Leonardo Emilio Comici (21 February 1901 – 19 October 1940) was an Italian mountain climber and caver.
In the 1930s and 1940s Comici and other climbers (including Riccardo Cassin, Raffaele Carlesso and Alvise Andrich) represented the Italian answer to the achievements of German climbers. Comici perfected the technique of mountain climbing, and began the era of "sixth grade" climbing (at that time the highest climbing grade considered humanly surmountable).
Biography
Emilio Comici was the son of Antonio Comici and Regina Cartago. A
longshoreman in his youth, he began mountain climbing after
caving for ten years (1918-1927), following the
Trieste tradition of mountaineering represented by
Napoleone Cozzi and
Julius Kugy. As a caver, Comici set a world depth record of near Trieste.
He began climbing at the suggestion of friends from the Trieste chapter of the Italian Alpine Club, gaining his first experience in the nearby
Val Rosandra.
In 1932 Comici moved to Lake Misurina in the municipality of Auronzo di Cadore, where he opened a climbing school. Comici's students included Riccardo Cassin, later a prominent climber.
He died in an accidental fall caused by a frayed rope on the training cliffs of the Sëlva climbing area in Val Gardena.
In addition to his talents as a climber, Comici is remembered for his aesthetic concept of climbing, perceiving it as a means of self-expression through harmonious movement.
The Rifugio Zsigmondy-Comici, or Zsigmondyhütte, in the Sexten Dolomites is named for Comici and Emil Zsigmondy. The Rifugio Emilio Comici and the Campanile Comici, both in the Langkofel Group, are also named for Comici. A wooden monument memorializes Comici at the foot of the wall in Vallunga where he died.
Ascents
North face of Cima Grande
From 13 to 14 August 1933 Comici and the brothers Angelo and Giuseppe Dimai made the
first ascent of the north face of the Cima Grande di Lavaredo,
thus opening the eponymous
Via Comici-Dimai (Comici-Dimai Route) or Comici route.
[ A History of Mountain Climbing (Frison-Roche and Jouty), pp. 148-149, 158.] In this climb of 400 meters, they used rope, 150 meters of cord, 90 hooks, climbing slings, 40
and 80 pitons.
[ A History of Mountain Climbing (Frison-Roche and Jouty), p. 320.] There had been several previous failed attempts on the face by other climbers. However, the technique used by Comici's party, and specifically their use of
, became the subject of debate among mountaineers.
In September 1937, Comici repeated his route as a solo climber in just 3.5 hours.
[ A History of Mountain Climbing (Frison-Roche and Jouty), pp. 132, 302.] The route was then rated at a difficulty of VI. Today, the rating is VI/A0 (
UIAA) or in free climbing VII (UIAA).
Other ascents
-
Via Comici - Summit of Riofreddo - 8 August 1928 - First ascent with Giordano Bruno Fabjan, north face
-
Via Comici-Fabjan - Tre Sorelle - 26–27 August 1929 - First ascent with Giordano Bruno Fabjan, VI north face. Considered the first Italian sixth grade climb.
-
Via Comici-Benedetti - Monte Civetta - 4–5 August 1931 - First ascent with Giulio Benedetti, , VI, A2 northwest face
-
Via Comici-Cassin - Zuccone Campelli - 28 May 1933 - First ascent with Riccardo Cassin, Mario Dell'Oro "Boga", Mary Varale and Mario Spreafico "Umett", , IV west face
-
Yellow Edge - Cima Piccola di Lavaredo - 8–9 September 1933 - First ascent with Mary Varale and Renato Zanutti, , VI+ southeast edge
-
Via Comici - Punta of Frida - 2 August 1934 - Ascent with Giordano Bruno Fabjan, Vittorio Cottafavi and Gianfranco Pompei, , V, VI east face
-
Via Comici - Torre Piccola of Falzarego Pass - 10 August 1934 - First ascent with Mary Varale and Sandro Del Torso, , V south edge
-
Via Comici-Del Torso-Zanutti - Torre Comici - July 1936 - First ascent with Sandro Del Torso and Renato Zanutti, , V, VI east face
-
Via Comici - Dito - 8–9 September 1936 - first ascent with Piero Mazzorana and Sandro Del Torso, , VI north face
-
Via Comici-Dimai - Cima Grande di Lavaredo - 2 September 1937 - Solo ascent in 3.5 hours, north face
-
Via Comici - "Salami" in the Sassolungo ("Campanile Comici") - 28–29 August 1940 - First ascent with Severino Casara, , VI north face
Bibliography
-
Smart, David (2020). Emilio Comici: Angel of the Dolomites: Passion, Pitons, Politics and the First Big Walls.
External links
