Rockfax Description
The first route on Pizzo Monaco dating back to 1981. It is primarily a trad route with the odd bit of fixed gear along the way. The route tackles the western arete of Pizzo and is mainly slabby with a few steeper corner sections. Vegetation and route finding can be problematic but this all adds to the adventure. There is some fixed gear. The belays on the topo are approximations. Rope drag can be an issue.
1) 4c, 35m. Climb up leftwards on the right edge of the wall to a belay on a pinnacle.
2) 5a, 30m. Climb the block on the left and cross the roof. Continue to another roof and pass it on the left. Continue up a ramp on the left to an orange wall and belay
3) 5a, 35m. Climb the crack above and then follow a short corner. Easy ground leads to ledges and a belay.
4) 4c, 35m. Climb the easiest line up the wall above to a ledge with a belay on the right.
5) 4c, 50m. Climb a corner to some bushes. Just before reaching them, go up and left across easy ground
6) 4b, 10m. Follow the ridge to the top of the shoulder.
7) 40m. Walk along the shoulder easily to the steep last wall. Easy ground leads up a groove on the left side of this.
Descent - Walk along the summit towards the notch between the pinnacle and the big wall opposite. Drop down right and locate a good ledge with a solid anchor. Make one 20m abseil to the mini-notch by the smaller pinnacle. Make a long 35m abseil from here to the ground (30m will get you to easy ground but take care). Walk rightwards facing away from the pinnacle and descend rough scree back to the base. © Rockfax
UKC Logbook Description
A few pegs and one bolt, but take a trad rack. Start just above the fence constructed from old bedsteads!
The guidebook description is wrong in places. Pitch 4 ('from the anchor go left') actually starts by moving right, before then going back left. Pitch 5 (40m) is actually 60m long, but the last 20m are a horizontal walk/scramble/jungle bash so belay before this (no bolts) to avoid rope drag. The last pitch ('5m no technical grade') is closer to 25m and is about 4b.
A great route though!
A Gogna, M Marantonio, M Bonamini, R Manfre 12/Oct/1981.
Ticklists
Feedback
| User | Date | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan James - Rockfax | 17 Oct, 2023 |
Show βeta
βeta: Correct descent for this route. Once on the shoulder summit below the short headwall, DO NOT follow the red dots down right. Instead, walk along the shoulder easily and go up the easy groove on the left side of the headwall to the summit proper. Walk along the summit towards the notch between the pinnacle and the big wall opposite. Drop down right and locate a good ledge with a solid anchor. Make one 20m abseil to the mini-notch by the smaller pinnacle. Make a long 35m abseil from here to the ground (30m will get you to easy ground but take care). Walk rightwards facing away from the pinnacle and descend rough scree back to the base. | βeta? | |
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Show beta
βeta: Correct descent for this route. Once on the shoulder summit below the short headwall, DO NOT follow the red dots down right. Instead, walk along the shoulder easily and go up the easy groove on the left side of the headwall to the summit proper. Walk along the summit towards the notch between the pinnacle and the big wall opposite. Drop down right and locate a good ledge with a solid anchor. Make one 20m abseil to the mini-notch by the smaller pinnacle. Make a long 35m abseil from here to the ground (30m will get you to easy ground but take care). Walk rightwards facing away from the pinnacle and descend rough scree back to the base. |
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| David Bowler | 14 Mar, 2022 |
Show βeta
βeta: Route is all there and straightforward for a VS leader. Slightly overgrown in the corner on pitch 5. Managed the ab as a single ab on two 60m without getting rope stuck. As mentioned there are some intermediate bolts so we did it as 7 pitches! | βeta? | |
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Show beta
βeta: Route is all there and straightforward for a VS leader. Slightly overgrown in the corner on pitch 5. Managed the ab as a single ab on two 60m without getting rope stuck. As mentioned there are some intermediate bolts so we did it as 7 pitches! |
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| Richard Goodey | 13 Nov, 2021 |
Show βeta
