ORTLER

We start at pictorial clachan Trafoi.  If it is good weather, exellent view of Ortler yields from here. Loaded by ultra heavy rucksack (about 25kg) we go towards small bridge over wild turbid river Rio Trafoi.  Path immediatelly shows us that it won't be an afternoon walk, but a real toil. It is sheer as much as it is possible,  twisting infinitely in vehement switchback as far as small rest close to a ruin of former cottage Alpenrose Hütte  - 2029 above sea level (asl).  It's plenty of flies and vermin what thrust at us in terrible heat, so we continue monotonously onwards through the wood and footpath doesn't decrese on steepness. After about 1,5 hour we enter to the huge gorge,  which by character of ascent reminds hell.  Traverse through it is infinite. It is already visible bivouac Stella Alpina - 2451 asl , from afar.  This is though in deplorability,  but on construction it is seen,  that it is slowly repaired.  For us it grants passing the night under cover and relative comfort of wooden floor.  Only through broken windows it blows little bit.

We go to cottage Payer Hütte in the morning, which is holdfast on rocky edge Tabaretta 570 metre above us.  Way on cottages runs quickly. The weather is terrible.  It drizzles, it is mist and about +3°C. It is impossible to build a tent somewhere close to the cottage because of slope ground, so we must pass the night at cottage (17 EUR/man).  Lodgings is clean and serving cottager is very kind. We borrow cards for evening and move to accommodate us. After sometime we recognize, that drinking water isn't anywhere (not in cottage even arround it). So we have to buy it (3 EUR/1,5 litre). Still the same day we do warm-up and acclimatization on Punta Tabaretta - 3128 asl. After doss on nice and soft cot we set-out the way to summit in 6:00 am. It is overcast, mist. After about 20 minute spent for looking for the way we decide for certainty and unobtrusively we line up behind mountain leader with two clients.  We go about 100 metre behind them, because they hired the leader for 760 EUR to reach summit, unlike us. We turn left behind Punta Tabaretta and go head for belayed edge. The way dificulty equals via ferrata D/E. The ascent is belayed very well and klettresteig is exposed.. Thereby we get on peak with cross, where's proper place for rest. In front of us overlies key point of our climb. It concernes about unsupported sharp edge (climb 2-3.UIAA) equiped by several spikes for pertinent personal belaying. Section is long circa 150 metre. Behind it we already climb down to the crack, where we put on climbing irons. Travefse of glazier begins there. It is impossible to surmount this section without irons!!  Approximately after 20 minutes we reach sher part of glacier (be careful,  several scratches we go arround on the right). We come to the next key place,  this time on glacier. In front of us only about 8 one-metre nearly perpendicular rock  grown straight from ice. This  is necessary  to overcome using irons,  through mixing climb 2-3.UIAA. Here you must be careful of each step - slipping hazard with fatal consequences.  During good weather, when more people climb, curiosity queues forms here. Hereby this passage we are half-and-half winners.  We are up on high 3316 asl near bivouac Lombardi. Glacier Vedretta Alta Dell Ortles soars merciless up over many scratches and gigantic glacial breaks.  Though in mist, we follows tracks of mountain leader in front of us. The who stops till when other man falls through to the gap and completely he disappear in. After wrench from gap they continue (a little shudder) further. After several sheer section we reach so-called Ortler Plató on high 3750 asl.   From here only gently about 25 minutes on top with inevitable cross.  Backward the way is like,  we only go new way about bivouac over edge inplace of section over mixing climb. We are little bit surprised, when the way ends and we must rope down 15 meters. Further till on cottages identical. We are stopped by several people, who are on-line, but otherwise way goes quickly. In fact, if the mountain leader wasn't there, nobody would reach the summit that day.... Until Trafoi is descent like. Next night we sleep in Stella Alpina again and again it is raining. It is somewhat cloudy in the morning and isn't nicer look than sunset above giant glacier plating Ortler.

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