New Ice Climbing Route (Mello's Moon) Valle di Mello

On 16/01/2009 Fabio Salini and Manuel Panizza carried out the first ascent of Mello's Moon, a rare ice formation in Val di Mello, Val Masino Italy.

Woah, this thing seems way more difficult than 5+. Actually it looks downright scary. On the picture above I can see bits of rock protruding through the ice, indicating it's pretty thin and fragile... Chapeau for the climbers !

Mello’s Moon is one of those evanescent icefalls which you need to wait for and which, when they finally form, is never in condition to enable you to remain calm. You need to watch it carefully and choose just the right moment for the climb. This is exactly what Fabio Salini and Manuel Panizza did, placing 5 bolts to climb this 180m beautiful and frightful "crust" of ice which goes at III-5+. For a detailed recount of the climb see link.

(source: planetmountain.com, pics by: Fabio Salini)

Paschnampook nu ook op Bladoverklimmen.nl

Op de site van Bladoverklimmen.nl staat een zeer mooie lijst van bloggers die over klimmen en aanverwante zaken schrijven. Mijn mail met een aantal nog niet opgenomen sites werd tevens beloond met het opnemen van Paschnampook in diezelfde rotsklimblog lijst. I'm honoured !!

Frank Zappa lookalike Toni Lamiche

Searching for Frank Zappa, being one of my favourite guitarplayers/concertmasters/conceptual thinkers/song writers, I stumbled upon Toni Lamiche who, intensionally or not, transformed himself in a Frank Zappa adept.

Looks great, but does he has an idea?

Nice Ice in Italy (Val Malenco)

All pics are from the previous winter (feb.2008). This time we go to the Scandanavian ice climbing mecca Rjukan. Støtt førsteklasses is på førråd.

(All pics by Paschnampook)

Climbing Holds Shape Contest - MONK (Netherlands)

Even in the climbing scene the fever of contests has stiken. The contests on TV alike (Dou You wanna be a popstar, Idols, Project Catwalk, etc.) now the climbers have their own skill-showing-ability-scene.
In MONK, the one-and-only (but certainly biggest) boulder facility in the The Netherlands, you can show your climbing holds creating skill. The one who makes the best climbing-bit wins, amonst otherer things, the production of his own grips, which will be used in MONK !! Niiiice.
AXIS will be there to assist the future creative hold designers with their knowledge. Be there or be square, or preferably round like the holds...
(source: monkbouldergym.nl)