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In reply to flatiron: That is sad news, a great climber. Several of his routes have given me pleasure over the years.
In reply to flatiron: Still he had a good innings (unlike any of Englands batsmen today)
In reply to flatiron: Sad, but you can't say he didn't live a good life and achieve more than any of us could dream of.
In reply to flatiron:
He had an amazing life, and 100 is no mean feat either!! His legacy will live forever in the climbs that we can all enjoy in the mountains. He was truly one of the greats. I'm sure he's back enjoying the routes that he did at this very moment!! RIP
He had an amazing life, and 100 is no mean feat either!! His legacy will live forever in the climbs that we can all enjoy in the mountains. He was truly one of the greats. I'm sure he's back enjoying the routes that he did at this very moment!! RIP
In reply to flatiron: Rest in Peace, Riccardo.
In reply to dek:
Does that mean he won't be signing any more books? So, how much is my signed copy of '50 Years of Alpinism' worth?
Does that mean he won't be signing any more books? So, how much is my signed copy of '50 Years of Alpinism' worth?
In reply to flatiron:
One of the great alpinists. 100 is a good score.
As it happens I was sorting through my climbing books last night, selecting items to give away and came across "50 years of Alpinism" thought about it and put it back on the shelf next to The White Spider and Total Alpinism.
ALC
One of the great alpinists. 100 is a good score.
As it happens I was sorting through my climbing books last night, selecting items to give away and came across "50 years of Alpinism" thought about it and put it back on the shelf next to The White Spider and Total Alpinism.
ALC
In reply to flatiron:
Very sad news. Cassin was (is) a true Alpinism giant. Befitting to his greatness, some of the best climbs in the world carry his name, and they stand proud to be the best memorial a man can have.
This is a very brief account of his FA of the ridge in Denali that carry his name, taken from a guidebook. Quite a example of the man he was.
"Throughout their climb they were battered by gale force winds and heavy snowfall, but the persistent Cassin and his team continued upward progress. The six climbers left their final camp at around 17,000 feet on the morning of July 19. They climbed through bitter cold conditions for 17 hours until they finally reached the summit.
All of the team suffered from cold extremities. They were only using alpine gear designed for the Alps. One team member, Giancarlo Canali, suffered major frostbite and his swollen feet did not fit into his boots. Through much teamwork and tenacity, they escorted the injured climber down. At one point, Canali and his rope-mate slipped, but Cassin stopped them with his ice axe. Lower down, another teammate slipped and the belay did not hold, but Cassin was able to grab the rope with his hand and stop them. Toward the bottom, Cassin was completely buried in an avalanche and he lost both his crampons, but continued down unharmed. The team eventually all made it to the safety of the glacier and was soon flown back to Talkeetna.
For this epic ascent, the climbing community afterwards graciously bestowed the name Cassin to this “great central bulge”
of Denali."
Very sad news. Cassin was (is) a true Alpinism giant. Befitting to his greatness, some of the best climbs in the world carry his name, and they stand proud to be the best memorial a man can have.
This is a very brief account of his FA of the ridge in Denali that carry his name, taken from a guidebook. Quite a example of the man he was.
"Throughout their climb they were battered by gale force winds and heavy snowfall, but the persistent Cassin and his team continued upward progress. The six climbers left their final camp at around 17,000 feet on the morning of July 19. They climbed through bitter cold conditions for 17 hours until they finally reached the summit.
All of the team suffered from cold extremities. They were only using alpine gear designed for the Alps. One team member, Giancarlo Canali, suffered major frostbite and his swollen feet did not fit into his boots. Through much teamwork and tenacity, they escorted the injured climber down. At one point, Canali and his rope-mate slipped, but Cassin stopped them with his ice axe. Lower down, another teammate slipped and the belay did not hold, but Cassin was able to grab the rope with his hand and stop them. Toward the bottom, Cassin was completely buried in an avalanche and he lost both his crampons, but continued down unharmed. The team eventually all made it to the safety of the glacier and was soon flown back to Talkeetna.
For this epic ascent, the climbing community afterwards graciously bestowed the name Cassin to this “great central bulge”
of Denali."
In reply to flatiron:
Immensely sad, Cassin was my all time mountain hero from the world stage.
Legend.
RIP
Immensely sad, Cassin was my all time mountain hero from the world stage.
Legend.
