The lightness of beeing at the Grivola - Ettore and Shanty

Lightness as proven beyond feeling at the top of a peak of nearly 4,000 meters, but it puts you much further up with the thoughts, feelings, emotions.
Man lightness so small in front of the immensity of a mountain that inspires you the proper awe and respect.

I waited several years to be able to conquer and “surf” in full one of the most beautiful and fascinating mountains of Valle d’Aosta and the Alps, along its south-east face, the Grivola 3,969 meters.

I did it thanks to a friend and freerider, Shanty, with whom we shared this wonderful experience and not only (both in the Italian Team Mammut).
 
The wait, the training and the physical and mental sacrifices were rewarded with a perfect day, Tuesday, May 17, 2016.
Nothing was left to chance.

To reach the Grivola in two days we have traveled more than 2800 meters of altitude difference (walk, splitboard, skialp) and then develop a splitboard/ski descent of over 2000 meters.
In the first part of the South-East face on 45 °/50° slope, particularly exposed on the bars of rocks, there were 30 cm of fresh snow that accompanied us to the final step where the main couloir had enough snow to go out on the final part, nontrivial.

We had a chance to draw a continuous line, without interruption, as I like it.

Now every time I look at this mountain, I feel more familiar, but I prefer to keep the right distance because … I respect it.

The lightness of spirit allows me to keep that polished approach to live and love the mountain.

Poudzo!

Facts:

More pictures on the page of Ettore.

Thanks Ettore Personnettaz und Shanty Cipolli for this inspiering article.