For those looking for encouragement about the future of alpinism, a 22-year-old has just soloed a hard new M5, A2 route in the Swiss Alps.
Filippo Sala represents a young high-level mountaineer currently focused on the Alps. He excels in several disciplines, from skiing to sport climbing. Sala sent his first 8b+ in December and is also a great fan of mixed winter climbing. He has opened some routes in Peru’s Andes, but most of the time he sticks near home.
“No need to go far away for big adventures,” he says.
In particular, Sala targets the peaks around his home in the Ticino, the Italian-speaking, southernmost region of Switzerland.
New route, first winter ascent
Last week, he soloed a new route up the Pizzo San Giacomo, a 2,923m rocky pyramid. Sala climbed in rope-solo style, a form of solo climbing in which the climber uses a rope and specific safety devices to self-belay as he progresses. It is different from free soloing, in which the climber is not secured by any rope.
The route opened by Filippo Sala. Photo: Filippo Sala
Sala believes that this is the first winter climb of the peak. He told PlanetMountain that the north face of the Pizzo San Giacomo is probably the longest and steepest in the area, and rope-soloing a new route was the biggest adventure he had yet experienced.
Sala used aid climbing at some points, so he grades the route as M5, A2. As he told PlanetMountain, others might be able to free the route, which in that style, could reach M8 (M for mixed climbing).
Filippo Sala is a full-time climber and aspiring mountain guide. Last month, he launched his first attempt on a new route up the legendary North Face of the Eiger. In late December 2024, he climbed the Cassin+Supercombo route on the northeast face of Piz Badile.
Young guns pushing
Sala is one of several young yet highly skilled climbers who are upping the level on Europe’s higher ranges, from the Alps to the Caucasus. Most are unknown to wider audiences since they often climb near home, where they know what remains to be done. However, if given a chance, they also shine on exotic ranges around the world.
This was recently the case with Dario Eynard, 25, who finished the formidable Gringos Locos on Patagonia’s Cerro Piergiorgio, thanks to a mentorship program of the Italian Alpine Club. Likewise, the young Scottish climber Tim Miller, who won a Piolet d’Or after opening a route in Nepal’s Surna Sarovar, mentored by Paul Ramsden; Leo Billon and the young members of France’s High Mountain Military group, who stunned the climbing community with their accomplishments everywhere from the Dru to Changabang to the North Face of Jannu East. Finally, there are promising Polish climbers supported by the Polski Himalaizm Sportowy, such as Maciej Kimel (currently opening new routes in Kyrgyzstan) and Michal Krol. In Europe, a whole new generation is following the example of respected alpinists like Benjamin Vedrines of France and Francois Cazzanelli of Italy.
Elsewhere around the world, programs such as the Cutting Edge Grants in the U.S., the Grit & Rock Expedition Award for women, and Japan’s university mountaineering clubs all encourage young talent. New Bonattis, Rebuffats, Messners, Boningtons, Hornbeins, and Hiraides continue to hone their skills and push new limits as they do.
