Page 41 - 2020 AMA Winter

to extend the line a few meters. Comici was at the time living and guiding out of Misurina and would have been aware of all the attempts. His first attempt was in 1932 with a fellow Trieste climber, Renatto Zanutti. They completed the first ‘hard’ pitch ( Now a fingery Grade VII if freed) and tied a red handkerchief to their highest piton. Comici’s attempt (And no doubt provoked by the hankerchief) prompted Guiseppe Dimai to try in 1933. His attempt, along with guides Ignazio Dibona (son of Dolomite pioneer Angelo Dibona) and Guiseppe Ghedina, pushed the line a further pitch before retreating. Soon after this effort Dimai decided he needed a stronger partnership, approached Comici and suggested they team up. (This is remarkable given Comici was very much an outsider from Trieste who was suspected of poaching clients from ‘local’ guides and didn’t have a familial guiding background.)
Despite their differences Comici agreed to attempt the face with him some three days later. However, in the interim and spite of the agreement, Guiseppe decided to try and sneak in one more attempt without him. This time with his brother Angelo added to his team. This however got no further than their earlier attempt. At a subsequent meeting between the brothers and Comici it became apparent that Angelo knew nothing of Guiseppe’s arrangement with Comici.
Comici committed the Corteseni team to attempt the line the next day. The following day duly saw all five on the wall with Comici pushing the line a little further,
but eventually he was stopped by water running down a crack. Angelo’s attempt also failed and they retreated.
Dibona and Ghedina withdrew from the game, but the Damais and Comici returned the following day. Familiarity with the face and better conditions saw them back at their high point. Comici was able to climb past the difficulties that had stopped him the previous day, but higher on the pitch he was stopped by rope drag before a short traverse right.
He belayed at his high point and the brothers joined him, with Guiseppe leading through on the traverse. With this pitch completed the major difficulties lay below them. They had reached the upper depression in the face and it was clear that nothing in the chimneys and corners above would tax them too much. They bivouacked and completed the route the next day.
It was a major ascent, but bittersweet for Comici, after the event there was much wrangling over whose contribution had been most important. Guiseppe claimed the traverse he led was the key and that most of the credit should be his.
On balance Comici’s contribution by far outweighed the Damais and their claims otherwise disappointed him.
Like many breakthrough climbs, once it was done the floodgates opened and by 1937 the climb had seen around thirty repeats. All of these left some fixed gear making each subsequent attempt a little easier.
Comici, in the years after the first ascent had taken to soloing routes. Working his way through the grades he eventually felt confident enough to solo ‘the line’. While many Dolomite pioneers had soloed routes, nothing quite so sustained and technically difficult had been contem- plated before. With this ascent there would be no ambiguity about who did what and it would be a major statement. In 1937 he soloed the route in 3 hours and 15 minutes.
A final note on Comici. While he was a brilliant climber, an innovator and clearly courageous, on the downside he was also an enthusiastic fascist. David Smart’s book is well worth seeking out and details the complexities of his personality.
THE ROAD
I first attempted the route in August 1977 with Les Morris. Bronwen, my wife, myself, Les and his wife Grace were camping in the meadows by the chapel the South side, (Not far from which
Comici climbing on the face
Mike Smith, The West Face of Cima Grande - Steve Blake Photo
The Dulfer, West Face of Cima Grande - Mike Smith Photo
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