Exploring The Alps: New Route Opened on the Monte Rosa

The North Face® Athlete Hervé Barmasse opened a new route on the South-East face of the Monte Rosa, Valle d’Aosta, Italy, with a very special partner, his father Marco, on 30th September 2011. The Monte Rosa (4,634m) is the highest mountain of Switzerland, the second highest both of the Alps and Western Europe.

After the approaching phase and a bivouac at the “bivacco Giordano”, The North Face® athlete Hervé Barmasse and his father Marco Barmasse started the route from “pianoro Hellermann” at 3,800m and reached the summit of 4,500m in the evening of the same day. The total length of the route is 800m.

The new route demanded a classic alpine climbing style on mixed terrain. They had to climb on loose rocks, with distant traditional protections and were faced with the challenges of the high altitude. Hervé and Marco set the grade of the route at ED (Extremely Difficult).

“It’s a very psychological route. Flat rocks the size of coffee tables were tumbling down the mountain.” stated Hervé Barmasse.

See more on : http://www.thenorthfacejournal.com