RIP
In reply to flatiron:
In one of those coincidences that will be probably discussed for years, he died at 23PM of August 6th - exactly 71 years (minus a 7 hours) from reaching the summit of Grandes Jorasses after climbing for the first time (together with Gino Esposito e Ugo Tizzoni) the Walker Spur on the north face. It was Saturday, August 6th 1938.
From L to R - Riccardo Cassin, Ugo Tizzoni and Gino Esposito (the guy with the rope coil and the ice axe) reach the Boccalatte hut around mid day, August 7th, 1938.
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538210.jpg
In one of those coincidences that will be probably discussed for years, he died at 23PM of August 6th - exactly 71 years (minus a 7 hours) from reaching the summit of Grandes Jorasses after climbing for the first time (together with Gino Esposito e Ugo Tizzoni) the Walker Spur on the north face. It was Saturday, August 6th 1938.
From L to R - Riccardo Cassin, Ugo Tizzoni and Gino Esposito (the guy with the rope coil and the ice axe) reach the Boccalatte hut around mid day, August 7th, 1938.
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538210.jpg
In reply to Mr Lopez: > (In reply to flatiron)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaclibrary/sets/72157621972525370/
>
>
> "Throughout their climb they were battered by gale force winds and heavy snowfall, but the persistent Cassin and his team continued upward progress. The six climbers left their final camp at around 17,000 feet on the morning of July 19. They climbed through bitter cold conditions for 17 hours until they finally reached the summit.
> All of the team suffered from cold extremities. They were only using alpine gear designed for the Alps. One team member, Giancarlo Canali, suffered major frostbite and his swollen feet did not fit into his boots. Through much teamwork and tenacity, they escorted the injured climber down. At one point, Canali and his rope-mate slipped, but Cassin stopped them with his ice axe. Lower down, another teammate slipped and the belay did not hold, but Cassin was able to grab the rope with his hand and stop them. Toward the bottom, Cassin was completely buried in an avalanche and he lost both his crampons, but continued down unharmed. The team eventually all made it to the safety of the glacier and was soon flown back to Talkeetna.
> For this epic ascent, the climbing community afterwards graciously bestowed the name Cassin to this “great central bulge” of Denali."
>
> "Throughout their climb they were battered by gale force winds and heavy snowfall, but the persistent Cassin and his team continued upward progress. The six climbers left their final camp at around 17,000 feet on the morning of July 19. They climbed through bitter cold conditions for 17 hours until they finally reached the summit.
> All of the team suffered from cold extremities. They were only using alpine gear designed for the Alps. One team member, Giancarlo Canali, suffered major frostbite and his swollen feet did not fit into his boots. Through much teamwork and tenacity, they escorted the injured climber down. At one point, Canali and his rope-mate slipped, but Cassin stopped them with his ice axe. Lower down, another teammate slipped and the belay did not hold, but Cassin was able to grab the rope with his hand and stop them. Toward the bottom, Cassin was completely buried in an avalanche and he lost both his crampons, but continued down unharmed. The team eventually all made it to the safety of the glacier and was soon flown back to Talkeetna.
> For this epic ascent, the climbing community afterwards graciously bestowed the name Cassin to this “great central bulge” of Denali."
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaclibrary/sets/72157621972525370/
In reply to flatiron: Can't believe he wasn't featured on Last Word on Radio 4
In reply to Anonymous: Awesome. Thank you.
In reply to flatiron:
The Planet Mountain website has some interesting details of his extraordinany life.
http://planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=36910
The Planet Mountain website has some interesting details of his extraordinany life.
http://planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=36910
In reply to Cy Kaicener cdwubm:
What I find most striking about guys like Cassin was what they endeavoured to climb IN SPITE of obstacles and hardships - travel was more difficult, gear was heavy and primitive.. a lesson to us all who have equipment, resources and knowledge that these guys couldn't dream of having, yet don't climb anywhere near as hard. These guys are a lost breed an an inspiration.
What I find most striking about guys like Cassin was what they endeavoured to climb IN SPITE of obstacles and hardships - travel was more difficult, gear was heavy and primitive.. a lesson to us all who have equipment, resources and knowledge that these guys couldn't dream of having, yet don't climb anywhere near as hard. These guys are a lost breed an an inspiration.
In reply to Luca Signorelli: I love the story of that team climbing the Walker Spur, they were not even sure of the route to the bottom of the Grandes Jorasses, what an onsight !
That photo is legendary, the smiles say it all. RIP a true legend.
That photo is legendary, the smiles say it all. RIP a true legend.
