Climbing Famous Fish & Egoland in Dolomites

Marmolada is the undisputed queen of the Dolomites. This summer I finally had the privilege of climbing on the impeccable grey limestone of its south face. I got to taste the history of Marmolada through the "Fish", accompanied by Pietro Dal Pra, as well as its presence through Egoland, accompanied by Berni Rivadossi. Marmolada played an important role in climbing history, as well as in Czechoslovak climbing, as the first ascent of "Fish" was done by Igor Koller (SK) and Jindra Šustr (CZ) back in 1981.

Fish quickly became a myth, an extreme classic that is sought for its beauty, but it will never become a walk in the park. Unlike many myths, the myth of Fish is extremely well deserved. It is one of the most stunning and best routes I have ever tried. And doing it with a good friend of mine, Pietro dal Pra, was icing on the cake.

Egoland is a modern route with pitches up to 8c, rock so perfect that it is hard to believe it exists in the alpine environment. One of the first ascensionists, Berni Rivadossi, is also a good friend of mine, and it was a joy to share the rope with him. I tried to onsight it, but I was happy to walk away with a one-day repetition.





Enjoy the new, long video on my YouTube, paying tribute to the queen of the Dolomites, showing the undisputed natural beauty as well as the effort and resilience of previous generations.







Photos here and in the gallery by Jan Virt.