Muzzerone, 'Trident' from the Sea to the Pillar of Discord

TRIDENT - MUZZERONE (SP)

by R. Vigiani, 2014

Opened from the bottom up in December 2005 by Luisa Siliani e Roberto Vigiani

Development 210 metres

Maximum difficulty. 6b (5c/6a, 5c, 3c, 5c/6a, 5c, 6b)

Nailing: stainless steel fix 10mm

Material required: 16 quickdraws, 70m rope and Helmet

Here we areexactly one year later " Tramontana "back to enjoying the beautiful winter sun at Muzzerone.

This time In order not to be repetitive, let us change walls and find a route that starts directly from the sea. Using a photo sent to me by Davide Battistella, I identify a possible line that seems to climb uninterruptedly from the sea up to high Mandrakia.

The rule is always the same, climbing from the bottom as fast as possible and then cleaning and adding pitons to make the route perfectly safe. After several days of work, with Luisa also trying her hand at drilling pitons and hammering, we finally managed to finish the route, concluding our efforts by climbing it in a T shirt on a beautiful January day in 2006.

ResultThis is a stupendous route of moderate difficulty, bolted completely with stainless steel fixes, abseiled with stainless steel chains, generally good rock and a unique environment overlooking the sea. It is a unique route, especially at Muzzerone, because it is the first one that starts directly from the sea (you can also reach the attack by boat) and after about 200 metres reaches the quarry at Mandrakia alta. The descent is also abseiled with a 70-metre single rope (be careful tying knots in the leaders! They are precise) and two abseils are direct and off (see report and photos!). The first pitch, which starts a few metres from the sea, has an intermediate belay after 15 metres which is worth using on the descent so that the rope does not go into the water with the recovery and can also serve as a start when the sea is too rough and the first 15 metres cannot be climbed. The route is generally on good rock but in spite of the cleaning carried out there are still some loose holds and boulders which may have escaped our cleaning, so we advise everyone to use a helmet and to be careful in the case of other roped parties already on the wall. Certainly with repetitions the situation will improve markedly, but don't forget that fishermen's boats often pass under the wall and if you throw rocks down they will arrive directly in the sea.

ACCESSFrom La Spezia along the provincial road towards Portovenere. When you reach the village of 'le Grazie', take the road on the right that leads to the 'Castellana' (signposted 'palestra di roccia'). After a few kilometres, the road makes a slight descent and, after passing a small house, climbs in hairpin bends towards Muzzerone.

At the third hairpin bend, after a long, bumpy straight stretch, park in the large clearing (118 call post). From here starts the path to Portovenere, which must be followed downhill to the obvious ruins on the left (about 15 minutes).

In front of the ruins, a few square blocks of stone give access to the terrace of the high Mandrakia quarry (signposted). Follow the terrace and you will soon reach the anchorage of the first abseil located behind a pine tree below a 6-metre wall with short cracks bolted with bolts.

Happy climbing to all.

P.S. the name of the route is dedicated to Maurizio Siliani's company 'Trident', which kindly sponsored the material used.

Roberto Vigiani and Luisa Siliani