UKC

I have always wanted to have a go at Comici-Dimai (VII+), maybe I’ve left it too late, maybe though next year I might have more climbing time! What UK grade does it go at, and how easy is it to bring it down to my level with a load of french free?

My gut feeling is it might be a bit much for me, but maybe if I got a little fitter and didn’t get hung up on style…

If you haven't seen it already there's a decent article here https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/climbing_the_comici_-_vii__e3_...

Around E3 5c. Its very do able with a bit of french free.

The crux pitch for me was the second pitch as we got stuck in a long queue after P1 and my hands got freezing at 6 in the morning waiting so when started climbing I couldnt feel my hands on the icy cold rock and fell off. Very gutting as I managed to climb the rest clean including leading the technical crux higher up!

Thanks, good article. E3 5c/6a and took them ten hours…sounds hard.

E3 5c.  French free at a much lower grade.  If you're able to climb long multi pitch HVS/E1 you'd get up it pulling on gear.  The hardest bit is the fact that one of the hardest pitches comes very early so its hard to be warmed up to free it if its your max grade.  The descent is horrible

I did it a number of years ago and I'd say pretty much what Jakob said about it. I thought pitch 2 was genuinely the crux, I did manage to onsight it but the cold fingers bearing down on small crimps was far in a way the hardest part of the climb. By the time you get to the pitches with a similar grade higher up, you are warmed up and they feel easier.

Absolutely no way is it E3, and there's only one 5c move, which is the one down the bottom. Admittedly that feels hard because you've only just got out of bed and it's bloody freezing, but there's a peg right there which comes in very handy.. 

It's like doing eight pitches of 6a-6b, then eight pitches of VS, some of it cracks which may be wet. It's more like an E1 which is E2 because it goes on a really long time.

jcm

There are various old threads on this which basically all go along the same lines, lots of people saying E3 and slightly fewer saying E2. Imo no pitch is worth E3 and there aren't any moves that I'd even consider as tech 6a.

If you french free/rest mid pitch it would go at HVS I'd think. There is lots of fixed gear on the harder pitches - I only took quickdraws for the upper crux pitch (though like several others I think that the real crux pitch is P2).

This is the most accurate description of the route on this thread. Happily is exactly what the guidebook tells you as well

The descent used to require more downclimbing but new bolted rap stations have been added, so the descent is pretty casual compared to other Dolomite peaks

I did this the same day as Fellover and am currently reminiscing about it in a car with him and my partner from that day. We reckon he (Fellover) may have forgotten about a harder bit a few pitches below the crux, which is potentially E1/2 oblig.? I was feeling pretty knackered that day though, and Fellover was (and still is) much stronger than us! 

I did a Slideshow on the Comici and the Brandler Hasse for a joint Rucksack Club / Alpine Club virtual Lockdown webcast - link here: vimeo.com/437624497

For what it's worth, I'd say E3 5c if you do it clean - especially factoring in the location and temperature. It ain't Chee Tor! Also, don't underestimate the descent and give yourself plenty of time - it's quite chilly overnight on top (spoiler alert for Slideshow ) 

Cheers, Dom