Just outside Chiavenna, heading towards Val Bregaglia the profile of mountain with a capital M looms large on the horizon. The North West wall of Pizzo Badile -unmistakeable for its imposing beauty.
Each season it presents a quite different and yet always special challenge. Living rock in summertime, a massive grey granite force; spring and Autumn it’s an ice arabesque. But it’s in winter that Badile - raises itself to its full 3308m and appears in all its savage beauty. Could almost be Patagonia.
Il Badile reads like a history book. Full of all the characters who’ve purposely chosen the freezing months for their personal crusade.
Only they know why. Look them in the eyes, shake them by the hand. Marvel. But it’s the Mountain itself which dominates. The first winter ‘attack’ was that of the joint Italian Swiss roped party comprising Paolo Armando, Gianni Calcagno and Alessandro Gogna alongside Michael Darbellay, Camille Bournissen and Daniel Troillet. The dates: between 21st December 1967 and 2nd January 1969 when they took on the legendary “Via Cassin” on the North East wall. Another date: 14th -18th March 1970, the Valmadrera brothers Antonio and Giovanni Rusconi - winter specialists - created their very own “Via del Fratello” on the same face. Meanwhile 1965 had seen the awesome North ridge tackled for the first time, thanks to
Ragni die Lecco Pino Negri, Aldo Anghileri and Casimiro Ferrari. On the 22-24 December 1974 the Gugiatti brothers from Sondrio with Chiavenna’s Carlo Pedroni were the first up the classic “Via Bramani-Castiglioni”. History records any number of remarkable climbs - and the first winter ascent of “Via degli inglesi” (East-North- East) remains outstanding, completed by the Czech girls Zusana Hofmanova and Alena Stehikova in February 1982. During the same period their companions Franta and Honza were on the vertical la “Via Memento Mori” an exceptionally difficult route on the North-East face. And turn the page again. Winter 1984/5 on the East-North-East pillar, la “Via Nardella” - Antonello Cardinale and Danilo Valsecchi, young Lecco climbers. And the Lisignoli brothers from Piuro, Guido and Massimo on the legendary “Ringo Star” (North West) representing a real climbing milestone. And Stefano Pizzagalli and company on “Gran Diedro” and “Galli delle Alpi” on the same face. Mountaineering in winter is worthy of a very special chapter. Technique,
daring and expertise - words that spring from the page. As do perseverance and fulfillment. A man alone. On the ice. Or fragile snow. Alone with the freezing air. Night stars up above a mere consolation. This is the reality of Il Badile. And personally 3 names stand out. For the North ridge I watched (from Soglio) Giorgio Anghilerei, a Lecco man, move alone along more than a 1000 metres at some pace to the summit. The years go by, but then along comes Rossano Libera and Fabio Valseschini who between 2004 and 2008 produce four master-strokes. The absolute first solo of “Ringo Star” (Rossano, 2004). “Via del Fratello” and “Via degli inglesi” (Fabio, 2007/8) and “Via Cassin” on the granite slate of the North East face (Rossano, 2008) Emotions run high, on high!

Written by Renata Rossi, Alpine guide