Cesare Maestri
Encyclopedia
Cesare Maestri is an Italian mountaineer and writer.
He was born in Trento
in the Italian province of Trentino. He began climbing in the Dolomites
, where he repeated many famous routes, often climbing them solo
and free
, and put up many new routes of the hardest difficulty, for which he was nicknamed the "Spider of the Dolomites". He became an Alpine Guide in 1952. His notable solos include the Solleder route on the Civetta, the Solda-Conforto Route on the Marmolada
, and the southwest ridge of the Matterhorn
in winter.
In 1959, Maestri, together with Cesarino Fava and Austrian guide Toni Egger, travelled to Patagonia
to attempt the north-east ridge of the unclimbed Cerro Torre
. The three climbed up a steep corner below the Col of Conquest (between Cerro Torre and Torre Egger
), then Fava turned back and Maestri and Egger headed for the summit. Six days later Fava found Maestri lying face down and almost buried in the snow. They returned to base camp and claimed that Maestri and Egger had reached the summit but Egger had been swept to his death by an avalanche as they were descending.
In 1970, Maestri returned to Cerro Torre
and climbed a new route on the south-east side of the mountain, the "Compressor Route", so-called because he used a petrol-driven compressor to power a drill that he used to place a ladder of bolts up blank sections of the rock. On this second endeavour, Maestri stopped short of the summit's "ice mushroom", almost always covering the highest point.
Over time, many climbers have started doubting Maestri's 1959 account, as it became evident how difficult, even by today's standards, the alleged route is. Among the doubters are many well-known alpinists like, Carlo Mauri
, who had failed to climb the mountain in 1958, Reinhold Messner
, and Ermanno Salvaterra, who used to defend Maestri until having attempted the route himself. The criticism was also taken up by British climber and writer Ken Wilson, editor of Mountain magazine. Apart from the sheer hardness of the climb, the critics point out that Maestri's description of his route is detailed and accurate up to the high point where Cesarino Fava turned back, but vague and impossible to trace on the mountain thereafter; and that bolts, pitons, fixed ropes and other equipment abandoned by the 1959 expedition is plentiful up to the col, but absent thereafter. Nevertheless, Maestri has consistently maintained his version of events, as did Fava, who died in April 2008.
He was born in Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
in the Italian province of Trentino. He began climbing in the Dolomites
Dolomites
The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
, where he repeated many famous routes, often climbing them solo
Solo climbing
Solo climbing or soloing is a style of climbing in which the climber climbs alone, without somebody belaying him. There are three ways to climb solo:* Roped solo climbing:**lead climbing with a self-locking device which is used to arrest a fall...
and free
Free climbing
Free climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend, employing ropes and forms of climbing protection to prevent falls only....
, and put up many new routes of the hardest difficulty, for which he was nicknamed the "Spider of the Dolomites". He became an Alpine Guide in 1952. His notable solos include the Solleder route on the Civetta, the Solda-Conforto Route on the Marmolada
Marmolada
Marmolada is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites ....
, and the southwest ridge of the Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
in winter.
In 1959, Maestri, together with Cesarino Fava and Austrian guide Toni Egger, travelled to Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
to attempt the north-east ridge of the unclimbed Cerro Torre
Cerro Torre
Cerro Torre is one of the mountains of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in South America. It is located in a region which is disputed between Argentina and Chile, west of Cerro Chalten . The peak is the highest in a four mountain chain: the other peaks are Torre Egger , Punta Herron, and Cerro...
. The three climbed up a steep corner below the Col of Conquest (between Cerro Torre and Torre Egger
Torre Egger
Torre Egger is one of the mountains of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in South America. It is located in a region which is disputed between Argentina and Chile, west of Cerro Chalten...
), then Fava turned back and Maestri and Egger headed for the summit. Six days later Fava found Maestri lying face down and almost buried in the snow. They returned to base camp and claimed that Maestri and Egger had reached the summit but Egger had been swept to his death by an avalanche as they were descending.
In 1970, Maestri returned to Cerro Torre
Cerro Torre
Cerro Torre is one of the mountains of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in South America. It is located in a region which is disputed between Argentina and Chile, west of Cerro Chalten . The peak is the highest in a four mountain chain: the other peaks are Torre Egger , Punta Herron, and Cerro...
and climbed a new route on the south-east side of the mountain, the "Compressor Route", so-called because he used a petrol-driven compressor to power a drill that he used to place a ladder of bolts up blank sections of the rock. On this second endeavour, Maestri stopped short of the summit's "ice mushroom", almost always covering the highest point.
Over time, many climbers have started doubting Maestri's 1959 account, as it became evident how difficult, even by today's standards, the alleged route is. Among the doubters are many well-known alpinists like, Carlo Mauri
Carlo Mauri
Carlo Mauri was an Italian mountaineer and explorer.Mauri was born in Lecco. Among his early climbs in the Alps two stand out: the first winter ascent of the via Comici route on the northern face of Cima Grande di Lavaredo; and the first solitary ascent of the Poire of Mont Blanc.Numerous...
, who had failed to climb the mountain in 1958, Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer and explorer from Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol "whose astonishing feats on Everest and on peaks throughout the world have earned him the status of the greatest climber in history." He is renowned for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without...
, and Ermanno Salvaterra, who used to defend Maestri until having attempted the route himself. The criticism was also taken up by British climber and writer Ken Wilson, editor of Mountain magazine. Apart from the sheer hardness of the climb, the critics point out that Maestri's description of his route is detailed and accurate up to the high point where Cesarino Fava turned back, but vague and impossible to trace on the mountain thereafter; and that bolts, pitons, fixed ropes and other equipment abandoned by the 1959 expedition is plentiful up to the col, but absent thereafter. Nevertheless, Maestri has consistently maintained his version of events, as did Fava, who died in April 2008.