On August 31, Simon Gietl and Davide Prandini free climbed the Identitat route on the west face of Mittlerer Zwolferkofel in the Dolomites, two years after Gietl’s solo first ascent of the route.
The climbers graded the difficulty at 8+/9-, used no bolts, and left all pitons in place, which follows Gietl’s usual climbing ethics of minimal environmental impact. After the free ascent, Gietl and Prandini descended by the normal, south face route.
Identitat on Mittlerer Zwolferkofel. Photo: Terragraphy
A spectacular limestone climb
In 2023, Gietl described this 500m route — then rated at 8 and A1 — as a reflection of his alpinist identity, emphasizing the adventure and personal fulfillment it provided after over a decade of planning.
The Mittlerer Zwolferkofel, also known as Croda Antonio Berti, is a 3,011m peak in the Sexten Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy. It is part of the Zwolferkofel massif, with the main summit reaching 3,094m. The Dolomites are renowned for their dramatic limestone peaks, and the Mittlerer Zwolferkofel is a notable feature in this region for mountaineers because of its challenging routes and historical significance.
Photo: Simon Gietl
The main summit of Zwolferkofel, considered by many as the most beautiful peak of the Sextner Dolomites, was first ascended in 1874 by Michael and Johann Innerkofler via the south face. Michael Innerkofler was a climbing pioneer in the Dolomites who also made the first ascent of Cima Ovest and Cima Piccola of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
Davide Prandini, left, and Simon Gietl. Photo: Simon Gietl
