Photo credit: explorersweb.com

Historic Skyline Traverse Completed in the Dolomites

The Dolomites, a majestic mountain range in northern Italy, are famed for their breathtaking vistas and challenging climbing routes. Recently, Micha Rinn and Christian Bickel made headlines by completing what they believe to be the first-ever Skyline Traverse of the Cime di Lavaredo, accomplishing this remarkable feat in July 2023.

While sections of the Cime di Lavaredo have been traversed multiple times, typically moving in an east-to-west direction across summits like Cima Piccolissima and Punta Frida, or in the reverse starting with Cima Ovest, Rinn and Bickel’s traverse stands out as they ascended the entire skyline. This approach covers a stunning array of peaks, beginning at Forcella Col di Mezzo in the west and culminating at Forcella Lavaredo in the east.

To prepare for their ambitious expedition, the duo equipped parts of the route with rappel anchors and established a new rappel line down the Torre Comici. Under the strenuous conditions of July 23 and 24, they undertook the journey, which lasted an impressive 23 hours. Their climb was punctuated by a challenging bivouac in a cave during heavy rain after conquering Cima Ovest.

In total, Rinn and Bickel ascended 2,030 vertical meters, successfully navigating all nine summits in the process:

Starting point: Forcella Col di Mezzo, 2,315m
1. Torre Lavaredo foresummit, 2,500m
2. Torre Lavaredo, 2,536m
3. Sasso di Landro, 2,763m
4. Torre Comici, 2,780m
5. Cima Ovest, 2,973m
6. Cima Grande, 2,999m
7. Cima Piccola, 2,857m
8. Punta di Frieda, 2,792m
9. Cima Piccolissima, 2,700m
Finish: Forcella Lavaredo, 2,454m

Despite facing unexpected challenges, including a broken rope caused by rockfall in the rappel gorge after Torre Comici, Rinn expressed unwavering determination. “We didn’t want to set a new speed record on Tre Cime, nor climb the highest difficulties, but rather climb one of the most obvious lines, the Tre Cime skyline from pass to pass,” he shared with PlanetMountain.

The Skyline Traverse not only highlights the stunning natural beauty of the Dolomites but also represents a significant achievement in mountaineering. As climbers continue to push the limits of what is possible in these iconic formations, Rinn and Bickel’s successful traverse will undoubtedly inspire future adventurers to explore the heights of the region with innovative approaches.

Source
explorersweb.com