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09/06/08. North Face – Comici (VII-, 16P) on Cima Grande Di Lavaredo
Two days later the forecast improved. We were once again looking at a day-long, decent weather window in-between systems. A 5 am wake up call at the now familiar Rif. Auronzo…but the motivation faltered in the morning cold and so we slept till 6:30 in our rental car outside the Rifugio. Finally at the base of the route, we found two parties starting up – oh well, that’s what we get for our laziness. Additionally, a localized system seemed to be dropping rain on us…wait, it turned out to be the run-off from the upper portion of the wall (steep wall)! The rock was cold and wet in places. Two Brits were in the lead followed by two Italians. All of us were moving at about the same pace (& in similar style – i.e. yarding liberally on fixed pins through the hardest and often wet stretches) and so no major cluster f’s were encountered. About three pitches up, another party started up the route (and one more started up the 5.12a Directissima line next door!!). It turned out to be two young local climbers casually and quickly cruising the line. About six pitches up they passed us..

Shirley starting up pitch 5 or 6 of Comici route on Cima Grande’s north face. Steep, steep, steep (Sept. 2008).
Photos

Shirley waiting out the weather in Rifugio Auronzo before our climb of Cima Grande’s north face (Aug. 2008).

Shirley on the approach to the north face of Cima Grande. Prominent north faces of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo group appear in background, with Cima Grande being the middle formation (Sept. 2008).

Starting up pitch 3 of Comici route on Cima Grande’s north face. This is the first pitch of real difficulties (Sept. 2008).

Higher on pitch 3 – the first pitch of the real difficulties (this one rated VII- ~ 5.10c; Sept. 2008).

Shirley following pitch of the Comici Route on the north face of Cima Grande. The morning was cold and the conditions were wet with the constant drip from higher up on the face (Sept. 2008).

Looking east from the top of pitch 5. Rif. Lavaredo (& the approach) are out of sight and below the saddle. The steep portion of Cima Grande’s face visible here is home to the famous Brandler-Hasse route (5.hard or aid; Sept. 2008).

Interesting fixed gear on Comici route (north face of Cima Grande)…a wooden piton or cuneo (wedge; thanks Gabriele! Sept. 2008).

Shirley starting up pitch 5 or 6 of Comici route on Cima Grande’s north face. Steep, steep, steep (Sept. 2008).

Shirley admiring the continued steepness of the Comici line on north face of Cima Grande. Note the two people on the path at the base below (Sept. 2008).

Pitch 7 of Comici line on Cima Grande’s north face. We’re about to be passed by a team of young local climbers who were casually cruising the line (Sept. 2008).

Returning to the standard Comici line following a deviation up a variation at about pitch 10 (Sept. 2008).

Leading the 13th or 14th pitch of Comici on north face of Cima Grande. Those 2 or 3 pitches were running with water and were less than pleasant to climb (Sept. 2008).

Pitch 15 of Comici line on Cima Grande’s north face. One more pitch to the ringband traverse and the top of the route (Sept. 2008).

View roughly north from Cima Grande’s ring band terrace: (left to right) Toblinger Knoten (?? Italian name?), Rif. Tre Cime at its foot, and Paterno (the illuminated mountain on the right). September 2008.

Shirley hiking the ringband terrace (kinda sketchy) to the south side of Cima Grande. Cima Ovest in background (Sept. 2008).

Shirley on the ringband terrace of Cima Grande after our climb of the Comici route on the north face. Cima Ovest in the background (Aug. 2008).

Shirley hiking the ringband terrace to the south side of Cima Grande. Cima Ovest in background (Sept. 2008).
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