CLUB ALPINO ITALIANO

Sezione di Loano

 CLIMBING PRACTISE WALLS

"ROCCA D'AVIO"

The "Rocca dell'Avio" (680 m) is a mighty, solid and trapezoidal crag which protrudes, together with the "Scoglio del Butto" (750 m), on the western crag of "Monte Carmo" (1389 m).
Linked on top (on the west), by a small ridge with rock towers, of moderate drop (about 20 m.), it falls into the wood downhill for more than a hundred metres. It's also known as "Rocca dell'Aia" or "Rocca dell'Aquila".
The denseness of the rock (quartzite) and the expansion of climbing routes make it a perfect climbing practise wall. However it's important to be very careful when the rock is wet as it gets very slippery.
The "Rocca" has been visited since 1928 by climbers from Savona. Its reputation goes beyond the limits of the Province, due to the Genoese climbers, especially Gianni Calcagno and Alessandro Gogna, who discovered it again in the sixties. In the last years it has been revalued thanks mainly to the local climbers, especially Renato Gamba, and to the Loano C.A.I., who saw to the tidying up of the routes and the equipment with spits. The denseness of the rock and the range of the routes, at different degrees of difficulty, are ideal elements for a climbing practise wall that is practicable all year round, thanks to the mildness of the climate. The routes have been completely outfitted with 10 mm. "fixes"; however a few pieces of rope are necessary to equip the resting places (two 12 mm. "fixes").

How to get there:

· From Loano to Verzi and from there through the square of Castagnabanca (m. 600 high), you can go on foot or by car as far as a spot where you can leave the car, and from there you go on on foot towards the "Rocca d'Avio" -  -, or, setting out from the "Rifugio di Pian delle Bosse" you follow the "Terre Alte" path -   -  towards Toirano.

The first climb we know about was accomplished in 1928 by V. Venturino and G. Franconi of Savona, who reached the top by the "via dei camini" on the northern side. In 1938 R. Siccardi, D. Tiglio and C. Aschero, roped together, attempted to reach the top, again on the northern side, but they had to give up because the lead climber fell and was critically injured. Afterwards silence descended on the rock for a good 27 years, broken only in 1960 by the climb made by C. Aureli and R. Avanzini. However we had to wait till 1965 to begin a systematic and thorough exploration which is still ongoing.

1

2

3

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

DESCENT: from the top with 15 m. double ropes on the north-west corner; then by a series of easy rocks you arrive at the neck, afterwards by a path to the bottom.

"SCOGLIO DEL BUTTO"

Slightly up hill of "Rocca dell'Avio", the crag thins for a short stretch with a noticeable rock formation called "Scoglio del Butto": there are other climbing practise wall routes on its western side and along the ridge. The drop is about 50-60 m., you can enter by a track off the western hill of "Rocca dell'Avio", and in a few minutes the bottom of the rocks can be reached.
A few "nuts" and "friends" may be useful to equip the easier and less equipped stretches.

The "Rocca del Butto" seen from west

1

2

3

4

5

6

7