a cogne classic

That familiar ring tone of the alarm that breaks the silence of the night, an unwelcome visitor arriving well before sunrise, this is the standard start for a day trip to the ice centre of Cogne in Italy. After the obligatory coffee and croissant stop in a warm Italian café, Magnus and I set off down the trail as the first glow of a new day toyed with the jagged horizon of the Gran Paradiso range. Being early and Monday we were first at the foot of Repentance in the Valnontey valley.

repentance

starting

Magnus reaching the belay, pitch 1

Start of pitch 2

leaving the belay on the third pitch

topping out on the first steep wall

the team on the plateau above the route