Gripped Magazine
Climber Runs, Bikes and Sails to Summit Italy’s 20 Tallest Peaks in 30 Days
Italian mountaineer Hervé Barmasse has completed Endurance Italy, a self-powered project linking the highest peak in every Italian region in just 30 days. Travelling exclusively by bicycle and on foot, with some sailing between the islands and mainland, Barmasse covered 4,250 kilometres, climbed more than 81,000 metres of elevation, and averaged 137 kilometres a day. The challenge began on June 4 in Sardinia and ended on July 3 in Trieste after summiting 20 high points, including Etna, Gran Sasso, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, Pizzo Bernina and Ortles.
The expedition became even more demanding as Italy experienced an intense June heatwave, with temperatures reaching 42 C and severe conditions in both the mountains and on the road. “The heat made this journey much harder than I had imagined,” Barmasse said on Planet Mountain. “On the bike, the temperatures were unbearable. In the mountains, everything was more unstable and extremely delicate.” He said he adapted routes where possible but often had to climb at unusual hours to avoid afternoon storms.
Despite the physical demands, Barmasse said the support of people he met along the route helped carry him through the month-long challenge without a rest day. “Reaching the summit of these mountains and feeling the warmth of so many people turned my effort into joy,” he said. “I received affection, and I turned that affection into energy.”
Barmasse said the journey was also an opportunity to showcase Italy’s diverse landscapes, travelling from the mountains of Sardinia and Sicily through the Apennines to the glaciers of the Alps. “With Endurance Italy, I united the mountains of our country in one great journey,” he said. “The continuity of the route allowed me to discover, day after day, a surprising nature and a richness of landscapes that we often take for granted.”
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