Surtana/Porto Santa Maria

15th May 2016

Su Mommotti – 5c – Second/T/R

OK, so I was paying the price for the fun I had on the previous day. My fingers were f#*!ked. I could see through the skin it had become so translucent. Clearly I need to get down the wall and grind out some thick layers prior to going. That way I’ll be ready next time and cranking on 6c’S (in my dreams).

Optimistically we decided to go for Surtana today and have a crack at Paradiso, the twin for Sound of Silence but a bit harder at 6a. Unfortunately the wind decided on something completely different. The drive up to Surtana, via the valley road and Urzulaei is absolutely beautiful. You pass through traditional rural Sardina, with goats grazing on dry, crispy hills and typical mediteranean vegitation. It’s what makes these trips worthwhile and I find I derive as much pleasure from these types of journey as I do from the climbing itself.

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The view down the valley from Surtana

The other thing that we sadly miscalculated on was water. We forgot it was sunday and failed to stock up meaning that all day we were on rations and this ultimately affected a number of our decisions. I remembered Surtana from the last time we were there. In the bottom of an amazing valley near a gorge it is a place of outstanding beauty. We parked up having crossed the slightly strange and worrying bridge and wandered up and along the trail which cuts through the thick forest in the bottom of Surtana Valley. You cant actually see the climbs from here so you are dependent upon the goodwill of others who have left cairns of small rocks to guide the way.

Climbing out of the Surtana Valley on a lesser known trail :-)
Climbing out of the Surtana Valley on a lesser known trail 🙂

Why it never rains on a Friday!