John Ball was one of the earliest foreign trailblazers in the Dolomites, arriving in 1857, years before Tuckett (1860) and Grohmann (1862). Yet despite his early lead, Ball failed to claim the ‘crown’ of the Queen of the Dolomites. This is the story of how, and why, he missed it.
Who Really Climbed Antelao First? Grohmann’s 1863 Account
Paul Grohmann’s group ascent of Monte Antelao in 1863 lead by Matteo Ossi is often considered the mountain’s first. But Ossi claimed he had already reached the summit years before, yet according to Grohmann hesitated at the final crux.
Tofana di Mezzo: Why Lacedelli and Grohmann Didn’t Take the Simplest Ascent
Lacedelli and Grohmann climbed Tofana di Mezzo the hard way from the south side, but nowadays there is a lesser-known walk-up route to the summit. So why did they avoid it?