In reply to flatiron:
'CASSIN' - I've looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary of Climbing and it means 'GOD'
Thank you, M. Cassin, what a legacy.
'CASSIN' - I've looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary of Climbing and it means 'GOD'
Thank you, M. Cassin, what a legacy.
Two other important Cassin pictures:
Esposito, Cassin and Ratti after Piz Badile, 1937
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538485.jpg
From L to R: Luigino "Gino" Esposito (other nickname was "Ginetto") Esposito, Riccardo Cassin and Vittorio Ratti, outside the Gianetti hut, on July 18 1937. Two days before, they had summited Piz Badile after the first succesful ascent of the NE face. During the descent, two Lecco climbers who had joined rope with them (Mario Molteni and Giuseppe Valsecchi) had died of exposure and exhaustion.
Vittorio Ratti was Cassin closest friend and climbing companion in the 30's. He had a stellar climbing career in the 30's, and had his name linked to such super routes as the Ratti-Vitali on the West face of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (Mt. Blanc Group) or the North Face of the Cima Ovest di Lavaredo (with Cassin).
Ratti died in a pitched firefight with the Fascist "Black Brigades" while his partisan unit was blocking the Visconti bridge outside Lecco, in April 1945. Cassin, who was the unit leader, reorganized the group and fought a particularly bitter battle in three following days.
-------------------------------------------------
Cassin and Gervasutti in 1940.
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538486.jpg
From L to R: Riccardo Cassin, Paolo Bollini, Giusto Gervasutti, A. Frattini e M. Mollinato, outside the old Gonella hut (still there!), August 13, 1940. Gervasutti and Bollini had just completed the first ascent of the Gervasutti Pillar on the Freney face of Mt. Blanc (not to be confused with the much more famous Gervasutti Pillar on Tacul), while Cassin had climbed the Innominata.
Relations between Cassin and Gervasutti, the two "hyperstars" of Italian rock climbing during the 30's (after Comici died) were never particularly easy. Cassin, the hard man, considered Gervasutti too much of an aestete. Gervasutti - XX° century most enigmatic climbing figure - spoke well of Cassin, but was quite bitter - and probably much self flagellating - about being beaten on the Walker spur. It should be noted, however, that Gervasutti was by far the best "free climber" of the two - and his 1942 line on the East Face of the Grandes Jorasses is leagues beyond the Walker Spur.
Esposito, Cassin and Ratti after Piz Badile, 1937
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538485.jpg
From L to R: Luigino "Gino" Esposito (other nickname was "Ginetto") Esposito, Riccardo Cassin and Vittorio Ratti, outside the Gianetti hut, on July 18 1937. Two days before, they had summited Piz Badile after the first succesful ascent of the NE face. During the descent, two Lecco climbers who had joined rope with them (Mario Molteni and Giuseppe Valsecchi) had died of exposure and exhaustion.
Vittorio Ratti was Cassin closest friend and climbing companion in the 30's. He had a stellar climbing career in the 30's, and had his name linked to such super routes as the Ratti-Vitali on the West face of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (Mt. Blanc Group) or the North Face of the Cima Ovest di Lavaredo (with Cassin).
Ratti died in a pitched firefight with the Fascist "Black Brigades" while his partisan unit was blocking the Visconti bridge outside Lecco, in April 1945. Cassin, who was the unit leader, reorganized the group and fought a particularly bitter battle in three following days.
-------------------------------------------------
Cassin and Gervasutti in 1940.
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538486.jpg
From L to R: Riccardo Cassin, Paolo Bollini, Giusto Gervasutti, A. Frattini e M. Mollinato, outside the old Gonella hut (still there!), August 13, 1940. Gervasutti and Bollini had just completed the first ascent of the Gervasutti Pillar on the Freney face of Mt. Blanc (not to be confused with the much more famous Gervasutti Pillar on Tacul), while Cassin had climbed the Innominata.
Relations between Cassin and Gervasutti, the two "hyperstars" of Italian rock climbing during the 30's (after Comici died) were never particularly easy. Cassin, the hard man, considered Gervasutti too much of an aestete. Gervasutti - XX° century most enigmatic climbing figure - spoke well of Cassin, but was quite bitter - and probably much self flagellating - about being beaten on the Walker spur. It should be noted, however, that Gervasutti was by far the best "free climber" of the two - and his 1942 line on the East Face of the Grandes Jorasses is leagues beyond the Walker Spur.
