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Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic
Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 15, 2012 - 02:12pm PT
Hi,
this is a video I made in 2003.

BAT is a short film about a new aid-climbing route. The video was shot while we opened the route. BAT go up on the Caporal wall…. a small granite face very steep and blank. The climb is sustained and some time dangerous. The Caporal wall is placed in the Orco valley… a small place north of Torino town in Piedmont Italy region. In this small valley the time seems to stand still . A very beautiful valley that remember me another lovely place…. Yosemite.
B.A.T. mean "Basically Absurd Technology" and this acronym has been created by Warren Harding wich this film is dedicated.

BAT









Cheers

Valerio
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
Aug 15, 2012 - 02:16pm PT
So cool V!

Here is a thread I started a while back:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1558476&msg=1558699#msg1558699

Thanks for the post.

Mucci
Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 15, 2012 - 02:21pm PT
Hi Mucci,
I had read your post... I hope you enjoy BAT... Orco valley is so a nice place... is only two hour drive from my home :)

Valerio
Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2012 - 07:51am PT
more photos about Orco valley and BAT... enjoy :)












Cheers

Valerio
nopantsben

climber
Aug 16, 2012 - 08:26am PT
ok i have to post on this thread.

i have climbed the first 2 pitches of BAT last year. we fixed our ropes one afternoon.
then the next day i was very sick and had a serious cold, and 2 days later we had to leave so it's unfinished business and all my remarks refer to the first 2 pitches.

if you think aid climbing in europe is all A0 and dead, check valerio's routes out. they are awesome.
what i did not like, is the drilled hooks on the route that were on slopers and only good to use with a filed large hook. the BD grappling hook worked but it was not great. i wonder how many of these were original?? valerio?

giving the first pitch A2+ is a bad sandbag. decking potential is big. the ground looks bad. i'd give it A3+, honestly. the seam the heads go in has seen a few amateur hammers too many. i bet on the FA the heads were more solid, but a lot of the seams border has broken off. the rest of the pitch is casual.

pitch 2 is rated A3, and right there. no supertopo grading, but honest A3. definitely serious. pretty awesome pitch. scary towards the end when you start thinking about ropestretch and the ledge your belayer is lying on. i guess you could hit it if things turned out bad, but very unlikely. technically this pitch is alright with almost every head fixed.

man the rest of that route looks good. i'd not do p1 again, but there is a sport pitch leading to the ledge.
i think it's possible to do this route in a day with shortfixing and an early start.

great, fun climbing. very good fa, man!
here is a pic of p1:
Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2012 - 09:18am PT
glad to had a nice day on BAT and Orco valley too...

This route has more than ten ascents ( some Italian, some European ) and I think some heads placements have deteriorated and some holes have been added... ( no good quality granite like El Capitan )... but is just a technical issue and I no longer believe that these things are very important ... I think the important thing is to have fun as I hope it was for you on BAT...

Cheers

Valerio
nopantsben

climber
Aug 16, 2012 - 11:23am PT
you are right, those are technical details.

is it true you no longer climb?

what can you tell us about sogno di jack?
Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2012 - 11:57am PT
I finished my course with aid-climbing some years ago... I just do free-climbing... but only for fun you know...


Sogno di Jack ( jack's -Kerouac- dream ) is unrepeated... very natural and hard route... the most interesting of my five routes that I bolted in the valley. I remember 8 holes including belay with bad bolts... the A4 pitch is dangerous and technical... is over a ledge!!!

Where do you live?

Cheers

Valerio
nopantsben

climber
Aug 16, 2012 - 12:05pm PT
wow that sounds interesting...
would it be ok with you if the bad bolts on the belay get replaced? can they be pulled?

i live in innsbruck at the moment!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Aug 16, 2012 - 12:18pm PT
Looks like some big fun in a gorgeous spot!
Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2012 - 01:19pm PT
yes no problems if someone replace the bolts but I don't remember if they can be pulled out...

Steve, Orco valley is a very nice place... cracks, slabs, face, trad and aid climbing, old Italian cuisine and very good wine... :)

Val

nopantsben

climber
Aug 16, 2012 - 01:25pm PT
what type of bolt is it? also, why are they bad?
is adding a bolt to a dangerous belay that is off of only bolts (no natural gear) fine with you if the bad bolts can't be pulled?
thanks for putting all the info about the orco aid climbs on the internet!
i can only recommend that place to everyone.
amazing granite, nice villages, awesome scenery, and the possibility of hitting cham if the conditions are good..

Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2012 - 01:25pm PT
Dingus sorry for delay to reply you... I'm working on my classic video report about BAT and I think I will upload "Yosemite" in a few week ( I'm waiting the music rights permission ). Yosemite is the film about our ascent on Tempest. For all my videos go to my Vimeo page...

Cheers

Val
Valerio

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2012 - 01:37pm PT
sorry but I don't remember the type of bolts... maybe this... and will become very rusty for sure...


I think some belay are natural some has one or two bolts with home made hanger... if you want to go up there - sure? you want? :) please replace the belay... thanks

Val

nopantsben

climber
Aug 16, 2012 - 01:53pm PT
i'm quite sure I want to go back to valle dell'orco, and depending on when, maybe I go and check out the route .. but who knows how far I'll get :)
thanks for the info!

ciao
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Aug 16, 2012 - 03:47pm PT
Split shaft compression bolts are garbage even 3/8" ones.

Tortured metal makes for poor anchors over the long haul so don't use them folks. Place stainless steel bolts and 1/2" ones if you can. They will outlast you unlike mild steel.

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