On September 30, 2011, Italian climbers Marco and Herve Barmasse, a father and son from Northern Italy, established a new route on the southeast face of Signalkuppe (4554m), a peak in the Monte Rosa massif. The 800-m route (ED) signifies the end of Herve Barmasse’s “Exploring the Alps” project, in which he put up new routes on three of the range’s most prominent peaks—the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and finally Monte Rosa.
On March 8, 2011, Herve Barmasse began the first installment of his project–a new, solo route up the south face of Picco Muzio, a subpeak on the Furggen Ridge of the Matterhorn. His chosen line, a 700-meter overhanging pillar, had never been explored before, though many other routes cover the face. After two days of poor weather and lots of rockfall, Barmasse abandoned his attempt. For one month he continued to think about the potential on the Matterhorn, and on April 6 he tried again. Four days and three bivvies later, Barmasse reached the summit. His father was waiting for him there, and the two descended the Matterhorn together.
The second ascent of Barmasse’s project was a new route on Mont Blanc, established with Basque brothers Iker and Eneko Pou, with which Barmasse wanted to “point out the great value of a roped party and the pleasure of sharing mountaineering with friends.”
My main climbing partners were John Bragg, John Bouchard and Henry Barber…” Rick Wilcox narrates the ice climbing revolution of the Northeast in the 1960s and 1970s. Created by Sarah Garlick and Jim Surette.
With it’s classic design, neutral angle blade and abnormally large spike, it seems as though this axe was well designed for meandering through low-angle snowfields thinking about the late greats and golden ages – but nothing more.
Not far into the long ski up to the cirque, over exertion and no sleep left Justin violently ill, and he opted to bail. Between dry heaves, he gave us the gear and showed the grit we know him for by shouting encouragement as he carried his skis back down the icy switchbacks…