In reply to Luca Signorelli:
I know it will sound shallow, but the trousers of the time were not the most convenient nor the warmest things, were they?!
What a life... I wish mine was that full, I am way behind his schedule already!
I know it will sound shallow, but the trousers of the time were not the most convenient nor the warmest things, were they?!
What a life... I wish mine was that full, I am way behind his schedule already!
In reply to robdan:
It didn't EXACTLY go that way. What happened was that Vittorio Varale, a famous italian sport journalist of the 30s, sent Riccardo this picture
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538487.jpg
this is the famous (ok, famous for me!) "Gugliermina picture" of the Jorasses. It was taken in 1920 by the Gugliermina brothers, a pair of great climbers of the Valsesia area, who were active in the W alps for a staggering 60 years, mostly with Francesco Ravelli. BTW, Pic Gugliermina is named after them.
Varale's "postcard" marked the L spur, adding a sibilline "you should consider climbing this". The rest is history. Of course this picture is not exactly some Michael Piola topo completed with grades, but for someone as trained to check mountain features as Cassin (and Esposito and Tizzoni), you did not need more to decide the actual line. And rememeber - the original Cassin line goes straight up the spur main crest - the Rebuffat variant was added later.
It should be also added that this route is very much the Esposito Spur as is Cassin's. Gino Esposito is yet another orribily underrated name of the Golden 30's. The guy did climb (for that era) at an insane level, and had - for all accounts - a talent for route finding that was spooky. He basically lead most of the difficult pitches of the route (except for the initial - and then abandoned - dihedral), and was a key factor on the team rapid passage of the infamous Red Chimneys.
None of the above belittle any part of Cassin achievement. Riccardo's attitude to climbing (to anything, really) was ferociously practical. He did climb not to show off how good he was - he climbed to have fun with a bunch of close friends (all perceived by him as good as he was) and get the bloody route done. If some pitch was too difficult for him, he was happy to leave the lead to someone else. The for him was completeling the route and getting back to the valley in one piece - any other consideration was quite secondary.
> (In reply to Luca Signorelli) I love the story of that team climbing the Walker Spur, they were not even sure of the route to the bottom of the Grandes Jorasses, what an onsight !
It didn't EXACTLY go that way. What happened was that Vittorio Varale, a famous italian sport journalist of the 30s, sent Riccardo this picture
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/538487.jpg
this is the famous (ok, famous for me!) "Gugliermina picture" of the Jorasses. It was taken in 1920 by the Gugliermina brothers, a pair of great climbers of the Valsesia area, who were active in the W alps for a staggering 60 years, mostly with Francesco Ravelli. BTW, Pic Gugliermina is named after them.
Varale's "postcard" marked the L spur, adding a sibilline "you should consider climbing this". The rest is history. Of course this picture is not exactly some Michael Piola topo completed with grades, but for someone as trained to check mountain features as Cassin (and Esposito and Tizzoni), you did not need more to decide the actual line. And rememeber - the original Cassin line goes straight up the spur main crest - the Rebuffat variant was added later.
It should be also added that this route is very much the Esposito Spur as is Cassin's. Gino Esposito is yet another orribily underrated name of the Golden 30's. The guy did climb (for that era) at an insane level, and had - for all accounts - a talent for route finding that was spooky. He basically lead most of the difficult pitches of the route (except for the initial - and then abandoned - dihedral), and was a key factor on the team rapid passage of the infamous Red Chimneys.
None of the above belittle any part of Cassin achievement. Riccardo's attitude to climbing (to anything, really) was ferociously practical. He did climb not to show off how good he was - he climbed to have fun with a bunch of close friends (all perceived by him as good as he was) and get the bloody route done. If some pitch was too difficult for him, he was happy to leave the lead to someone else. The for him was completeling the route and getting back to the valley in one piece - any other consideration was quite secondary.
In reply to Sandrine:
They were heavy, but warm and surprisgly water-tight (I still used a pair while "learning the ropes" with my dad - in late 60's). The material was "fustagno" - I think the right English term is "thick corduroy".
> (In reply to Luca Signorelli)
>
> I know it will sound shallow, but the trousers of the time were not the most convenient nor the warmest things, were they?!
>
> I know it will sound shallow, but the trousers of the time were not the most convenient nor the warmest things, were they?!
They were heavy, but warm and surprisgly water-tight (I still used a pair while "learning the ropes" with my dad - in late 60's). The material was "fustagno" - I think the right English term is "thick corduroy".
