Castore south-east ridge, ca. 4200m altitude, early morning on August 18, 2018. The summit is visible in the distance. Photo by Aki Kärkkäinen.
After my earlier attempt on Castore on July 27-28, 2017 was aborted due to strong wind, I was eager to try again. (I use the Italian name Castore here.) So, a year later, on August 17, 2018, I joined a group of two Italians and a Dane, led by a local mountain guide. The trip started with a trek to Rifugio Quintino Sella (3585m) in rainy weather.
The next morning, on August 18, 2018, the sky was clear again. We left the hut before the sunrise, admiring the beautiful scenery and fresh snow as we went along. About two and a half hours later, around 8:20, we arrived at the top of Castore (4223m) from the south-east ridge.
The summit of Castore (4223m), on 18 August 2018, at 8:20. Video by Aki Kärkkäinen. (Subscribe to my YouTube channel.)
View towards south-east right when we started descending from the Castore summit (4223m), on August 18, 2018. Photo by Aki Kärkkäinen.
Castore is my third four-thousander, after Punta Giordani (4046m) and Punta Gnifetti (Signalkuppe, 4554m). This was an unforgettable experience with stunning views. It all feels like a dream now, except that it happened. Thanks Cristian Balducci from The Gressoney Alpine Guide Society for guiding us!