the route with ropes for the final two lengths. We barely stand, but we still watch the mountains with love...

From left to right: Elio, Stefano, Matteo, Tatone and Pierre.

An easier ninth pitch (4b) leads Matteo and I to the scramble (3a and 2c) of the 10^th and 11^th pitches.

A robust final effort is though required to complete the last, extremely polished, white slab (12^th pitch, 5c), which leads just below the summit. Here you see how I start it up...