Monte Orsello (2043 m) from Valico della Crocetta

Friday 1 February 2008

There are lots of mountain enthusiasts, and organising a mountain outing isn't always the simplest thing in the world. Probably, and I'm the first to admit it, laziness wins over even the most insistent desire. But the mountain knows how to reward the most hardened enthusiasts.
Fabrizio and Fabio got in touch with me a few weeks ago. We didn't know each other; the website acted as go-between, a few emails were exchanged and we realised we could share our mountain walks.

The weather forecast for the weekend promised nothing good, but our longing for the mountains was far greater than any cold wind from the Atlantic.
We agree on the usual meeting point at the La Rustica Metro station at 5.30.

The alarm goes off and I'd like to stay under the warm covers. I know a day of wind and intense cold awaits me. I get up all the same, knowing that once on the ridges I'll feel like the happiest man in the world.

We leave La Rustica at about 5.40, destination Campo Felice, to attempt the climb up Monte Orsello. The advantage of choosing a destination like Campo Felice is having marvellous mountains less than an hour and a half's drive from Rome.

We arrive at the Vado della Crocetta at 7.00: the usual preparations, boots, jackets, a last adjustment to the rucksack and we're already on the road.
At the Vado della Crocetta there are two little roads. Looking along the road towards Casamaina, on the right there's a path that leads towards Monte d'Ocre. On the left-hand side, instead, there's a path that leads to the bauxite mine of Monte Orsello.
Past the bauxite mine you carry on south-east, aiming for the start of the Monte Orsello ridge. Following the gravel road and past a small wood, you come out right next to a big grassy meadow on the south crest of Monte Orsello; from here you can see the ridge rising steadily to almost 2000 metres. Carrying on towards the ridge you cross a second big meadow, and from here you start up the ridge.

We find the south crest completely (or almost) bare of snow. The sirocco winds, laden with warm moisture, have melted what little snow was left over from Christmas. We turn to look at Campo Felice and see clearly how little snow is left. Fabrizio is originally from Avezzano and feels very much at home on these mountains; he leads the way, following the ridge and keeping to the south crest. There are no difficulties of any kind. The ridge is only slightly exposed, passing close to some big, very elegant and beautiful rocks. At 1800 metres we enter the clouds. It doesn't bother us much; visibility is still good. Fabrizio struggles a bit to keep up, partly because of his lack of experience, partly because he's not very fit. As the wind grows we all wrap up and carry on along the ridge. At 2000 metres the dance of ups and downs begins. A hump, a cairn, a big rounded mound, a cairn, another hump, a cairn and so on, three times over, walking at two thousand metres in thick fog and icy wind. Fabio is determined; he has a thirst for adventure that drives him on tenaciously until our persistence pays off.

Fabrizio reaches the summit and finds the Monte Orsello cross knocked down on the ground. A small yellow brass cross on which is written Monte Orsello Mt. 2043 CAI L'AQUILA. We're happy and not even too tired; the climb took 2 and a half hours. The cold wind literally stops us from staying on our feet. We try to take shelter on the north side, but visibility is poor and the snowy mounds are inhospitable.
We drop down to one of the many saddles, and here we eat sheltered from the wind, enjoying the cold air of high altitude.

The descent is less rapid; we take more time to explore the route, we try a few practice slides just to keep our hand in, but there's little snow and the slope isn't really suitable.

Once at the descending stretch of the ridge we turn off onto the north crest, where more snow has built up; we go down bounding through the powder snow to a big valley, trying to aim for the wood of beech and downy oak. In three hours we're back at the car. The outing has been an excellent success. With this outing Fabrizio has officially gone back to the mountains. Fabio is opening a new chapter in his adventurous life, so full of experiences.
As for me, at last, after two months of abstinence, I've tasted again the flavour of hard effort and the satisfaction of the summit.

Till next time, lads.