Sunny climbing on enjoyable routes at Paretina di Pian Marino

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One thing that has been surprising is the weather. We had a luck of getting total of 10 sunny days in a row. Autumn is usually nice here but this has been an extraordinary good period even in the terms of Finale. For the Halloween Saturday we picked a crag  with praised surroundings that has routes for beginners to medium level climbers. 


Paretina di Pian Marino if part of the huge Rocca Carpanea climbing area. It has total of 41 routes ranging from 4 to 6c and the rock goes from grey and white to red limestone. Surroundings of the crag are excellent for a sunny picnic and the approach in comfortable which makes it a great target for a family climbing day, beginners or for a group of a different levels of climbers.

The left side of the crag is primarily grey limestone with shorter slab routes. The middle and right side of the crag has longer and slightly more demanding 6 graded routes. That side of the crag is also more wild in terms of the rock wall and route types. Steeper routes and rough rock roofs on a white limestone looks actually stunning just before the sunset as the views from top of the longest routes. Grading of the routes is "softer" in the terms of difficulty but few routes are polished. Polishing is still not a major issue here and climbing is enjoyable.

There was a great arete line Gemelli Ribelli which was a excellent warm-up route. When ever you have an opportunity ti climb an arete or a crack corner then just climb it. So far every arete or corner route has been super good in Finale.

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Finale Ligure, Rocca Carpanea, Paretina di Pian Marino, 1.11.2014

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Rocca Carpanea - Pilastrino mirovino

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How often you lost your way when looking for a new crag? I bet that almost everyone will eventually lose their way when adventuring on a new neighborhood with poor instructions. That's what happened to us already with the failed approach to Pilastrino mirovino and after the short but intense approach we found back to Falesia delle Tecchie. 

Today we decided to give another try and see if we can do any better. If you won't succeed on the first time, try again. I might be illiterate but the approach to the crag is not obvious.

This time we succeeded but not without spending a lot of time wondering in the woods. And at the end approach to the crag is almost easy. Advice for the potential climbers heading up there. Use GPS just in case and try to find the small rock piles that are potentially heading to the crag, we have seen several groups trying to find it without a success.

Pilastrino mirovino is still an excellent crag for a medium level climbers with a good quality rock. Crag has total of 13 routes from 5a to 6c average being 6a+ length being around 25 meters. Types of the routes varies from slabs to vertical and overhanging, so lots of different types of routes to climb. Grading is relatively easy in Finale standards, but still not overgraded. If 6 is your target grade and you like longer routes on a good rock then Pilastrino mirovino is the crag to go.

Belayer safety first, sling to the rock.

Small holds.

Excellent views from the top.

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Finale Ligure, Rocca Carpanea- Pilastrino mirovino, 29.10.2014

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Rocca Carpanea, Falesia delle Tecchie

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Rocca Carpanea is another great playground like the nearby Rocca di Perti. Both mountains are nearby the Finale Ligure and offer a great selection of crags and routes to explore. Rocca Carpanea has total of 21 crags and our target for the day was sector Falesia delle Tecchie.

Falesia delle Tecchie has total of 28 routes from 5b to 8b, majority of the routes are 6a and 6b graded. Rock is good quality and routes are not polished. Bolting is good but few of the maillons at the top might be worn out. Length of the routes varies between 10 to 22 meters and the average route lenght is around 18 meters. Crag has a relatively easy access, 10 minutes from parking, and path is mostly well marked with red dots as usual in the region. Crag is facing west and the top anchors offers great views over the Finale and to the Mediterranean Sea.

Nature is always a part of the rock climbing and  we got a good reminder of it today when one of the planned route had an active bees nest and a scorpion at the bottom. On the next route I was wondering the wet feeling of the holds, and surprise, some bat poo was waiting in the holds. Bees and a scorpion at the bottom were good reminders to check that
cortisone pills were still in the first aid kit.

During the day we climbed total of 6 routes and skipped one because of bees. Good day, nice crag, defnitely recommended even with some bat poo.

6a balance test slab.

Bees nest in a 6a+ route.

View over Finale Ligure from road to Rocca Carpanea.

  

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Finale Ligure,Rocca Carpane, Falesia delle Tecchie, 3.10.2013, 2.10.2913

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