The alpine life brings forth many faces. Some bear the signs of experience, age, weather. Others are young, fresh, beautiful. And sometimes they meet in the Dolomites. On Piz Ciavazes.

2,938 metres marks the highest point of the famous Sella towers to the southwest. From the north, you can hardly see its peak. But the southern face lures climbers early in the year with its typical yellow Dolomite limescale. It rises impressively above the Dolomite road.  Powerful, it seems to beckon calmly between the Sella pass and the Pordoi pass.

In 1961 visitors came. A four-man climbing party began its assault. With technical aides – typical for the times – they drilled and hammered their way up. De Francesch, Romanin, Wuerich and Franceschetti. The Via Italia 61 is inaugurated.
Numerous climbing bolts remain in place. A testament to an era when victory was more important than beauty.
Many climbers were glad of the bolts – and made use of them. And then the route was forgotten.

Over 40 years later it is rediscovered. A great climber from Triest, Mauro Bole, nicknamed Bubu, frees the Via Italia 61 from its chains. He only uses the bolts for anchoring the rope and climbs purely with the aid of the rock.
The route is challenging, as you might expect. 6b, 7a right up to 7c+. The rope pitches are tough enough.
And, at the fifth, it awaits. The roof. It extends outwards by five metres. Horizontal. 120 metres above the start.

The decision. The key section. Graded at 8a. About ten climbing parties achieve a free climbing repeat.
There are no women among them.

There are no women among them.

Then along comes Angelika Rainer.
She is a member of the SALEWA alpineXtrem team. And she has fallen in love. With this rock. With its form. With its beauty. But will her prayers be answered?

Her love of the mountains begins at an early age. Angelika Rainer is ten years old when her mother takes her on a via ferrata route. From this day onwards she is bitten by the bug. Soon she conquers climbing routes in Germany, France, Greece and Spain. And stands on top of the winners’ podium.

Is she up to an 8a roof? Before the key section at the fifth rope pitch, there is a 35-metre-stretch of 7c+ terrain, overhanging, powerful, exhausting.  She tries. But the route is stubborn, defensive. A final attempt. Her tenth.

The first rope pitches are ok. Then comes the fourth. Right from the start it’s tough. After just two metres she goes around a corner, out of sight of the belayer. And this on an overhanging rock, where not all of the bolts will hold. Most are old, rusty, ugly.

Angelika is drawn towards the roof. The feeling is good. Then she does it. She has a 150-metre drop beneath her feet. This five-metre roof demands full commitment. Hands and feet have to get a grip on the sharp Dolomite rock that has been eaten away by water. One mistake and you take flight. How far, no one knows. Because which bolts will hold?

She presses her left thigh into the rock, raises her right foot and pushes through. One more long pull. Yes, she is on the roof. Soon, the whole route is done.  How proud. How beautiful. Via Italia.