βeta: This is the best info for the climb, translated from Italian. From San Vito Lo Capo follow the signs for the Zingaro nature reserve and the town of Cala 'Mpiso. Once in front of the Pizzo Monaco wall, park and then walk, first on a dirt road and then along a path, up to the north-west face. Follow it to the right until you cross the west corner, a few meters beyond the corner starts the road. 1st pitch: climb slightly to the left returning to the edge of the edge and continue to a pulpit where it stops (2 fixes + 2 pitons). 35 Mt., III, IV +, 2 nails, 1 bolt. 2nd pitch: climb the big block on the left and cross the overhang. Continue to the next overhang, go around it to the left and continue along an oblique ramp to the left until an orange wall beyond which there is the belay (2 fixes + chain + abseil ring + 1 piton). 30 Mt., IV +, V, 1 bolt, 2 pitons, 1 intermediate belay (2 fixes + 2 pitons). 3rd pitch: pass the crack to the right of the belay (it is left not right, it’s the intimidating crack right above you) and then follow a short corner. For broken rocks reach the top of a small pillar detached from the wall where you stop (2 fixes + quick link). 35 Mt., V, IV, III, 1 bolt and 1 nail (placed at the same height at the base of the corner). 4th pitch: climb the gray and orange wall identifying the weak points and reaching the ledge where, to the right, there is the belay (2 fixes, in common with via Chiari di luna). 35 Mt., III, IV, II, 1 nail. 5th pitch: climb the dihedral until it is blocked by some palmettes. Just before reaching them, cross two meters to the left and climb over simpler rocks up to the shoulder full of shrubs where a stop is set up (hourglass or spike). 55 Mt., IV +, IV, III, 2 nails. 6th pitch: cross the shoulder and climb the last simple rocks that lead to the summit of Pizzo Monaco (stop on hourglass with cord). 30 Mt., III +. Descent From the top, lower on the opposite side from where you climbed up to a very exposed terrace from which to make the first abseil (2 fixes + chain + abseil ring). We do not recommend joining the doubles due to the high risk of the strings getting stuck. We also recommend using a single rope, thus eliminating the knot as well. 1a. descent: 25 Mt. up to the notch with the detached tower (2 fixes with ring); 2a. descent: 30 Mt. to the ground. Follow the track going down the canal to the right (face downstream) until you return to the parking area. | ||
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Show beta
βeta: This is the best info for the climb, translated from Italian. From San Vito Lo Capo follow the signs for the Zingaro nature reserve and the town of Cala 'Mpiso. Once in front of the Pizzo Monaco wall, park and then walk, first on a dirt road and then along a path, up to the north-west face. Follow it to the right until you cross the west corner, a few meters beyond the corner starts the road. 1st pitch: climb slightly to the left returning to the edge of the edge and continue to a pulpit where it stops (2 fixes + 2 pitons). 35 Mt., III, IV +, 2 nails, 1 bolt. 2nd pitch: climb the big block on the left and cross the overhang. Continue to the next overhang, go around it to the left and continue along an oblique ramp to the left until an orange wall beyond which there is the belay (2 fixes + chain + abseil ring + 1 piton). 30 Mt., IV +, V, 1 bolt, 2 pitons, 1 intermediate belay (2 fixes + 2 pitons). 3rd pitch: pass the crack to the right of the belay (it is left not right, it’s the intimidating crack right above you) and then follow a short corner. For broken rocks reach the top of a small pillar detached from the wall where you stop (2 fixes + quick link). 35 Mt., V, IV, III, 1 bolt and 1 nail (placed at the same height at the base of the corner). 4th pitch: climb the gray and orange wall identifying the weak points and reaching the ledge where, to the right, there is the belay (2 fixes, in common with via Chiari di luna). 35 Mt., III, IV, II, 1 nail. 5th pitch: climb the dihedral until it is blocked by some palmettes. Just before reaching them, cross two meters to the left and climb over simpler rocks up to the shoulder full of shrubs where a stop is set up (hourglass or spike). 55 Mt., IV +, IV, III, 2 nails. 6th pitch: cross the shoulder and climb the last simple rocks that lead to the summit of Pizzo Monaco (stop on hourglass with cord). 30 Mt., III +. Descent From the top, lower on the opposite side from where you climbed up to a very exposed terrace from which to make the first abseil (2 fixes + chain + abseil ring). We do not recommend joining the doubles due to the high risk of the strings getting stuck. We also recommend using a single rope, thus eliminating the knot as well. 1a. descent: 25 Mt. up to the notch with the detached tower (2 fixes with ring); 2a. descent: 30 Mt. to the ground. Follow the track going down the canal to the right (face downstream) until you return to the parking area. |
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| Fermina | 7 Oct, 2020 |
Show βeta
βeta: First anchor is above the blue tat attached to a bolt. The blue tat can be seen from the ground. The actual anchor is on a ledge. | ||
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Show beta
βeta: First anchor is above the blue tat attached to a bolt. The blue tat can be seen from the ground. The actual anchor is on a ledge. |
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