Trad news from italy

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Messages 1 - 57 of total 57 in this topic

Stambecco

Trad climber

italy

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 23, 2010 - 05:00am PT

Hi everyone. Following the Orco valley news, here you are a short suggestion where to practice trad climbing in Italy. Me, my friend Tarallo and other guys from Milan and surroundings found out this two crags in Ossola Valley, 1.5 hours driving north of milan. We cleaned the lines, bolted the rappels. That's it. Two crags, more than 40 lines (up to 45 mt - 140 ft) , from 5.7 to 5.13. More to be done, but in next spring. In case you are interested in, don't hesitate to contact us. Some of the topos on http://ossolaclimbing.org/node/293. Have fun

Luca Signorelli

Mountain climber

Courmayeur (Vda) Italy

Nov 23, 2010 - 05:07am PT

Ma guarda i posti dove si incontrano compatrioti... ;)

Fishy

climber

Zurich, Switzerland

Nov 23, 2010 - 08:26am PT

Good work guys! I will definitely take a look sometime!

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Nov 23, 2010 - 10:15am PT

I'm coming over but remember that I've reached an age where I use only one climbing command- "up rope, I'm not moving."

Jan

Mountain climber

Okinawa, Japan

Nov 23, 2010 - 11:16am PT

Interesting photos. Thank you.

TKingsbury

Trad climber

Nov 23, 2010 - 11:48am PT

really nice looking...loving the wide shots

go-B

climber

Matthew 25:40

Nov 23, 2010 - 11:56am PT

Molto bella!

Tony Bird

climber

Northridge, CA

Nov 23, 2010 - 12:09pm PT

signori--

any pictures of rock climbing in the apuani? is it done? do they allow bolting in the quarries at carrara? (scherzo ...)

tonuccio, che anda' a viareggio talvolte.

Stambecco

Trad climber

italy

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2010 - 12:58pm PT

The spots are close but different
Cadarese is granit, thin texture, pretty short lines, but intense! A good introduction to jamming style.
FMJ (that stands for Full metal jacket) is gneiss, perfect and long cracks (35-45 mt), pretty rare holds. Perfect jamming technique is required.
Cadarese is almost always good, depending on the crags, only summer can be too hot.
The opposite for FMJ, from may till october, than it's hella cold! 1600 mt altitude, north east.

but you'd better ask Tarallo, our local crack master!

Tony Bird

climber

Northridge, CA

Nov 23, 2010 - 01:41pm PT

1.5 hours north of milan is not close to the apuani, unless you're used to driving in wyoming.

Stambecco

Trad climber

italy

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2010 - 01:52pm PT

no, it's 5-6 hours far from the APUANE, that are in the direction of "caput mundi"

bhilden

Trad climber

Mountain View, CA

Nov 23, 2010 - 02:16pm PT

The third picture (l'amour toujours) looks like the Italian version of Midterm!

Bruce

Luca Signorelli

Mountain climber

Courmayeur (Vda) Italy

Nov 23, 2010 - 02:22pm PT

Just for the record, as I've mentioned www.gulliver.it in the Orco thread, besides being busy setting up new trad sector in the Ossola, Stambecco and his friend Tarallo are also busy fighting a pitched - actually several pitched - word battles with the above mentioned Defenders of the Bolt, sometimes on the issue of preserving the classic routes from retro bolting, but more than often in the even more crucial issue of the de-bolting of some great route of the past that was retro bolted years ago. More than anything this is the point that's keeping the discussion (and in some case the action) quite heated.

This is NOT an issue exclusive of Orco, and actually it was Ossola who saw some of the most bitter controversy this summer. Would be great if Stambecco would keep us up to date on this in the future.

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Nov 23, 2010 - 02:26pm PT

"Defenders of the Bolt," sounds like something from the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition.

Luca Signorelli

Mountain climber

Courmayeur (Vda) Italy

Nov 23, 2010 - 02:32pm PT

@Donini: well, the tone used by some of them is close to that image... which makes the entire things even sadder, IMHO. I wouldn't never have believed to grow old to see a bunch of Italian climbers (some of them respected alpine climbers, btw) defending the use of bolts and the retro bolting of cracks on a what is - if you take that for face value - an ideological issue (namely, an anti-elitarian stance).

This said my humble opinion is that there are personal interests and antipathies fuelling the whole debate, but that's my own view.

Jobee

Social climber

El Portal Ca.

Nov 23, 2010 - 02:38pm PT

WOW, Looks steep and wonderful!

Awesome shots.

donini,
lol ..."up rope, I'm not moving" I'm not buying it!

