by CW
I am a beginner at this game and found this climb (Crollo di un Mito * III, Cogne, Italy) steep enough. But conditions were good and I became slightly more proficient as the week went on, even leading a couple of pitches. I wore my skiing goggles all week – falling bits of ice are a recreational hazard.
Here are two more photos taken on the superb ice climb – Cascade de Lillaz Grade 3 . An early start meant we were first on the route, it’s a popular climb. Park in the centre of the village of Lillaz and it’s a ten minute walk upriver to the first 100m pitch which we soloed. To reach the next pitch we skirted round the edge of a frozen pond as water was visible through the ice. On the second pitch you can choose where to climb as some parts are steeper than others. Then there is a few hundred metres walk to a corner pitch (that’s me leading it in the bottom photo) – really enjoyable with places to stand for putting in ice screws. On the final pitch (middle photo) David took a steep line and I struggled to find a foothold in the icicles. The climb finishes with an easy 50m traverse to a footpath in the sun! A gentle downhill stroll takes you back to the village. A deservedly 3-star Italian classic.
