27 November 2025
Marcello Bombardi does La Fenice (8c) MP
Marcello Bombardi, who two weeks ago sent an 8C boulder as well as an 8B (+) trad line, has repeated Matteo Gambaro and Allesandro Carigaโs multipitch La fenice (8c) in Mongioie. The 32-year-old competed actively in IFSC events for 17 years until last year and in 2017 he won in Chamonix. (c) Crimp Films
โAs climbers, we often find ourselves fantasizing about the next line to climb even before weโve actually finished the one right in front of us, just as we dream of famous places before visiting the beautiful crag near home. Iโm the first to admit that I love traveling to climb in new places and, at the same time, discovering different cultures and getting to know new environments. But if we pause for a moment and look at whatโs in our own backyardโespecially for those like me who are lucky enough to live in areas with great climbingโwe might discover that we can live meaningful experiences in places we never imagined, without needing to travel far.
Over the past few months, free from many commitments, Iโve found myself very comfortable with this philosophy, and the experience on La Fenice is just one of many. Mongioie isnโt exactly around the corner for me, but still closer than many other spots. I had been told it was a magical place with an exceptional wall of rock, but I hadnโt yet experienced it firsthand. On top of that, there was an interesting route for the level of difficulty, and Matteo himself praised its beauty, calling one of the pitches among the finest he had ever boltedโand Matteo has bolted quite a few great ones. So why not go and take a look? Expectations were high, but they were anything but disappointed.
Although itโs a multipitch route, La Fenice packs all its difficulties into the first two pitches: a tricky 8a and the crux, an 8c, followed by three easy pitches leading to the top. An 8c on small crimps on the second pitch gave me confidence that I could get it done quickly. Instead, a scorching summer sun, razor-sharp crimps on the crux, and an awkward hanging belay with no escape routes turned out to be tough obstacles, making the experience longer, more exhausting, more fought forโand more memorable.
After an initial reconnaissance lap in Julyโdefinitely not in the best friction conditionsโI went back for two days in October, with cooler temperatures and higher hopes. On both days, we were hit by a mix of low clouds and fog: sometimes discouraging and soaking us with humidity, sometimes a blessing that shielded us from the still-strong sun. When it came time to start my first attempt on the second day, tension rose. It might be the last good go with the skin I had left. I had to perform now if I didnโt want to plan yet another trip, find new partners, and repeat the long hike again. I wanted to enjoy climbing this sheet of incredible grey limestone, but I also wanted to finish the route. Ready for a battle with the pump, I finally left the uncomfortable belay. I managed to climb smoothly, trust my feet, let the rock sink into my fingertips, and latch the final good crimp.โ
โAs climbers, we often find ourselves fantasizing about the next line to climb even before weโve actually finished the one right in front of us, just as we dream of famous places before visiting the beautiful crag near home. Iโm the first to admit that I love traveling to climb in new places and, at the same time, discovering different cultures and getting to know new environments. But if we pause for a moment and look at whatโs in our own backyardโespecially for those like me who are lucky enough to live in areas with great climbingโwe might discover that we can live meaningful experiences in places we never imagined, without needing to travel far.
Over the past few months, free from many commitments, Iโve found myself very comfortable with this philosophy, and the experience on La Fenice is just one of many. Mongioie isnโt exactly around the corner for me, but still closer than many other spots. I had been told it was a magical place with an exceptional wall of rock, but I hadnโt yet experienced it firsthand. On top of that, there was an interesting route for the level of difficulty, and Matteo himself praised its beauty, calling one of the pitches among the finest he had ever boltedโand Matteo has bolted quite a few great ones. So why not go and take a look? Expectations were high, but they were anything but disappointed.
Although itโs a multipitch route, La Fenice packs all its difficulties into the first two pitches: a tricky 8a and the crux, an 8c, followed by three easy pitches leading to the top. An 8c on small crimps on the second pitch gave me confidence that I could get it done quickly. Instead, a scorching summer sun, razor-sharp crimps on the crux, and an awkward hanging belay with no escape routes turned out to be tough obstacles, making the experience longer, more exhausting, more fought forโand more memorable.
After an initial reconnaissance lap in Julyโdefinitely not in the best friction conditionsโI went back for two days in October, with cooler temperatures and higher hopes. On both days, we were hit by a mix of low clouds and fog: sometimes discouraging and soaking us with humidity, sometimes a blessing that shielded us from the still-strong sun. When it came time to start my first attempt on the second day, tension rose. It might be the last good go with the skin I had left. I had to perform now if I didnโt want to plan yet another trip, find new partners, and repeat the long hike again. I wanted to enjoy climbing this sheet of incredible grey limestone, but I also wanted to finish the route. Ready for a battle with the pump, I finally left the uncomfortable belay. I managed to climb smoothly, trust my feet, let the rock sink into my fingertips, and latch the final good crimp.โ
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