Without comparison by the way, but to climb Paglia Orba is a little bit like climbing K2 in relation to Everest. Monte Cinto is higher like Everest is in relation to K2, but Paglia Orba is supposedly more difficult. So I'm a little bit excited when I'm going up the path from Refuge de Ciottulu di I Mori towards the source of the Golo river. The backpack is left back at the cabin, on my back I've got my little Ultra-Sil day pack (65g). In it I've got some food, water and clothes.
Up towards the source of the Golo river between Capu Tafunatu and Col de Maures (to the right in the picture). Col de Maures is a sort of a preliminary summit to Paglia Orba.
The stones are changing both in color and in shape up along the trail, a reddish hue takes over the colors around me. No other colors are discernible on the stones; there isn't any marked route up to the summit. Small cairns shows the way, but there are several of them, which make me have to choose which route of cairns I'll trust. At the source, almost no water is seen. I'm now standing between the two characteristic summits of Capu Tafunatu and Paglia Orba.
Further up is another hole in the mountain; it's shaped almost like the Batman-symbol. It makes you wonder if it's a hidden Batcave in the mountain.
Batman-symbol in the mountainsides of Paglia Orba.
I follow a line of cairns up the right of the Source du Golo, and the trail that has been easy so far is now getting more and more steeper. It's not always clear where the trail is leading. From the other side my movements are being watched, the one-eyed giant of Capu Tafunatu is following me with his eagle eye.
How the hole in the mountain has been created is a source of argument between geologists. But the only reasonable theory is that the hole is formed for a considerable time ago during a feud between the Archangel Gabriel and the devil. One of these gentlemen chased the other with heavy fire. In a critical situation the one being chased, whether it was the archangel or the devil, held up a large piece of rock in front of him as a shield. This piece of rock was then left standing, in the pierced condition you now will find it, as Capu Tafunatu.
On the way up towards Paglia Orba. From high above I can look down towards Ciottulu di I Mori.
The ascent goes over to become climbing. Below me Ciottulu di I Mori gets smaller and smaller. In the horizon clouds are on their way. I try to remember the path I'm going. Then the climbing gets more serious, and I have to look closely after where the cairns are located.
Then at some point I find myself on a small ledge. To get up to the ledge I had to put away both my backpack and my camera, before lifting myself up to the ledge. Going down again from the ledge I have to be extra careful. I don't have to go far out before I will take the quickest way down from the mountain; in my guidebook it says 'then up an exposed little scramble where you simply cannot afford to slip'. It certainly looks like I'm on the right way. This is definitely more demanding than what I've done so far, including the Cirque de la Solitude.
Up where I took the wrong turn at Paglia Orba.
After a short climb I now stand before a considerably larger challenge than expected. I notice that my heart is starting to beat a little bit faster than before. From here the only way further is straight up; although a rope is hanging down at the side of the cliff I don't feel completely comfortable. In the book there is no mentioning of a rope, and how safe is the rope secured? A doubt is entering my mind, and there was some notion of an honorable retreat. But then I look around and below and on the other side of the shelf I climbed, I can now see a cairn. I've taken the wrong turn.
I shake off the little uneasiness and then continue on. It's still a bit of serious climbing up from where the cairn is, and I should be careful. Then I'm standing at the top of Col de Maures and looks over to the summit of Paglia Orba. There seems to be a lot of life there all of a sudden. I get the sort of feeling you would get if you had tired yourself climbing up a mountain and then finds out that there is a cableway or something going up to the top (but, it's always more satisfying to climb up by yourself than being carried up).
View from Paglia Orba in the direction of Monte Cinto, which is located to the right in the picture. Great view from the top that lies at an altitude of 2525 meters.
I arrive at the summit of Paglia Orba, and this time I've got a greater feeling of having accomplished something. The view is a great reward for the climb, although a number of clouds has drifted in over the country and are hiding parts of it. I can gaze towards the massive summit of Monte Cinto. Clouds are drifting over the Cirque de la Solitude. To the south the summit of Monte Ritondu is the most prominent peak, with Monte d'Oro coming behind. Paglia Orba at 2525 meters, which by the way means something like 'curved straw', has been conquered.
View in the direction of Calacuccia.
On the way back I find out that the group I saw on their way down from the top had climbed up using another way, that route seems to consists of several parts where you have to use ropes that is attached to the mountain. I take my own route back.
Even though I have to look closely sometimes, it's easy finding the same way back down again. On the way down the last part before being back at the cabin, I meet a couple of others that are trying to climb to the hole in Capu Tafunatu. I give it a thought, but my knees are tired after today's endeavors and I'm still not sure whether I will stay at Ciottulu or if I will continue further on towards Castel di Verghio. And I yearn for a well-earned beer.
On the way down again. Clouds drifting by. The hole in Capu Tafunatu is guarding me climbing down from Paglia Orba.
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