After 9 years here is the 2nd edition of Alpine Ice, this guide book written in 4 languages is unique of its kind in Europe, presenting a selection of the best icefalls in France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Slovenia.

Many new additions, fantastic valleys which are worth the journey no matter where you set off from, legendary routes which have made the history of ice climbing and others which are less well known but of great character. The book’s design is completely renewed with brand new climbing photos. Almost double the amount of icefalls have been reviewed compared to the old guide book which was already extremely substantial. The guide has been therefore divided into two different volumes: Alpine Ice vol.1 France, Switzerland and Italy – Western Alps and Alpine Ice vol. 2 Austria, Slovenia and Italy – Eastern Alps.

The two books are obviously interconnected and to- gether they make up the complete picture of icefalls in the Alpine arc. Approximately 700 routes described in this first volume and to make things easier for those who have difficulty in orienteering, photos of each iceflow have been included, the geographical coordinates of the car parks and of almost all the routes, thanks to a simple QR code. Extremely precise information which must not though take away the sense of the unknown which persists in tackling an icefall, but should be taken in and analysed to reduce risks to a minimum. A few tales of ascents and introductory parts to areas which represent piolet-traction, together with a memoir to Giancarlo Grassi, the pioneer of vertical ice, help contribute all round to this guide book, a true treasure chest of seducing offers for adventurous climbers. An ode to the wildest side of the Alps and an invitation to travel, to discover new places, of different costumes and languages.

Mario Sertori, born in the Valtellina mountains, in the centre of the Alps, has been a Mountain Guide for a long time and is a passionate ice climber. He has climbed them everywhere, in Iceland, Norway, Scotland, Canada, USA, in the Apennines and the Pyrenees. In the Alps he took part in the exploratory phase discovering a few hundred new icefalls. He has written a lot about his adventures on the main European magazines and publi- shed in 2004, by Blu Edizioni, Cascate, Lombardia e Svizzera; for Versante Sud in 2007 Solo Granito (with Guido Lisignoli), in 2009, Alpine Ice, in 2012 Ghiaccio Svizzero, in 2014 Val di Mello and the new edition in two volumes of Solo Granito.