David Lama has repeated the Voie Petit F8b on the Gran Capucin and Bellavista F8c on the Cima Ouest of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The routes were climbed within a couple of weeks of each other and both represent a significant achievement in terms of big wall climbing at altitude.

Bellavista was first free climbed by Alex Huber in 2001 after he’d made a solo winter aid ascent of the route in 1999. The line climbs the second largest of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, is at an altitude of just under 3000 meters, is ten pitches long and overhangs by about 60 meters. Lama made two attempts to climb the route, taking a fall and retreating on the first go and then returning with Peter Ortner on his second attempt. On this ascent he took one fall on the crux 8c pitch before redpointing it and then heading to the top.

Several weeks later Lama headed to the Voie Petit, another route first freed by Alex Huber but put up by Arnaud Petit and Stefanie Bodet in 1997. This route is slightly easier than Bellavista but still involves F8b climbing at close to 4000 meters and is protected by a combination of bolts, pegs and trad gear. Ben Bransby and James McHaffie climbed the Voie Petit last summer over four days. As with Bellavista Lama fell on the crux pitch on his first try and this in combination with his partner feeling the effects of the altitude led to a retreat. The next day however he was back and sent the route in a single push with no falls. On the descent Lama happened to come across Arnaud Petit and Stefanie Bodet who were back on their route after 13 years.

These two routes are an impressive achievement for David Lama who has recently been involved in controversy surrounding the placing of bolts on Cerro Torre in Patagonia.

To read more about David Lamas ascents of Bellavista and the Voie Petit visit his website http://www.david-lama.com/index.php