Rock climbing at Val Pennavaire and OltreFinale
As the name suggests this is an alternative area to the classic crags of Finale Ligure. These OltreFinale crags are situated between France and Finale in a series of valleys running into the hills behind the sea, with the main area being Val Pennavaire. The rock climbing is all on bolted limestone rock offering mainly single pitch sport routes, plus an excellent bouldering area near Triora, and is much quieter than neighbouring Finale.
| No | Crag | Total No of Routes | Grade Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Val Nimbalto | 56 | F4 to F7 |
| 2 | Val Varatella | 267 | F3 to F8 |
| 3 | Val Pennavaire | 2,000+ | F4 to F9a+ |
| 4 | Valle Argentina | 189 | F4 to F7 |
| 5 | Val Nervia | 7 | F6 to F7 |
Map of the OltreFinale rock climbing areas
Rock climbing at Val Pennavaire
Val Pennavaire is the most extensive climbing area in this region. At an altitude of almost 1,400m the Pennavaire Valley runs from Cisano sul Neva in the east past Alto and onto Caprauna in the west. Here, there are over 70 different limestone crags offering many different climbing styles, so there is something for everyone. The climbing ranges from technical slabs, vertical walls with crimps, to big overhangs with tufas and a bouldering area. There are over 2,000 sport routes ranging from F4 to F9a+, which are mainly single pitch though there are also some multi-pitch routes.
The best time to climb at Val Pennavaire is from October to November and February to April. December to January is possible though due to the altitude it can be a bit cold, and the summer is very hot, though some of the crags do face north. A 70m single rope and sixteen quick-draws should be adequate for all of the crags in Val Pennavaire. With regards to accommodation, bars and food the main climbers centre revolves around the village of Cisano sul Neva.
Other OltreFinale Crags
Val Nimbalto is dominated by the Rocca Dell' Aia crag, located at the foot of Monte Carmo. This bolted limestone crag offers a good number of easier multi-pitch routes up to 90m long.
Val Varatella is dominated by the Valle del Vero area, which is positioned behind the caves of Toirano. This area is split into 12 different crags offering bolted sports routes on grey and red limestone rock. Many of the crags face southwest and are therefore ideal for climbing from autumn through the winter into the spring. The majority of the routes are in the 6th grade and are single pitch, though there are some multi-pitch routes up to 200m long.
Valle Argentina, is made up of 3 separate sport crags, with the largest being Rocce di Loreto, near Triora. This is also close to where the largest bouldering area is, called Triora with 100’s of problems with grades from Fb4 to Fb8b. The bouldering is on compact limestone rock situated near a river and is split into 6 sectors.
Climbing season - The best time of the year to visit the crags of OltreFinale is generally in the autumn and spring. However it is possible to climb at some crags in the winter such as Valle del Vero at Val Varatella, and the high altitude of Val Pennavaire means some crags are climbable in the summer.