Greenspit - The Day Everything Clicked
When I first started climbing in the South of France back in 2017, I had no idea what trad climbing even was. I slowly got into bouldering, then lead climbing, just enjoying the process and the progression.
Then came a trip to Moab, Utah, with Brittany Goris, and that’s when the love story between crack climbing and me truly began. Brittany kept telling me about her dream crack climbs around the world, and it lit a fire in me. I started watching every video I could find on trad climbing, including one that completely captured my imagination: Babsi Zangerl on the first female ascent of Greenspit (8b/+). I told myself right then, one day, I’ll travel to Italy and try this brutally beautiful roof crack.
I never imagined I’d have the chance to meet Babsi in Yosemite just a year later, let alone climb with her in Europe. We ended up ticking off Butterfly Circus, a stunning 8a+ crack in Ticino, and she encouraged me to go try Greenspit. That planted the seed; maybe it was time to push into a grade I’d never touched before.
I had my first session on Greenspit in June 2024 with my friend Jacek Wejster. It wasn’t exactly a dream trip. It rained constantly, the humidity was through the roof, and progress was slow. Still, the experience gave me a glimpse of what it would take to send the route, and confirmed it was exactly the kind of challenge I was craving. I promised myself I’d return in better conditions, commit six weeks, and focus solely on Greenspit.
In September, the stars aligned. Paolo, a psyched Italian climber just wrapping up his summer work season, joined forces with me in Valle dell’Orco. On my climbing days, he supported me on Greenspit, and on my rest days, I cheered him on with his projects. That kind of partnership kept the stoke high.
The first few sessions back were all about dialing in the beta again, relearning the moves, and figuring out where to place the gear. Eventually, I could climb the beginning smoothly, but I kept hitting a wall: the crimps. On their own, I could hold them just fine, but reaching them from the start left my right hand too gassed to hang on. It took four more sessions and a complete beta overhaul before I finally found a sequence that worked. That moment changed everything. I knew the send was possible.
Session by session, I climbed further. Confidence grew. Motivation surged.
Then, on Saturday, October 5th, 2024, I returned with Marco Sappa and Giacomo Mellifi. The wind was up, conditions looked good, and I knew it was time to go all in. I slipped into that rare, magical state of flow—every move felt automatic, ingrained in my body. And just seven minutes later, I clipped the chains.
But the day didn’t end there. Marco sent La Pura Pura (8c), and Giacomo also topped out on Greenspit. It was one of those days where everything clicks, not just for me, but for everyone. A moment that felt personal became something shared and unforgettable.
I came to Greenspit to test my limits. What I found instead was the realization that those limits are still far away—and that I have so much more to give. I can’t wait to chase the next challenge, whether it pushes me physically, mentally, or both.
