Page 24 - Army Mountaineer Winter 2022

EXPEDITIONNEWS
was harsh and provided another excuse for not pulling hard enough. The final day saw another mass assault but this time on the little-known sport venue of Val Rienza; again, to avoid the crowds and polish. Everyone got a sport fix, with all students over 5’6 being able to climb 6a (LCpl Rai will return at some point).
The final memorable climbing venue was Cinque Torri. The atmosphere, quality of climbing and proximity to a café made it a popular venue and was used twice throughout the week. The expedition leader and 2Lt Miles Hill eyed up the strenuous nature of Finlandia on Cima Nord (125m of 6b), but made an excuse and chose 8 meters of 6c+ slab instead.
Throughout the week, the Via Ferrata team cracked many of available Via Ferrata routes. They used Averau and the routes nearby to warm everyone up and establish the basics required to move safely. Other routes that they made use of were the Fiames, the Hexenstein VF, Fusseti and Stroble.
Perhaps one of the most memorable days, was the Falzerego Towers. The Via Ferrata team assaulted the Col de Bois whilst the climbing team was on the opposite tower on the Comici Arete. The Via Ferrata gave amazing views with the history of the First World War below. The climbing was steep, juggy and there was ample protection whenever you needed it. Miles lost his way at one point, climbing
what he claimed was E4; however, others would argue it was more likely HS terrain. Another lesson for the Dolomites hopeful: route finding whilst climbing can be difficult. Anything above 12 pitches is advised to be desperate. Without local knowledge, you will find yourself struggling. The only disappointment was that the Falzerago Tunnels were shut and most had to purchase a ski lift ticket down (€12 is cheap apparently?) without seeing the tunnel that was dug by the Italians underneath Austro-Hungarian lines.
The landscape also held some historical significance. Trench systems, tunnels and other remnants of the First World War were littered throughout the landscape. Most impressive, was the hollowed-out boulder. Roughly the size of a dou- ble-decker bus, the inside was hollow
with loopholes hollowed out and firing positions built inside, offering arcs down the valley.
It would be wrong not to mention the weather on this trip. The attached photo shows the severity of the storms from the safety of the accommodation. Another lesson; if you check some less accurate weather platforms (e.g. Apple) they will show storms daily. This is not the case, with good weather prevailing until 1600hrs most days.
After a memorable week out of the office, the team went away feeling they had learnt the basics of Via Ferrata and climbing. Perhaps testament to this is now the growing group of regular climbers every Wednesday.
24 / ARMY MOUNTAINEER