If you didn’t know, the Piz Badile is totally mega. The only thing that rivals it? Apparently, climber Filip Babicz.
The Piz Badile pierces the Swiss/Italian border in the Bregaglia range and rises to an altitude of 10,853 feet — most of it in sheer granite.
One ridgeline affords more or less express access to the top. If you’re pursuing a speed ascent, that’s where you’re going. Make no mistake, it’s not a walk. Just ask rock climber Filip Babicz, who captured the speed record on the mountain on Sept. 10.
Babicz alternately scampers up horrifically exposed slabs, trots across broken granite knife blades, and edges along narrow ramps on his way to the summit.
When he got there, the watch read 42 minutes, 52 seconds. Watch til the end; you won’t want to miss the aftermath, which focuses on a clearly delirious Babicz at the summit marker. Seeing him collapsed and panting below the monolith, it’s hard to believe he didn’t miss a step along the way — and pay the price.
Runtime: 6.5 minutes
