Climbing Cuoncio Cuoncio, V° max
On December 29th of the year that just passed by, I was invited to join Luca, Diego and Adriano, to climb
a two pitched - non bolted route in what I define being “our backyard crag”, Monte Tifata.
What was mostly special was the fact that that day was my 28th birthday, and I had never trad climbed before, altough that’s what I like mostly about climbing.
We met at the parking place to organize all the hardware needed (maybe we overcharged ourselves with stuff) and after some good laughs we went to the base of the crag, walking over the bolted routes to go find our line.
Before we got our packs on our backs, Luca asked me “Are you sure this is how you want to spend your birthday?”
I answered with a big smile and said that I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend it.
Bolts
Adriano preparing the stuff
Luca (on the left) and Diego checking the gear
Adriano looking at a dismissed stone cave
Once we found the pinnacle to climb, we took off from our bags all the needed gear, prepping all the necessary to go up.
Then Diego went on first, opening and protecting the route for the rest of us.
The L1 had a first dihedral of 5-6 meters, with a maximum grade of IV+, then a delicate traverse to the first anchor, set with three friends
After Luca got on the anchor of the L1, ready to catch up Adriano, I belayed Diego for the 2nd pitch, and then went up myself.
At that point, the sun was going slowly down, gifting us with an overwhelmingly beautiful sunset. Being winter, though, also temperatures started to drop down
with the light, so we started to get more and more impatient to go down and finish the route.
If there should be one picture to describe the day, I would absolutely pick this one
Sunset over the abandoned cave. On the right mount Somma and Vesuvius.
Diego, Luca and Adriano
Surely not the hardest route ever climbed, neither the most beautiful, but surely one to remember for the good time spent with these guys.
Thanks for giving me one of the best birthday days ever.