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Nov 23, 2010 - 02:39pm PT

I'm going to Iran from 6/5 to 6/17 and then to Tajikistan for 2 or 3 weeks. Is July an okay time for the area? I could go there on my way home. Perhaps if the Defenders of the Bolt witnessed a silver haired alpinist of a certain vintage climbing sans bolts they would relent. Nah....people don't change opinions easily, but I could have fun and perhaps my wife could join me, she loves Italian wine and food.

adnix

Big Wall climber

Finland

Nov 23, 2010 - 03:09pm PT

Nice cracks! What is the altitude for the crag? Is there much snow in the winter?

tarallo

Trad climber

italy

Nov 23, 2010 - 03:23pm PT

the time is perfect and donini if you came you are my guest it will be an honour for me i need to learn some skills from a crack master...
and stambecco post some other pictures fmj is like the cookie..the best crack crag in italy
500 feet the altitude and there you can find delicious mushrooms for risotto.....crack wine and food the best mmmm may be i forgot something....
regarding bolts they are too stupid an example of thought is the following:
take a route like southern belle bolt it every 10 feet and then if you climb it clipping only the original bolts it is the same thing..or why this route is only for few people?we must bolt it so everybody can enjoy it
so at the end i think compared to these assh...the spanish inquisition was a play at a kindergarden

The Pres

Trad climber

Italy, Milan

Nov 23, 2010 - 04:23pm PT

Here are some more photos of the news cracks in the Ossola valley
I hope you enjoy!

The Pres

Trad climber

Italy, Milan

Nov 23, 2010 - 04:30pm PT

Again...

The Pres

Trad climber

Italy, Milan

Nov 23, 2010 - 04:33pm PT

...and again...

The Pres

Trad climber

Italy, Milan

Nov 23, 2010 - 04:38pm PT

..and the last!

For any and more information you can ask at my friends Tarallo or Stambecco!

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Nov 23, 2010 - 04:56pm PT

I'll definately be over there this spring.The pictures looked so much like the Cookie I thought it was a joke for a minute.Some spanish played a similar joke posting some pics of Indian creek and claiming it was a new area in the south of Spain.

tarallo

Trad climber

italy

Nov 23, 2010 - 04:59pm PT

dick ciao we met in val di mello sometimes i took you a ride i'm the guy who goes always in yosemite tell me when you come so we can go togheter

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Nov 23, 2010 - 05:13pm PT

Tell me something about the local wine and food. Is this area in Piemonte? Are we talking Nebbiolo? Porcinis? Wild boar?

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Nov 23, 2010 - 05:20pm PT

Hope to see you there

tarallo

Trad climber

italy

Nov 23, 2010 - 05:23pm PT

yes porcini and the area is piemonte but close to switzerland the wine there is no so good in other piemonte's area is my favourite grignolino,barbera dolcetto during meal and of course barolo and barbaresco..

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Nov 23, 2010 - 05:36pm PT

I'm drinking a Vietti Barbera right now. The porcinis will served in a couple days with some pheasant. I'm afraid if I was in the area that I wouldn't be climbing much as the food and wine would be my priority. We can't all be Donini.

tarallo

Trad climber

italy

Nov 23, 2010 - 05:42pm PT

the best is a bottle of grignolino briccomondalino with a risotto with zafferano and porcini....it is like to be on the top of el cap..
go to the web site www.briccomondalino.it

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Nov 23, 2010 - 05:52pm PT

We don't get a lot of Grignolino here in Seattle, but the ones that I have tried are very good. It is not a wine that most Americans would appreciate.

I am a sous-chef at what we would call an Italian restaurant here in Seattle. If any of you guys ever make it over to Seattle, be sure and look me up. I could probably feed you something a little closer to what you are used to than the typical American food. We have the best selection of Italian wines in the area, better than some of the big houses. At home I have been known to have some Peroni Nastro Azzuro on tap.

Cheers,

Wayno

Edit-I checked out the website. I will look for some of their wines.

Stambecco

Trad climber

italy

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 24, 2010 - 02:42am PT

Forget Grignolino and go for Amarone, trust me!

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Nov 24, 2010 - 03:17am PT

Amarones are nice if you like raisins.:^) I will take a Taurasi any day over Amarone.

Fishy

climber

Zurich, Switzerland

Nov 24, 2010 - 03:56am PT

A question to the pics above from The Pres - which sector are they? Cadarese?

I tried to find a mention of Supersimpson and Full Metal Jacket on the ossolaclimbing.org site, but I couldn't find them. Can someone tell me where they are?

Finally, are most of the cracks concentrated in Cadarese? Or are other areas also good crack destinations?

Thanks for the info!

nutjob

Trad climber

Berkeley, CA

Nov 24, 2010 - 04:13am PT

Wow Tarallo, Pres, Stambecco, this place looks beautiful. I will be in Milano (north of there, Verano Brianza) from Dec 17 - Dec 27. It will be very cold, but is it reasonable to climb then? I wasn't there, but I know last year the same time Milano was buried in snow storms and driving was nearly impossible.

This year I plan to bring harness, shoes, and rope, and borrow some quickdraws as needed. Any chance of hooking up for some crack climbing?