In reply to Luca Signorelli: Thanks Luca for the insight.
In reply to Sandrine:
Because it was perceived they gave more freedom for the climber movements - they had a loop that could be fastened or loosed below the knee, according to your needs.
> (In reply to Luca Signorelli)
>> Made of wool?
>> Why were they stopping at the knee or just below?
Because it was perceived they gave more freedom for the climber movements - they had a loop that could be fastened or loosed below the knee, according to your needs.
In reply to Luca Signorelli:
In the 1960s UK climbers wore breeches (breeks) of thick corduroy, that ended just below the knee. Although I have a very poor sense of smell (my father was the heaviest smoker I've ever known, the house reeked of stale smoke, it wrecked my sense of smell), I have a Proustian sense of the smell of that corduroy - especially when damp from Irish rain. And a sense of fear - of remote, mist-laden crags where nobody was going to save you from your youthful foolishness.
Strange how everything links to everything else. Perhaps the degrees of seperation are lessening.
Mick
> (In reply to Sandrine)
> [...]
>
> The material was "fustagno" - I think the right English term is "thick corduroy".
> [...]
>
> The material was "fustagno" - I think the right English term is "thick corduroy".
In the 1960s UK climbers wore breeches (breeks) of thick corduroy, that ended just below the knee. Although I have a very poor sense of smell (my father was the heaviest smoker I've ever known, the house reeked of stale smoke, it wrecked my sense of smell), I have a Proustian sense of the smell of that corduroy - especially when damp from Irish rain. And a sense of fear - of remote, mist-laden crags where nobody was going to save you from your youthful foolishness.
Strange how everything links to everything else. Perhaps the degrees of seperation are lessening.
Mick
In reply to Mick Ward:
Precisely following you here mate - damp "fustagno" in rainy Alpine morning, and the sense of anticipation (remember, I was not even 10 years old, so any small bit of rock was "anticipation" for me)
I very much agree. Remove the language barrier and a lot of stuff seem to click more or less in an uncannily similar way.
> (In reply to Luca Signorelli)
> [...]
>
> I have a Proustian sense of the smell of that corduroy - especially when damp from Irish rain. And a sense of fear - of remote, mist-laden crags where nobody was going to save you from your youthful foolishness.
> [...]
>
> I have a Proustian sense of the smell of that corduroy - especially when damp from Irish rain. And a sense of fear - of remote, mist-laden crags where nobody was going to save you from your youthful foolishness.
Precisely following you here mate - damp "fustagno" in rainy Alpine morning, and the sense of anticipation (remember, I was not even 10 years old, so any small bit of rock was "anticipation" for me)
> Strange how everything links to everything else. Perhaps the degrees of seperation are lessening.
I very much agree. Remove the language barrier and a lot of stuff seem to click more or less in an uncannily similar way.
> Mick
In reply to robdan:
A version on that story here http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/riccardo-cassin-a-climber-wh...
> (In reply to Luca Signorelli) I love the story of that team climbing the Walker Spur, they were not even sure of the route to the bottom of the Grandes Jorasses, what an onsight !
A version on that story here http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/riccardo-cassin-a-climber-wh...
In reply to Luca Signorelli:
'Since I can never see your face
and never shake you by the hand
I send my soul through time and space
to greet you; you will understand.'
From 'To A Poet A Thousand Years Hence' by James Elroy Flecker (he died young.)
Please Luca, write about Cassin, about all of them. Else, "all of these moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain."
Mick
'Since I can never see your face
and never shake you by the hand
I send my soul through time and space
to greet you; you will understand.'
From 'To A Poet A Thousand Years Hence' by James Elroy Flecker (he died young.)
Please Luca, write about Cassin, about all of them. Else, "all of these moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain."
Mick
In reply to Luca Signorelli:
The original Walker spur line http://www.cassin.it/immagini/riccardo05.jpg
The original Walker spur line http://www.cassin.it/immagini/riccardo05.jpg
In reply to Mick Ward:
Please Luca, write about Cassin, about all of them. Else, "all of these moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain."
I Second that! Luca has to do this - he's got so many rare informations to share!
Rainer
Please Luca, write about Cassin, about all of them. Else, "all of these moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain."
I Second that! Luca has to do this - he's got so many rare informations to share!
Rainer
In reply to Mr Lopez: Thanks for that link Mr Lopez. I love the reference to his repeat of Piz Badile, the north-east face in 1988, aged 78, and again later the same week, quality !
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