The known ascents (12) on the W-NW Ridge, before the opening of the "Via Ferrata 2004".
Since 1897 until 1999
1)- August 30th, 1897: Giovan Battista Devalle & Ercole Daniele with Valtournanche Mountain Guides Luigi Bich & Alessandro Pession, from terminal part of Western Crest, after the first ascent on North Face of Little Emilius (first absolute ascent on this Northern Slope).
2)- September 16/7, 1902: Abbot Joseph Maria Henry with Charvensod Mountain Guide Grégoire Comé, in descent from Summit to nearby of Little Emilius (16th) and from Carrel Hill to Little Emilius (17th).
3)- September 20th, 1902: Felice Mondini & Emilio Questa, in ascent directly from Aosta Town (!) and entire Crest.
4)- Winter 1940/41: Nerino Gobbo of Trieste, lone; in ascent from Carrel Pass or from Col Ròss?
5)- July 20th, 1941: Mountain Guide Adolfo Giulio "Dulo" Ourlaz with the wife Aurora Wuillerminaz; after the ascent on N-NE Edge of Monte Emilius, in descent to "Becca" and again descent through N-NE "Crestone".
6)- August 01th, 1976: Osvaldo Cardellina & Camillo Roberto Ferronato (Integral Route from "Becca"); in ascent in day from Pila, Comboé, Federigo Zullo Bivouac.
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"On original West Ridge 1977",
by Osw
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7)- July 11th, 1977: Osvaldo Cardellina & Camillo Roberto Ferronato; first ascent? from Ròss Pass; in ascent in day from Pila, Comboé, Federigo Zullo Bivouac.
8)- June 30th, 1985: Alberto Sciardi, lone, in descent after North Wall, Central Couloir.
9)- Summer 1985 or 1986 or 1987: Carlo Lucianaz Charvensod, lone, in descent after the two N-NE Crest of "Becca" and Emilius.
10)- June 23 th, 1991: Osvaldo Cardellina, solo (from Ròss Pass); in ascent in day from Pila, Comboé, Federigo Zullo Bivouac.
11)- October 06th, 1996: Valpelline Mountain Guide Aldo Cambiolo & Stefano Mottini (from Ròss Pass); in ascent from Pila, Comboé, Federigo Zullo Bivouac.
12)- June 06th, 1999: Osvaldo Cardellina, alone, (after first ascent of West Wall of Mount Ròss of Comboé and subsequent traverse to Little Emilius & Saddle about 3325/30 metres).
13)- July 24th, 1999: Courmayeur Mountain Guide Pellin with Andreas Meurer of Berlin and Ruggero Pellin.
NOTE: In addition, there are other routes but more partial and less and less long starting from West to East in relation to the routes opened on the Southern Side of Piccolo Emilius
(3.342m) and on the just adjacent West-Southwestern, Southwestern and Southern Faces of Monte Emilius
(from about 3.450 to 3.5557/9 meters). Gradually the stretch of distance remains increasingly limited, logically, approaching the Summit. While the short parts after the exits out of the routes from the Northern Wall were not taken into consideration. Furthermore, it should be noted that this list cannot be considered perfectly complete, but has been drawn up on the basis of existing mountain and alpine literature and even by the various sport climbing books, as well as personal information, at times, sparingly and painstakingly obtained. We list some of them:
NOTA: Inoltre esistono altri percorsi ma più parziali e sempre meno lunghi partendo da Ovest verso Est in relazione alle vie aperte sul Versante Sud del Piccolo Emilius e su quelli Ovest-sudovest, Sudovest e Sud dell'Emilius. Via via il tratto di percorrenza rimane sempre più limitato, logicamente, avvicinandosi alla Vetta. Elenchiamone alcune:
14)- October 13th, 1968: Osvaldo Cardellina, solo, on Southern Face of Little Emilius and Western Crest; from Laks of Boulders near Lago Gelato.
15)- September 12th, 1911: Giovanni Battista Bozzino and Carlotta "Tina" Bozzino on S-SW Slope and W Arête: (Lake Gelato, SW Slope of "Little Saddle" 3325m and W Crest); in descent from Monte Emilius.
16)- Sepember 09th, 1875: Giuseppe Corona, Venanzio Defey and Charvensod Guide Grégoire Comé W-SW Slope ("Passaggio Corona"): from Pila, Lago Gelato.
