{"id":295657,"date":"2025-04-03T14:28:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T09:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/la-face-nord-oubliee-grand-alpinisme-a-la-punta-pioda\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T14:35:56","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T12:35:56","slug":"the-forgotten-north-face-great-mountaineering-at-punta-pioda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/the-forgotten-north-face-great-mountaineering-at-punta-pioda\/","title":{"rendered":"The forgotten north face, great mountaineering at Punta Pioda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”4px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”11px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ header_font=”|on|||” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”16px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” text_orientation_tablet=”center” text_orientation_phone=”left” text_orientation_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Lost among the \u201cforgotten north faces<\/em>\u201d of the Alps, Punta Pioda has seen the opening of a new extreme route. From March 6 to 9, Roger Sch\u00e4li, Silvan Sch\u00fcpbach and Filippo Sala braved the cold and capricious granite to trace Luce e Tenebre, a 700-metre mixed, free and artificial route. A committed adventure in the heart of Switzerland’s Bregaglia massif. <\/strong><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”1px||4px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.1″ max_width=”800px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

T<\/span>he Sciora group is a small section of the Bergell (or Bregaglia, depending on whether you speak German or Italian in this part of the Swiss Alps where the two languages intersect). From March 6 to 9, Swiss climbers Filippo Sala<\/strong>, Roger Sch\u00e4li<\/strong> and Silvan Sch\u00fcpbach<\/strong> opened a difficult route on the north face of Punta Pioda<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The route is short, but stunning. It’s a group of four slender peaks located to the north-east of Piz Cengalo, itself a neighbor of Biz Badile, known to us because of the famous Cassin route on its north-east slope. The four Sciora peaks are, from north to south, Sciora Dafora (or Scinda di Fuori, 3169 m), Punta Pioda (also called Pioda di Sciora, 3237 m), Ago di Sciora (3205 m), Sciora Dadent, 3275 m).<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/roger_schaeli_pioda-6.jpg” title_text=”roger_schaeli_pioda-6″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9 Roger Sch\u00e4li (<\/span>@rogerschaeli_alpinist<\/a>), Silvan Sch\u00fcpbach (<\/span>@silvanschupbach<\/a>) et Filippo Sala\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/roger_schaeli_pioda-3.jpg” title_text=”roger_schaeli_pioda-3″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9 Roger Sch\u00e4li (<\/span>@rogerschaeli_alpinist<\/a>), Silvan Sch\u00fcpbach (<\/span>@silvanschupbach<\/a>) et Filippo Sala\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-1px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ body_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” body_text_align=”center” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”30″ use_background_color=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

a rock that doesn’t always live up to its reputation
Bregaglia’s marvellous granite<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

French mountaineers may (or may not?) remember that the west face of the first-named route was climbed by our Marseilles hero, Georges Livanos. The route was opened in 1960.<\/p>\n

This wall was one of the \u201cforgotten north faces<\/em>\u201d that Silvan had long since spotted, among those he considered among the wildest in the Alps. This was the first time that Filippo, Silvan and Roger had climbed all three together, but all three were motivated by this mysterious wall.<\/p>\n

In fact, their roped party worked wonderfully well. And it was for the best : the adventure proved to be rather tough : rock not always living up to the reputation of the Bregaglia’s marvellous granite, freezing temperatures… It’s winter, and this part of the Alps, despite general warming, still enjoys a rough continental climate in winter. To top it all off, the difficulties were not insignificant.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/roger_schaeli_pioda-4.jpg” title_text=”roger_schaeli_pioda-4″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9 Roger Sch\u00e4li (<\/span>@rogerschaeli_alpinist<\/a>), Silvan Sch\u00fcpbach (<\/span>@silvanschupbach<\/a>) et Filippo Sala\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/roger_schaeli_pioda-1.jpg” title_text=”roger_schaeli_pioda-1″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9 Roger Sch\u00e4li (<\/span>@rogerschaeli_alpinist<\/a>), Silvan Sch\u00fcpbach (<\/span>@silvanschupbach<\/a>) et Filippo Sala\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-1px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ body_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” body_text_align=”center” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”30″ use_background_color=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

they spent four days on the wall,
which says a lot for climbers of this calibre<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

All in all, they spent four days on the wall, which says a lot for climbers of this calibre, engaged in a 700-metre route. \u201cEvery pitch had to be hard won<\/em>,\u201d reports Filippo. The climbing was a complex cocktail of mixed, free and artificial.<\/p>\n

They were able to return to the Sciora hut at the end of the first day, spend the night there and set off again a little fresher, completing the route in three days and two bivouacs. In the end, Luce e Tenebre<\/em> (\u201cLight and Darkness\u201d) was up to M8, A3, with 70\u00b0 ice. And they agree on one thing : they’ll remember it for a long time ! The granitic needles of the Sciora group are among the most spectacular in the world. And they can be fierce.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lost among the \u201cforgotten north faces\u201d of the Alps, Punta Pioda has seen the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":295658,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,20],"tags":[230],"class_list":["post-295657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alps","category-mountaineering","tag-mountaineering"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295657"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295657\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":295662,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295657\/revisions\/295662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}