Alpine Logistics

Where to go for a few days cragging in late Autumn? Having mulled over a few options we decided on a relatively new crag on the coast near Albenga called Castelbianco. We had never been before but it has a reputaion for stiff grades and overhangs; Manuel was curious to try it out.

After a two hour drive from Biella we could see the sea. The temperature here is a good few degrees higher than in Piemonte and the seasons are always a step behind; in the winter months it’s a great get-away from the freezing temperatures and snow near the Alps.

This day it was almost too hot. The grades, which are basically from 7a up, are decidedly hard and many of the cruxes are in the last few metres of the 25-30m routes, so you have to keep some for the end.

Most of the crag is pretty overhanging and there are few great routes on tufas. The central section is completely horizontal!

This I found a bit intimidating at first as it’s completely different to any other style of climbing but at the same time a lot of fun. I found myself making improbable moves from stalagtites and jugs to more of the same and looking at a line of quickdraws dangling in space ahead of me.

Tired but satisfied we finished the day a few hours after sun-down and went in search of some dinner (the sun sets early there as the crag is tucked away at the bottom of a narrow valley). There are around 40 routes up to 8b; definitely worth going to.