Preface

130 crags, 5000 single pitch routes: from Arco to the northern shores of Lake Garda, from the Sarca Valley to the Giudicarie Valleys and Trento

Walls to climb on all year round, with 5000 single pitch routes which vary tremendously. A guide book which addresses everyone. From those who are approaching climbing for the very first time, to climbers with a medium to high level to the verticality experts. Because it is here, in these areas, that it is possible to find the highest concentration of difficulties in the whole of Italy, from 4a to 9b. All this immersed in a supreme natural environment. Let’s not be surprised if we bump into world famous climbers who have chosen this territory as their own home. Stefano Ghisolfi, Adam Ondra, Laura Rogora. The young talents of sports climbing’s future. Regulars such as Verhoeven, Hörhager…Passionate climbers from all over Europe and overseas. Climbing is guaranteed all year round thanks to the Mediterranean microclimate which the vicinity to Lake Garda offers. The variety of the single pitches of this area is to say the least enormous for each fingertip. And if the climbing ends? Off to the lakes: Garda, Tenno, Ledro…Sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing. Mountain biking, on foot along splendid paths. And then what else? Obviously the valley’s ice cream! Since the last guide book was published there are 17 brand new rock faces and on these we reach 100 new routes, making a grand total of 130 crags offers in this Fifth Edition. Padaro and Bassilandia are among the most visited walls, and during these last few years they have experienced an exponential growth, with many new and consistent sectors which increase their beauty. The crags of Ceniga, Ottava Meraviglia Pizarra, have literally exploded with new routes and popularity. For the first time we have been forced to exclude the entire area of Rovereto from these pages, the entire Val di Non area and numerous crags around Arco. A few of the rock faces were totally abandoned but the main reason is that the Fifth edition of this guide book would have ended up being too bulky with an extra one thousand pages! Every single wall ever since the first edition, and of this we are extremely proud, is published with the approval of its route openers, and it is with them that we have always confronted ourselves with. Nothing on these pages comes from underhand information. With this in mind, you will not find crags here that bolters do not wish to publish. An example is Narango: it is not included in this guide book. Even if you can find photos and topos of it on social media. As regards the grading of the routes it must be mentioned that the difficulties of each wall are not, and never will be, homogenous. This does not only concern Arco, but the climbing world in general. A 7b at Nago or Padaro is not the same 7b as the Spiaggia delle Lucertole or Swing Area. To change the grade of a route is never easy. It is always appreciated if the grade is changed upwards. While it becomes more painful if the difficulties are lowered. Especially if we are talking about a 9a: a currently iconic grade that for every climber represents an objective, achieving one’s full potential, for the time being. Where the route’s grades have been changed, the result is fruit of continuous consultation with whoever has unquestionable experience on that level. And we must remember, once again, that whoever opens a route proposes a grade, but then it is up to the climbers who repeat that route to decide the fate of that proposal. To all climbers of overhangs, slabs and boulders, our wish is for you to have a lot of fun using this guide book!

Mario Manica Antonella Cicogna Roni Andres