The most beautiful line
It has been for years that I dreamt about this face; I consider it one of the best lines in Monte Rosa.
I made my first attempt a week ago but i was not in my best physical condition, since i hadn’t skied once all July and my last trip goes back to June the 16th.
After this failure i was determined to ski the face, so i came back one week later. I spent the night at refuge Gnifetti and at 5:20 - all alone - I picked up my skis to reach the top.
At 9 I was at 4527m, the top of Lyskamm and I started worrying about the snow. After the very first turn on icy snow i found cold winter powder and i gained confidence.
I gained the entrance of the central couloir and found 5 alpinists climbing up, they told me to be aware of the ice.
i wouldn’t throw snow over them but the couloir is pretty narrow, so i skied over the ice then after the couloir i stayed close to the serac where there were 5cm of cold blower powder over slippery blue ice.
The final part was easier but the snow was really hard and also there I found a lot of ice.
I attempted a traverse under the last big serac - facing more east - and there i found nice firn. I gained confidence again and I just started doing big turns, feeling that the snow was carrying me.
I was so amazed, so happy, relieved and psychologically exhausted that i forgot the line i studied so hard all spring long and i ended jumping the big crevasse at the end of the face. (What a beginner mistake!!)
Lyskamm solitaire, age 22; I think this is a new record.
