Moon bears on the wall of Limarò in Sarche

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Looking for a great 9 pitches 1/2 day climb on a nice environment and with a 5 minutes approach. Well you have it. Piccolo Dain and the wall of Limarò in Sarche offers several great 9-11 pitch routes for a relaxed multipitch adventure.

We have been climbing at the wall before. Two years ago our crew topped Amazzonia (5c, 2005) and Orizzonti Dolomitici (5b, 2003). We liked the wall back then and so we decided to climb the Moon Bears route (5c, 2011).

Route is relatively new, it has been bolted between autumn 2010 and spring 2011 by Ermanno Salvaterra and Michel Ghezzi. It has total of 9 pitches and 2 of them are 5c. What makes this route special is the long dihedral-crack where the 5c pitches are. This dihedral makes the line logical and easy to follow and enjoyable to climb.

Bolting is good standard for multipitch routes but there are still few harder clips at the 5c pitches. All the anchor stands are also big enough for enjoyable belaying  which shows excellent design of the route.

Overall rock quality is good and the route is not polished. Few holds at the crux pitches are slightly polished but that doesn't make the climb any harder. First two easy 3a and 4a pitches are obviously more polished because the Amazzonia and Orizzonti Dolomitici share the first two pitches with Moon Bears.

Exit from the Moon Bears goes via traversing path through the woods towards easterly direction. Some parts of the path has via ferrata which helps with the narrow steps leading down to the Sarche.

Easy access, well thought line and a decent exit makes this route an excellent and relaxed to climb. Just try to avoid during the hot summer days when the wall is facing the sun most of the time. Recommended during cloudy summer days of during spring and autumn.

Crag grade: 4/5
Rock quality: 4/5
Bolting: 4/5
Surroundings/view: 4/5
Approach: 5/5
Exit: 3/5

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Moon Bears, Piccolo Dain, 22.6.2015

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Excellent multipitches at Piccolo Dain in Sarche

Jarkko "on the edge" (180 meters at Parete della Centrale).

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

Read also releated story: Amazzonia - 5 stars multipitch at Parete Limaro

Are you looking for a great climbing experience on a good rock, with easy access, good bolting and beautiful views? If all that sounds good then Piccolo Dain in Sarche is definitely the mountain to conquer.

So far our trip has been a great adventure around the sourrounded valleys and mountains. But because time runs fast we had to choose the last multipitch adventure for the holiday. The choice was Piccolo Dain's Parete della Centrale wall.

Piccolo Dain is about 17 kilometers from Arco in the city of Sarche. It offers several different walls and a great number of both, traditional and bolted multipitch routes. Routes are relatively long, around 250 meters and the longest routes are up to 450 meters.

Parete della Centrale wall is easy to recognize. It faces to west and can be seen easily on the right side of  the road from Sarche towards Madonna di Campiglio. All routes can be accessed just before the river Sarca from the dirt road on the right side. The road starts just before the river and it travels under the wall towards the power station. Routes starts from the road just before the gates of the Enel power station.

Parete della Centrale wall has several great 250 meters long routes and our picks for the day were  Orizzonti Dolomitic and Amazzonia. Both are 250 meters and 11 pitches long and grades are 5b and 5c. For the two routes we splitted into teams. Mika, Heta and Jarkko formed the first team and Nora and Sami formed the second team.

When we started at 14:30 the weather a bit too hot for efficient climbing. The first hour and a half the temperature was around 32 celcius degrees and it made climbing consuming. But then, after two hours and 100 meters, the unexpected happened. Just in five minutes the whole sky was full of dark storm clouds and rainy thunderstorm started to beat us. As usual, it was my turn to lead. After a brief group thinking we decided to continue at least one pitch further to see if the weather is getting any better. Storm was over in 40 minutes and the sky started clear just when my lead was over, typical.

Leading in the rain.

Mika's lead, up we go (230 meters left).

For our luck the rain cleaned the air and climbing after the storm was enjoyable because of the fresh air and lower temperature. Once we reached the top our total climbing time was 5 hours and the descent from the top to the nearest gelateria took additional 50 minutes.

Very enjoyable experience, definitely a must wall to visit! I'm just wondering that how I could stay here for a longer time, Garda region is such a great place to be. I'm ready to listen good ideas how group of Finns could afford staying here more permanently while adventuring around the region ;)

Heta didn't knew about the upcoming storm yet.

After the storm it was time to eat.

Belaying somewhere there.

Jarkko posing on 230 meters.

Team.

 

It took about 50 minutes from the top to the nearest gelateria.

 




Read also releated story: Amazzonia - 5 stars multipitch at Parete Limaro



 See all photos from our Picasa album:

Piccolo Dain, 8.7. 2013

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Amazzonia - 5 stars multipitch at Parete Limaro

Read also releated story: Excellent multipitches at Piccolo Dain in Sarche

Whooo! What an experience in many ways, physically tough, challenging to climb, mentally exhausting, but still so awesome and gorgeous!

Multi-pitch climbing is a climbing route that cannot be climbed with one rope length and it requires one or more stops at a belay stations. Each section of actual climbing between stops at the belay stations is called a pitch.

Our team, Sami and Nora, chose to climb as their first real multipitch the route Amazzonia (5/5 stars at Sarca walls Guidebook) at Piccolo Dain sector at Parete Del Limaro in a town of Sarche. Amazzonia is 250 meter high and consists of 11 pitches. The most difficult grade is 5C and there are only four pitches under 5, the first three pitches and the last one. We climbed the entire route alternating: the leader ascended the pitch and stopped to a belay station and then the second ascended to a belay station, where we exchanged to a new leader for the next pitch. Sami started as the first leader for the whole route.

