General Map

Finale is probably the most appreciated climbing destination in Europe. Its incredible climbing history, the possibility to climb on some of the best limestone in the world 365 days a year, the quality and variety of the routes: all these elements contribute to make Finale a real “Mecca” for climbing enthusiasts. Moreover, Finale was never a bunch of crags to be “used” to satisfy personal ambitions, Finale is a magical place with amazing landscapes and colours you will fall in love with, where everybody finds something more than a just a number of crags. This magic is due to the massive work carried out by some dreamers who cleared, bolted and rebolted more than 200 crags; the preservation of this place is also possible thanks to “self-management”: in all these years, visitors have been responsible and aware that the most effective way to protect the territory comes directly from their behaviour. The territory of Finale is one of the richest in the Mediterranean region in terms of biodiversity and archaeological heritage. It would not have been possible to preserve these assets, if climbing had turned into a form of mass tourism “out of control”. If this territory can offer you so many emotions, it’s thanks to all the people who respect it and believe that the future visitors – if they really love climbing – will be aware of the value and the potentiality of such a unique place, and they will behave accordingly, in harmony with nature.

CLIMBING MEANS RESPECT

RESPECT RAPTORS

In 1994, after an agreement between climbers, WWF and LIPU, the province of Savona identified certain areas and crags where climbing is banned in order to protect birds’ nesting activity. Please, check the ongoing restrictions on the guidebook before planning your climbing. There are few places in the world where you can climb in the nesting territory of such noteworthy species as the Peregrine Falcon and the Eurasian Eagle-owl; this is an essential value for the territory of Finale, which is more important than the desire to bolt another crag at all costs, or to climb when it is forbidden at the expense of some rare species which need to be protected.

RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT

Do not leave your trash at the crag or along the trail. If you smoke, take your stubs home. If you need to relieve yourself, you should keep away from crags and trails, hide your “wastes” digging a small hole into the ground and covering it with stones, and do not leave napkins on the ground as they may be carried away by the wind. Respect the wildlife you see along the trail or on the rocks, do not pick up flowers and remember that it is forbidden to light fires.

RESPECT THE ROCK Fingers must adapt to the rock and not the other way round, therefore it is forbidden to chip or modify the holds on climbing routes. If you mark the holds with the chalk, it is a good practice to clear the marks at the end of your climbing.

RESPECT THE OTHER PEOPLE

The crag belongs to everyone, therefore avoid to “monopolize” the routes as much as possible. If you are climbing top-rope, you must use your own gear (a screwgate carabiner is enough) to avoid wearing out the anchors. Avoid to spread your backpacks and gear everywhere at the crag. You don’t need to inform the entire valley that you have finally sent your project, therefore, unless it’s an emergency, it’s better to control your volume of voice.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE TERRITORY AND CLIMBING OF FINALE

A big thank you to all the bolters who devoted much of their time for creating a place that is now enjoyed by the entire climbing community, encouraging the development of an important touristic reality. Their work, often unnoticed and away from the spotlights, has received sponsorships and economic support over the years from certain specialized shops of Finalborgo. However, this support was never systematic enough to allow a constant bolting activity, therefore, driven by their own passion, they paid out of their pockets the gear which is now used by everyone. As for the MTB trails, Finale Outdoor Region invented a system which allows everybody to actively contribute to the crags’ maintenance.

The FOR YOU CARD was created to allow each user to give a little contribution while doing what they like, thus supporting the creation and constant maintenance of Finale’s trails and crags. If you like climbing in Finale, buy the card (it costs 10€ and is valid for 1 year) and use it for your purchases at the shops participating in this initiative: you collect points for further discounts and vouchers, and most of all a small part of your expense will be used for the maintenance of the territory. In this way you can contribute effectively to the protection of Finale’s fragile ecosystem.

The funds raised through the FOR YOU CARD will support specific interventions of rebolting, purchasing of new gear and clearing of the access trails to the crags.