Lo Spirito Selvaggio di Rolando Larcher e Maurizio Oviglia

The Spirito Selvaggio of Rolando Larcher and Maurizio Oviglia

Sardinia, an afternoon at the end of May 2002. Rolando Larcher is on holiday there, with his family. One day he decides to take a look at the area of Codula di Luna, searching for new walls for future projects. Suddenly his glance stops on an awesome wall, a limestone shield suspended above impressive red overhangs: it is a lightning stroke.
One year after, May 2003, the dream becomes reality. Rolando and Maurizio Oviglia attack the magic wall with strong motivation and will to compete, particularly against themselves. It is a story of passion, friendship and emotion. In those days they establish Spirito Selvaggio, 280 meters, 8a/8a+, all free and with mandatory 7b/7b+, on Monte Andau, in the area of Codula di Luna. Maurizio Oviglia tells us how it was.
Oscar Durbiano

Spirito Selvaggio
In order to renew the passion over time for a new line, a first ascent, it is necessary not to become repetitive. Rolando and I are well aware of this small but big truth of mountaineering, and it’s also because of this that we come along well with the projects we try to realize together. Surely, it’s a matter of fact, technically I am less performing than he is, when the game is hard, very hard… But this, at the end, isn’t that important, if you realize something together, from the discovery to the first redpoint. And if, above all, everybody gives the best of his possibilities.
This time it’s up to Rolando to find the new “toy”, on a May day of 2002, while he walks alone in the wild Codula di Luna, looking for his dream wall, his next goal. He almost stumbles over the stones of the dry river, when, in front of him, a mirror of very smooth limestone appears, suspended above the dreadful overhangs of a cave shaped like a heart. Will it be possible? May be, but he isn’t sure about that. It doesn’t matter. The imagination starts to fly; he makes projects, he dreams. And the doubt lasts one whole year, a long period, necessary to let grow emotion and energy inside, the necessary fuel to face, with the due energy, the new ascent. A few pictures and excited words, this is enough to decide the date for a first attempt in May 2003.
Why exactly Codula di Luna, for this next super route of high difficulty? Why not to go back, instead, to Gorropu, or to more renowned places, that guarantee more return on the media? As far as I am concerned, the answer is easy. Because to make new ascents means essentially to explore, to follow your own instinct, and to go back to a well-known place means to miss the opportunity of experiencing a new magic. Codula di Luna is one of the wildest places in Italy, at least one of the few left. To leave our traces also here, living intense days fighting with the cliffhangers and with the sharp little pockets of the wonderful Sardinian limestone, without seeing any human being, and then contemplate “our” invisible line from under the shadow of a gorgeous evergreen oak. What more could we wish, in our climber’s life? Last, one more word about this route that represents a special moment for me.
Spirito Selvaggio means also the thousandth candle on a big cake made of a lot of new adventures and sure, of grades, but above all made of many climbing companions who have come with me since that day in 1982, when I “baptized” this big passion of mine with my first new ascent. Thank you for giving me the possibility to live such a wonderful life, I dedicate you this special birthday!
Maurizio Oviglia

MONTE ANDAU, CODULA DI LUNA, SARDEGNA, VIA SPIRITO SELVAGGIO

First ascent: Rolando Larcher and Maurizio Oviglia, May 2003, on lead.
Redpoint by the same climbers on May 28, 2003
Effective length: 280 m.
Difficulty: 8a/8a+ max (7b/7b+ mandatory)
Gear: Completely equipped with stainless bolts. 60-meter ropes are necessary.
Approach: From Teletottes on the trail in about 50’, the wall is above an evident talus.
Notes: The route is on an impressive limestone shield. The first pitch is almost 10 meters overhanging and features athletic climbing with hard to gain bolts.
As authors, we are very proud of the second pitch, the crux. As a matter of fact we were able to follow the only sequence of holds that allowed to climb the overhangs and we must say thank you to a very thin limestone hold that held our weight during the first ascent (now it has been glued with resin) and to a small two-finger pocket cleaned with the toothbrush.
Here there is also the hardest mandatory move of the route, where the falls are long, but without consequences. The third length is one of the most beautiful of Supramonte, a trip of exactly 60 meters on vertical fabulous limestone.
The higher part of the route is easier, but never banal, with runouts of almost 10 meters between the bolts, that request attention and concentration. The surroundings are among the most gorgeous and wildest of Sardinia.