Sarca walls guidebook: Amazzonia and Orizzonti Dolomitici

The approach to the start of the route didn’t go very smoothly. We followed the instructions from older guidebook (2007, new 2013), which directed us to cross the Sarca river. Fortunately, the other team had an updated guidebook, which has dry feet approach to the crag. But what begins badly, cannot end badly, this is an experience. ;)

It took 6 hours in total to approach and ascent the Amazzonia. When Nora leaded her longest and most difficult pitch (6. pitch, 5a+5b “amazing slab”), hit the rain. Yippee!! :D No excuses, just had to keep moving upwards despite the rain. Luckily it all went well and no need to pull from quickdraw, even if it is allowed on multipitch oute. Fortunately term “slab” does not always mean positive wall with only couple of crystals on limestone, but it could be positive wall with some kind of holds, even with jugs. :)

Sami had his Suunto Ambit to track the ascent and it showed over 2500 kcal burned when we topped the route! This explains why we were really exhausted on the top of Amazzonia… The routes did lot of curves and the ropes were very heavy after the rain, so it was hard work to pull them during the lead and at belay station. Nora had only water to drink in her hydration back bag and Sami had hydration drink (North Force Extreme) in his Camelbak. There was no time for breaks because found the descending route same time as dusk arrived. This meant that we had only approximately 30 minutes to get down to our car. The route down was NOT any highway, 45 degrees hill with fist sized round stones to surf on. Legs were jelling for help, but no time to stop or even slow down a bit. Luckily with the guidance help from our other climbing team we managed to get down just before the darkness came…! Note to ourselves: Head light in the back bag wouldn't have been a bad idea to carry with...

It took almost a week to recover from the Amazzonia. The most exhausted was to pull the wet rope at belay stations. The new rope, Beal Joker Unicore 9.1 mm, worked perfectly, but the old rope, Beal Diablo Unicore 9,8 mm, was really heavy. Otherwise the equipment and hardware worked molto buono. Nora’s Miuras became wet but not slippery, Helly Hansen surfing shirt was excellent choice, The North Face Chugach back bag was unnoticeable and Petzl Elia helmet with Bolle sunglasses protected Nora’s precious head. Sami got his new La Sportiva Testarosa shoes just days before the multipitch, now they fit perfectly to his feet after being soaking wet. Norrona’s Fjorå back bag was excellent choice and did not disturb lead climbing at all. Helmet was really important since rocks fell down all the time.

When we belayed, we took shoes off and stood in stocking feet on rock. Fortunately we didn’t drop any gear and especially ATC guides (Petzl Reverso 4), because we had only one extra with us. We should have used longer slings when the route made bigger turns to avoid friction. We even skipped some clips to make the route straighter.

Gear ready for journey

We managed well with the signals until the last pitch. Nora was so tired that she didn’t realized what Sami meant with his signals, there was 5 meters slack in Joker rope. Sarca river passed just below the crag and the hairpin road to Madonna di Campiglio started across the river, so there was no possibility to hear any shouts. Pitches were zikzaking as mentioned before and there were a lot of forms on the wall, so there was neither any visual contact. The sign language consisted of different rope pulling sets. What we really consider for next multipitch are the walkie talkie radios. Sure it adds the weight, but could help a lot if rope communication is not enough…

Even if the descent route was quite challenging, we were happy that there was one. Rappelling would have been almost impossible, because of fatigue and difficulty to find belay stations.

Overall, the Amazzonia is indeed worth of 5 stars. The route is safe (bolt spacing about 2 meters and you can stand on every belay station), diverse and challenging. It has nice views, good rock and easy access (when you know the right one). All in all an amazing, wonderful and never to be forgotten experience for both of us!!

With love, Nora and Sami

Upwards from some belay station in the middle of Amazzonia

And downwards, to Sarche town, from the same spot

It begun to blur when we reached the top of Amazzonia

Exhausted climbers on the top

After awesome experience with the gear on. Nora has the heavy Diablo and Sami has the light Joker.

- See more in Finnish at: Treenipäiväkirja - La Multipitch
- Releated story: Excellent multipitches at Piccolo Dain in Sarche

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Sisyphos at Valle dei laghi

View from Sisyphos Towards Lago di Toblino and Toblino castle.

Google's route planner does
not draw the route right.
Route goes through Sarche.

If you have been climbing few days nearby Arco and  already seen the well known crags, such as Nago, Beldevere and Massone it is time to head for new routes and views. Get some fresh rock from Sisyphos. Crag is a good option for medium level climbers. Sisyphos is located at Valle dei Laghi (see also: http://www.valledeilaghi.it) nearby Sarche and it is about 17 kilometers from Arco. Final parts of the approach by car goes on a small dirt road between the wine groves and after that the very final part is on foot and takes about 15 to 20 minutes to the wall.

Crag has 44 routes to offer from 5a to 7c and most of the routes are in the range of 6a to 7b. It is best suited for medium level climbers by offering a great playground, wich is not too crowded. Routes are nice varying climbing on grey and brown limestone rock and the average length of the routes is about 22 meters.

Our day was relative short because of the upcoming evning activities. Still this is defnititely a crag where we want return on next year to test routes that we had to pass due the schedules.

Heta's "tree aided, A0" climbing move.

View to Lago di Toblino.

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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.



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Sarche, La Gola, 18.6.2013

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