I had the honor of visiting with Sergio Gabbio, who has spent his lifetime living in the Alps. We met at his hotel Montagna di Luce (Mountain of Light) in Pedemonte, the oldest and most charming village in Alagna, which was first inhabited in the 1300s. Sergio converted what was originally his grandmother’s residence into a beautiful lodging facility in an idyllic setting that he operates with his wife and daughter.
When Sergio was a child, he skied downhill to school, then boot packed back to his village with his skis on his shoulder. He was the region’s first alpine mountain guide, an alpine rescue instructor and plated a leading role in putting “Monterosa Freeride Paradise” on the skier’s map. He used to get paid to ski pack “La Balma” (which used to be a piste run before the tram was repositioned) prior to grooming machines existed on 215 cm skis . One season he was banned from riding the lifts after skiing an off-piste line that was deemed too risky. He spent the rest of the year earning his turns, often over 2,000 meters at a time.
Next week he will be turning 70 years old, still guides (but only his favorite clients) and loves to ski off piste when the conditions are good. His love for the sport of skiing is evident and very infectious. I asked him to walk us through his heroic and unrepeated descent of the southeast wall of Parrotspitze, elevation 14,550′, completed on May 30, 1979.