Italian guides complete 61-day Alpine traverse

Italian mountain guides Francesco Ratti and Lorenzo D’Addario have completed a massive traverse of the Alps, traveling from Slovenia to the Ligurian Sea. The journey, which lasted 61 days, began on August 24 at the north face of Triglav and concluded on October 23 with a swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

Inspired by Patrick Berhault’s legendary 2000–2001 expedition, the duo combined cycling and hiking to move between major climbing routes. Their trek included 23 climbing routes and covered approximately 2,400 kilometers by bicycle. The expedition involved significant physical feats, including 18,000 meters of climbing in rock faces, 28,000 meters of elevation gain during hiking, and 25,000 meters of elevation gain while cycling.

Key milestones of the traverse included climbing the north faces of Triglav, the Dolomites, and the Eiger, as well as scaling the Grandes Jorasses and Mont Blanc. The journey concluded at the Rocca dei Campanili in the Mongioie massif before a final descent to Albenga.