Stambecco

Trad climber

italy

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 24, 2010 - 04:25am PT

All the pics that Pres posted are in FMJ. None of the routes in FMJ has been published anywhere. FMJ is off limits in winter, way too cold from october to march (10 october already below zero, 2 h of sunshine), cadarese (trad sector) in sunny days is ok even in winter, but it may be cold. In case cadarese is not good, in 10 min driving there's a sportclimbing crag called Croveo, perfect in wintertime. So you won't loose your time.
Just to be precise: the first two pics I posted are in FMJ, the other two in Cadarese.

Taurasi?!? pffff, I don't have time to waste
;-)

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Nov 24, 2010 - 04:29am PT

Good, more for me.

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Nov 24, 2010 - 09:46am PT

Borrow some quickdraws to crack climb, obviously said tongue in cheek- eh.... Nutjob.

nutjob

Trad climber

Berkeley, CA

Nov 24, 2010 - 04:32pm PT

Actually I was serious about the quickdraws, thinking that everything will be grid-bolted wherever I end up.

But after seeing this stuff my passion is ignited! I won't be bringing any protection pieces, so would have to hook up with a local to climb anything that needs more than quickdraws.

But in a desperate situation, there are at least 3 placement options for a carabiner (x/y/z axes), not to mention modified hooking if you can break off the gate. Maybe my tongue is finding it's way to my cheek now....

p.s. Caderese looks good, I'll have to find more info for Croveo, and there is a high probability we will climb in Finale Ligure.

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Jun 21, 2017 - 08:07am PT

I,m here. Better than yosemite.Show up with gear and we can climb.Had all mine stolen.But friends are coming to set me up.

NutAgain!

Trad climber

South Pasadena, CA

Jun 21, 2017 - 09:00am PT

POIDH

Pics or it didn't happen!

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Jun 21, 2017 - 12:41pm PT

Nut, climb with Cilley, you'll have a blast!

tarallo

Trad climber

italy

Jun 22, 2017 - 03:00am PT

Ciao Dick,
are you in Yosesigo this week end?

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Jun 22, 2017 - 03:14am PT

? . . . .

Dang! Imagine that. .

Solstice and the end of the school year the passing of a wet cold spring, it felt like the song says Stay '72 come shine or rain, ,man everything, over priced dead tour, a criminal in charge in the WhiteHouse, complicity of the government ? So maybe more like '80?

Anyway , there was a cold spot in hell that has for the last 20 years stayed frosty cool.
We are a small self contained unit, My once or twice a year jaunts, were curtailed a bit this year, both weather and transportation woes conspired to keep me home. My kids, at the end of their school year, are both in high school, doing ridiculously well, not full revolt, but teen years, my last grasp before one drives.

I know more very good places to camp in the uncampeble zones.mill not suggest or share more as to where, please no guessing.

I go off trying to pass on that escapism I felt 45 years ago, can barley walk to days later,
I come to bare it to the taco & what do I find to motivate ?

A Cilley sighting! No way! It is demoralizing ! In its very premiss to ask for pics?

I can't touch things I could never touch .. . Or something like that ?

Glad to read

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Jun 23, 2017 - 08:27am PT

I hope the Boltshirts aren't winning...

As good and easy to use as cams are these days there is no excuse for this sort of Boltshit crazy behavior.

NutAgain!

Trad climber

South Pasadena, CA

Jun 23, 2017 - 11:07am PT

Partner for either of these places in September and October?

La mia moglie is giving talks in Paris and Gottingen and somewhere else in September and October, and the two trips will be linked with family visits north of Milano (toward Lecco).

I originally declined coming because wifey will mostly be working... but maybe I can fly with her and go climbing and just join up for family visit in the end.

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Jun 27, 2017 - 05:54am PT

Im up in Foppiano.Agreat bouldering area.Big area with big stones.

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Jun 27, 2017 - 05:59am PT

Tarallo.I check internet every couple days.Tell me when you will be up there and we,ll meet.But I dont have a harness.

tarallo

Trad climber

italy

Jun 27, 2017 - 07:46am PT

Hi Dick,
for sure I'll be there next sunday.
For the harness no problem I can borrow you one.
We can meet in Croveo, the square, at the coop bar at 10 o'clock.
Tell me if it fits to you

NUT the 16th and 17th of september there will be Cadda party join us !
Ciao
A

steve s

Trad climber

eldo

Jun 28, 2017 - 05:04am PT

Cilley, sorry we just missed ya. We were in the Dolomites and Arco for 10 days. Maybe next time. Ciao, Steve S. x-Dlfa from Eldo

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Jun 28, 2017 - 05:15am PT

Tarallo,I,ll just meet you and your crew at the crag in the afternoon.As Im hitching its hard to be on a schedule.

tarallo

Trad climber

italy

Jun 28, 2017 - 05:34am PT

perfect !

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Jun 28, 2017 - 06:36am PT

See you in Yosesigo Sunday then.Horrible weather here now.Cloudbursts etc

Sebbo

climber

Jul 1, 2017 - 02:43am PT

Hello everyone.
I will be around Cadarese from Friday or Saturday next week (7th or 8th of July) till about Monday. I´m looking for climbing partners. I have a full trad rack and a rope. Let me know if you are interested.
Cheers from Germany
Sebastian