Rock climbing at Andonno and around Cuneo

https://gem-3910432.netCuneo is located near the French border in the foothills of the Alps, just 90km south of Turin, and is now recognized as a major sport climbing destination. Running from Cuneo are a series of valleys that include many excellent crags such as Andonno, Roaschia, Cornaletto, Pian Bernardo, and Casterino. Most of these crags offer single pitch sport routes that are ideal for climbers of all abilities, with plenty of routes across a wide range of grades. There are also some short multi-pitch routes at crags such as Andonno and Casterino. With over 60 different crags there is a great variety of climbing styles to be found, to suit every combination of conditions and tastes.

Most of the crags around Cuneo are limestone, though in some areas the rock type is either Gneiss or Quartzite. Due to the various altitude and orientation of the crags it is possible to climb here throughout the year.

Cuneo Rock is the comprehensive guidebook covering the sport climbing and rock climbing around Cuneo describing over 60 different crags and 1,000’s of routes across a wide range of grades.

Andonno is the best and most extensive crag in the Cuneo area. The climbing is mainly on good quality limestone rock and includes everything from overhangs and tufas to slabs and vertical walls. The limestone rock has excellent friction and a variety of features such as pockets, edges, small crimps and tufas. There are over 300 routes (F4’s to F9a) with the vast majority of these in F6a to F7c grade range.

Most climbs are single pitch and up to 35m high, requiring a 70-meter rope and around 18 quickdraws. There are also a few multi-pitch routes up to 5-pitches long. At an altitude of 850m, and south facing, the crag’s sunny exposure means it is possible to climb in a T-shirt almost all year round. Andonno is included in the Cuneo Rock Guidebook.

The sport climbing at Val Roya is mainly based around the border towns of Olivetta and La Brigue.

At Olivetta there are around 150 routes spread across 7 crags that offer a great variety of difficulties on limestone rock. At La Brigue there are almost 250 routes spread across 7 different crags on high quality red and grey limestone rock. For both areas there is a good spread of grades, making these crags ideal for both beginners and climbers looks for harder grades.

It is possible to rock climb at Val Roya throughout the year due to the high altitude of around 1,000m, along with being able to choose between crags that catch the sun or shade.

The Salty Routes - Liguria to the French Riviera Rock Climbing Guidebook describes 20 different crags including those around Olivetta and La Brigue.

Triora is located between San Remo and Imperia, where there is a beautiful limestone valley. Stretching for around 1km in this valley there are a series of compact limestone boulders that vary between 2m and 10m high. The bouldering involves several different styles and some of the higher boulders can be top-roped. It is possible to boulder at Triora throughout the year, but the ideal time is between April and September. During the late afternoon in the summer the whole area is in shade and there is usually a cool breeze.