First Sella Tower, Tissi

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First Sella Tower - Tissi

Sella Pass.

Portland to Philly to Munich followed by a quick drive to the South Tirol region of the Dolomites. Shirley was enjoying her autobahn driving experience despite being highly-speed-limited (130km/h) by our tiny Peugeot rental. The idea was to start the next day with a short moderate route for warm up. We picked the Tissi line on First Sella Tower due to the short approach (20 minutes), moderate rating (VI ~ 5.9) and a low number of pitches (~7). Given our experience from two years ago on the next-door Trenker (V-) route, I should’ve taken the guidebook warnings of “polished rock” more seriously. Soon I was cursing my way up polished 5.9 off-widths and wishing I had brought some large cams. Somewhere in the upper third, I screwed up the route finding and we ended up topping out on the (equally polished) Southwest Ridge. Perhaps the last two pitches of Tissi are great enough to offset the quality of the lower 2/3rds, but I still think I’d rather pierce my nipples or have a root canal done sans-Novocain instead.

Photos

Dolomites

Shirley flying down an autobahn (at a blazing 120 km/h) just south of Munich in our rented mini something (July 2010).

Dolomites

Shirley hiking up to the First Sella Tower from the Pass trailhead (July 2010).

Dolomites

Shirley on the short approach hike to the base of Sella One. Sella Pass is below. Langkofel (right), Funffingerspitze, and Grohmannspitze (?) are in the background (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Starting up the Tissi route on First Sella Tower. Let’s call this pitch 0 (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Leading the very polished OW on pitch 1 of Tissi route on First Sella Tower (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Some views from low on the route (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

A closer look (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Shirley on pitch 1 of Tissi route (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Starting up pitch 2 (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Topping out on pitch 2 I think (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Starting up pitch 3 of Tissi (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Higher on pitch 3 (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Views from high on Tissi (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Pitch 4…probably. Views include: Langkofel (right), Funffingerspitze, and Grohmannspitze (?) are in the background (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Looking back at Shirley from the start of pitch 4 of Tissi (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Shirley on pitch 4 (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Pith 5 or 6 (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Looking NE from high on the Tissi route (though this might be the West Arete already…I screwed up near the top I think; July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Shirley somewhere near the summit of First Sella Tower. We started on the Tissi route but I think we ended up on the West Arete near the top (oooops; July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Shirley rapping the west ridge of the First Sella Tower after our climb of Tissi (or most of it anyway; July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

First (front, right-ish), Second, Third, and (perhaps) Fourth Sella Towers (July 2010).

First Sella Tower - Tissi

Shirley on the hike down to the car (July 2010).

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