The story of the mountaineering association Ragni di Lecco (the “spiders” of Lecco) from the Forties to our present day, with documents and eyewitness accounts on their accomplishments all around the world, from America to Patagonia.

“Ragni di Lecco” is the oldest and most prestigious rock-climbing group in Italy. Its famed red jersey with its badge featuring a six-legged spider is linked to the most challenging ascents in the world – from Alpine peaks to the wuthering heights of Patagonia to the mindboggling altitudes of the Himalaya. Its famed bearers include Riccardo Cassin, Carlo Mauri, Casimiro Ferrari, along with many others who have left an indelible mark on the history of mountain climbing and daring deeds. This illustrated volume recounts the intertwined stories of brotherhood, love for the mountains and historical exploits, beginning with the first generation of “spiders”, who in 1946 sought to take back the youth they had been denied by the horrors of the World War, and following their footsteps from the local peaks of Grigna to the historical ascent of the Western face of Cerro Torre in 1974. And the tale continues today, with the adventures of a new generation of top climbers, like Matteo Della Bordella, adding their own chapters to the history of the association and keeping alive a love of adventure with a dash of romanticism.