Alpinism Experience: Canale Pagani + Canalone Caimi in Grignetta

 Today I will talk one more time about an experience in Grignetta, Lecco. This winter is surprinsingly being very good in therms of entering more in the alpinism, I'm finally experiencing some more hard things and techniques. A short but intense alpine way I did was the Canale Pagani, with my mountain partner Mauro Panz.

The Canale Pagani is an introductive channel of degree "poco dificile" (easy, but already alpinistic). It is 350 m, with a maximum steepness of 50°, with two steep passages of rock, ending in a cornice that we need to cross trough to arrive at the end of the normal route to the summit, the "Cresta Cermenati". In total, there is 900 m of elevation gain. 

Me and Mauro at the end of Canale Pagani, I love this photo that shows the characteristic steep walls of Grignetta and we coming from a throat of ice.

Here in Italy I've discover the alpinistic definition of "canale" (channel): carves in the moutain slopes, which are drainages inactive or active in some periods of the year. They are relativelty narrow and steep, and use to offer some difficulty because it is needed to use the crampons and piolets in a very accurate and attentive way. Sometimes it can requires climbing techniques in snow or rocks, and additionally, they offer a higher risk of avalanches, since they are the preferential channels of snow/water flowing. The use of two piolets linked to the harness is usual, and eventually more agressive piolets and crampons are needed, walking stringed is also reccomended.

In the middle of Canale Pagani with two piolets linked to the harness.

To do this I had to wake up at 4h30, to get the first train from Milan to Lecco at 5h30. We do this because climbing in the snow must be done in the first cold hours of the day, to guarantee a stable snow, before the melting due to sun warming. It is always hard for me to wake up so early, go to the train station by bike, and still do the train trip. I fell very anxious before harder mountain tentatives and normally sleep bad and by few hours. That day was maximum 3h with scary dreams. Arriving in Lecco there is still more 30 min of car until Piani Resinelli, the parking of Grignetta.

Beggining of the trekking of via Diretissima

We were not convinced that day because it was drizzling in the city, and one guy said us that was raining half an hour before. This is bad because generates fresh snow, that is not consolidated. We've decided to approach the base of the channel to look the snow condition.

 

The beggining of the way is by the via Direttissima, and just before arriving the base of Canale Pagani there is an exposed part of the trail, because it cross a high steep pending. This year one guy have precipitated at that location, by not wearing the crampons neither other protection equipment. I feel very calm at that part, the trail was totally marked and with the crampons it was not scary.

 

 

 

Then, we finally arrived the channel, still in doubt about proceeding or not, and thus we've seen other 2 people just in front of us, and one guy behind. It gave us security and motivation, the couple in front was very positive and we remained together until the end, the guy behind passed through us already in the beggining, and there was still another couple in front that we met in the summit.  

Mauro entering the channel and the people above.

Me starting the channel. 

We both very happy during the way.

So, the first part of the channel is strange, there is some chains, partially covered by the snow, and iron steps. I feel fine, because we could interlock our carabiners from the harness to the iron chains. But it is exposed, the wall is very steep and high. Passed this part, we really starts to climb freely the channel, it is exposed, and that day the snow was not perfect, it was soft inside. However, the crampons and the two piolets were sticking well, and I could proceed fast and precisely. Actually, me and Mauro were very excited at that part, it was like doing something really adventurous but at the same time feeling confident. 

Girl we met in Canale Pagani. Mistic photo!!

Then, we arrive the first passage of exposed rock, that we need to cross aside by the snow, that was the only part really scary for me because the ice was completely frozen at that part, what means a very little ice climbing, we need to stick the tip of the piolet very strongly, and the same for the front tips of the crampons, and trust on these. Here, a fall is dangerous, however, there was still an inclination to make me confident, and it was not more than 6 movements in a row, thus, it ended quickly and we passed the first key part of the channel. 

 

Mixed rock and ice climbing.

 

Mauro passing one of the rock vertical parts.

 

 

 

 

 We than continue by the snow by the steep channel as before, but with the footprints done by several alpinists the days before make it easier. A second part of rock and snow comes, and we also passed using the same techniques, just being precise with the crampons and piolet by few followed movements.

The end Canale Pagani, we can see the passage to the Cresta Cermenatti

 The final part of the channel is wider, very steep, but the footprint steps were very well marked, we passed very quickly that part, because even being stable, there ir the cornice on top, and the snow was very soft at that part. We arrived the cornice and passed through the passage that is the end of the channel, that links with the normal route.

The girl we met, Mauro and me finalizing the Canale Pagani. Photo was taken from the Cresta Cermenatti.

We were very happy and excited crossing this part, because the work was done, safely, and also wonderful. we had a lot of adrenaline discharged in a misty environment due to the cloudy day. Really magic. 

Near the passage that connects the Canale Pagani with the Cresta Cermenatti.

End of the Cresta Cermenatti, almost in the summit. 

 

 

 

 

We finalize the last part of Cresta Cermenati, that as I said in the last narrative, is very steep and tiring, but this day was nothing near to our adventure in the channel. Arriving the summit the weather was very good, I mean totally cloud without an open landscape, but no wind or rain, it was a good temperature, and that was a lot of people in the summit and it is always fun to congratulate the people and chill at the peak. 

The cross of the summit. This day we were wearing the same colors, but not intentionaly hahaha.

The bivacco in the summit where we slept last time.

The view to Grignone that day, cloudy and we can just see the base.

People in the summit.

Half hour and a photo in the summit, we started to descend, the first part of Cermenati, and then there is a variation to another channel that is much wider, that is the Canalone Caimi. I was not very confident to descend by that channel because it was full of old inconsolidated snow from previous avalanches, however, there was many people passing through that, and our partner couple was descending by that. We decided to string us with the rope and go down with them together. 

Starting the descend by the Canalone Caimi

 

 In descend is easier, however we advanced slowly at the beggining to not generate perturbations on the snow that was not very trustable, although sufficiently stable. We quickly reached the end of the canalone, in the end we sink into the snow, but is also a cool experience to feel in a field of avalanches, I confess that I was having fun, even if I wanted to finish fast. Maybe I was over preocupied, there was a line of people having an alpine course there, what should mean that it is safe. 

When we arrived the road at the end, an helicopter was doing a recue or a simmulation of that in the summit, we've seen someone descending from the helicopter to the peak by a line, we think it was just a simmulation because there was no news about some rescue that day. 

The snow in Canalone Caimi, very lumpy.

We finished at a pizzeria, had luch with our partners, chill, and come back to home still in the afternoon. I was really pleased with this experience because it was short, fast and adventurous at the same time, I've felt that it was enough to an introduction to the alpinism, as it should be! And also, that misterious cloudy day with few people in the moutain made it very special! Of course it was the motivation to the next adventures, and I discovered that climbing channels is very fun :D