Italy’s Project Fear, new route in the Dolomites

Elite Scottish climber Dave MacLeod has established a major variation on the Dolomites’ Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

As Dave MacLeod reports on his blog, he and Alan Cassidy MacLeod climbed the new route which combines a old with new ground. The initial 90 metres climbs a section first aided in 1968 by Gerhard Bauer, Erich Rudolph and Walter Rudolph. The MacLeod’s then climbed three new pitches before reaching the Alex Huber-freed crux-pitch of Pan Aroma which they then climbed to the top via the Cassin Route.

From Dave MacLeod’s blog: “It was both the hardest and definitely the finest route I’ve climbed in my five or so trips to the Dolomites over the past 13 years. The lower wall free climbs the first 90 metres of the old Baur aid route (don’t trust those old drilled pegs, they break!) But the best thing about it is that it climbs more or less straight up through the roof amphitheatre.”

The route is named for the unofficial campaign against Scottish independence.

The protection on the route is dubious at best, old pitons except for one bolt on the 5.13 pitch. The belays are all bolted.

The pitches of Project Fear are as follows: 5.10+, 5.11+, 5.11+, 5.11-, 5.12+, 5.13+, 5.14b, 5.11+, 5.11+, 5.10, 5.11.

The awesome big 5.13+ pitch leading up into Panaroma. They don't come much more out there than this pitch. Photo Matt Pycroft/Coldhouse Collective (Source Dave's blog)

Staring out a wet flake on the Panaroma 5.14 pitch. Photo Matt Pycroft/Coldhouse Collective (source: Dave's blog)

Source: Dave MacLeod’s blog, Planet Mountain