Expedition Report
The aim of this expedition was to climb some of the big-wall and multi-pitch climbs in the Val di Mello, Italy. In addition the plan was to produce a video blog and summary of the climbing experiences, as well as gaining big-wall climbing experience, which can then be taught to, and inspire younger members of the College Mountaineering Club.
The Val Masino is an Alpine region in the province of Sondrio, Lombardi, Northern Italy, which includes the Val di Mello. The Val di Mello is often referred to as ‘The Yosemite of Italy’, and looks strikingly similar with its granite walls over the valley from both sides. It offers a huge variety of climbing comprising bouldering, single pitch, alpine, and multi-pitch big-walls up to 800m high.
The expedition comprised a College student and a German climbing colleague, who had both climbed together in the Yosemite National Park, USA. The climbs completed included Cunicolo Acuto, L’alba Del Nirvana, Un Pipistrello Al Sole Do-Re-Mi-Fa, Scappellin Scappelletta, Minchia Biglia El Re De Picche, Trapezio D’argento, Sasso Remenno, Il Risveglio Di Kundalini, Luna Nascente and Oceano Irrazionale. The expedition took place in the first twenty days of July, which as a result of weather at that time, had the disadvantage of the rock faces becoming very hot during the day, and also inflicting sunburn on the climbers.
