San Siro, high end climbing

San Siro offers great views and demanding climbing over Valle dei laghi. Location of the crag is perfect and the approach is easy with a walk of 5 minutes from the parking. Routes can be climbed even when other crags are too hot and it offers a good shadow for the belayer. This is definitely a place for higher end climber since there are only 3 routes below 6 and there is total of 84 routes to go. Most of the routes are from 6c to 7c and the length of the routes varies between 15 to 30 meters.

Difficulty of the routes offers great challenges for medium to higher leverl climbers. But what bothers is that majority of the mid level routes are polished. Event the 7 graded routes seemed to have same problems and thus routes can be even more difficult that the actual grade states. If you have been at Massone then you know what to expect. Higher end routes of San Siro are not necessarily that badly polished but the routes  from 5-6 seemed to be slippery.

Massone and San Siro have similiar rock type but Massone's low to mid graded routes offer more opportunities than San Siro. For higher (>7) level climbers San Siro might be a good option with great overhanging walls, but still be prepared for polished rock. Still shape of the overhanging walls is great and the style of the routes is interesting. For higher end climber San Siro has a lot to offer but there are better crags for medium level climbers to climb.

Nice views.

Medium routes are polished.

Comfortable place with easy approach.

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Backyard of Castel Toblino - La Gola

Map to La Gola.

If you just want to see the photos then click here.

Have you visited already all the crags of the neighbourhood or bored with polished limestone and tired of over crowded routes? The great thing is that there is always an option to find a new crag to visit. There are tens of fresh crags to pick from in the nearby valley and most of them offers astonishing views and nice surroundigs.

Our pick for the day La Gola that is located just on the backyard of the beautiful Castel Toblino at Lago di Toblino in the Valle dei Laghi. Surrounding scenery was again a great surprice, small lake in the valley between strong mountains and in the center stoods the Toblino castle at the peak of a peninsula, wow.

View over the Castel Toblino.

The crag offers a good rock and variety of climbing from technical to large holds. There are total of 140
routes on seven sectors. Grades of the routes are between 5b to 8b and majority of the routes are in the range of 6b to 7b. So its actually a recommended place for medium to advanced climbers.

Valle dei Laghi and Lago di Toblino.

Location and views are great and the approach is easy, if you know where to go. The downside was that there were no signs of any kind how to find to the
crag. We started to follow the right path but missed a small upward path leading to the Arcadioland sector. As a result we spent an hour or more on the wrong path leading to a wrong wall wich was not for climbing. Sadly our bad orienteering consumed slightly too much stamina reserved for the day. But still the approach is nice and short when you know where to go. Approach is on a reasonable path in the woods ascending towards the wall.

Heta leading 5c Micla.

The crag itself is just great. We visited one of the latest opened sector Arcadioland. Rock was solid and not polished and during the whole day we saw just one other couple climbing in the same sector with us. Bolting is also well done (at least at the Arcadioland sector) and the average length of the routes is more than 20 meters. Thera are a lot of 30 to 40 meter routes too, even for 8a grade climbers. So definitely a worthwhile crag to visit for an active and challenge seeking climber.



See all photos from our Picasa album:

Sarche, La Gola, 18.6.2013

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