17)- October 04th, 1992: First repetition: Osvaldo Cardellina, solo; (Oct 04th, 1992); in day from Pila, Chamolé, Arbolle, Boulders's Lochs; in descent by S-SE Crest to Gelato Lake.
18)- August 10th, 1994: Osvaldo Cardellina and Alessandro Cardellina on South "Rib of Red Turrets" (about 3.450/60m) and W Crest; in day, Pila, Lago Gelato.
19)- October 11th, 1986: Osvaldo Cardellina and Danilo Garzotto on W-SW "Great Pillar" and W Crest ("Direct Line to Grey Jump"); in day from Pila, Arbolle, Frozen Loch.
20)- June 19th, 1994: Osvaldo Cardellina, Roy Cardellina and Danilo Garzotto on S Slope (Direct Line on S-SW "Ribbing pear-shaped"); in day from Pila.
ADDITIONAL REMARKS: while the short parts after the exits out of various routes existing from the Northern Wall were not taken into consideration and yet, on the other hand, other but more complete and increasingly longer routes have been completed over a long period of time, starting from the Southwest and the Northwest (ie from the
Becca di Nona (3.142m) and from the underlying Col Carrel
(2.912m), however with ascents already partially mentioned above) towards the East in relation to the routes opened on the Southwestern Buttress climbing over the
Trident de Comboé ( (Northeast 3083m, Central about 3070/1m, Southwestern 3057m), the homonymous hill, the
Punte del Lago Gelato (3.113/5m) to join the previous routes with the Col Ròss
(3.08im); in these cases the stretch of travel becomes more and more elongated, logically, moving away from the Summit. As already over mentioned, furthermore for an insistent desire for precision, it should be noted that this list cannot be considered perfectly complete, but has been drawn up on the basis of existing mountain and alpine literature as well as personal information, at times, sparingly and painstakingly obtained.
ANNOTAZIONE SUPPLETTIVA: mentre non si sono presi in considerazione i brevi tratti di cresta percorsi dopo le salite a conclusione delle vie tracciate sulla Parete Nord, ed ancora, per contro, sono stati realizzati nell'arco di un lungo tempo, altri percorsi ma più completi e sempre più lunghi partendo da Sudovest e da Nordovest (cioé dalla
Becca di Nona (3.142 m) e dal Col Carrel
(2.912 m), peraltro con ascensioni già parzialmente sopra citate) verso Est in relazione alle vie aperte sul Contrafforte SO scavalcando il
Trident de Comboé ( (Nordest 3083 m, Centrale circa 3070/1 m, Sudovest 3057 m), l'omonimo colle, le
Punte del Lago Gelato (3.113/5 m) per congiungersi con le vie precedenti al Col Ròss
(3.081m); in questi casi il tratto di percorrenza diventa sempre più allungato, logicamente, allontandosi dalla Vetta. Inoltre é bene precisare, per volontà d'essere giustamente precisi, che questa elencazione non può considerarsi perfettamente completa, bensì é stata stilata in base alla tradizionale letteratura di montagna ed alpina e dai diversi libri di arrampicata sportiva esistenti, nonchè alle informazioni personali, a volte, sparutamente e faticosamente ottenute. Vediamole:
21)- August 19th, 1974: Osvaldo Cardellina and Camillo Roberto Ferronato through SW Buttress and W Arête (Trident of Comboé-Punte del Lago Gelato-Mont Ròss de Comboé - Piccolo Emilius and W Ridge); in day from Pila and Arbole Vallon.
22)- July 11th, 1977: Osvaldo Cardellina and Camillo Roberto Ferronato along W Slope of Ròss Pass, S-SW Arête of Mont Ròss of Comboé and W Crest: Osvaldo Cardellina and Camillo Roberto Ferronato; in day from Pila, Chamolé Alpage, Colle Plan Fenetre, Comboé, Gros Scez.
23)- June 06th, 1999: Osvaldo Cardellina, solo on W Wall of Mont Ròss di Comboé and W Ridge; in day from Pila, Colle Plan Fenetre, Comboé, Plan Valé.
24)- September 16/7th, 1902: Abbot Joseph Maria Henry and Mountain Guide of Charvensod Grégoire Comé; NW Ridge (from Carrel Pass through Mont Ròss de Comboé - Piccolo Emilius and W Ridge in final part): in descent from M.Emilius and in ascent from Col Carrel strarting Comboé;
25)- September 20th, 1902: Felice Mondini and Emilio Questa with same route integrally in day, unaware of the previous climb starting directly from Aosta Town (!).