Piedmont bouldering: welcome to the Ellero Valley, a historical area in the north of Italy!

The Ellero Valley has been the epicentre of bouldering in the Cuneo area for many years: discovered and developed by historic local climbers about 30 years ago, it has tested and skinned the fingers of all the climbing enthusiasts in the area. Today, thanks in part to a chapter in Gebro's I Bloc guidebook, it continues to attract steel-fingered boulderers from Piedmont and Liguria, as well as the odd foreigner on holiday. The green, river-dominated area is also ideal for relaxing days, picnics and easy walks.

The Ellero Valley is located in the province of Cuneo, about a quarter of an hour's drive from Mondovì; once you reach the town of Roccaforte Mondovì, take the road that leads to the Upper Ellero Valley, the starting point for many summer hikes in the mountains.

Summer conditions with a lot of shades and the cool flow of the river

The main sectors of Val Ellero

The boulders are scattered along the road that bisects the valley: some are isolated, but most are clustered in what is often referred to as the 'classic zone'; in any case, most of the sectors are almost always on the roadside or require very little approach. The work of many local boulderers to raise awareness of the potential of this valley has, over the years, transformed what was once an overgrown bouldering area into a magnificent sector dominated by boulders.

Among the most classic and always well visited boulders of the classic zone, there is the obvious Masso degli Schiaffi, right next to the road, and then the group of boulders of La Casa e le Casette, La Vela and the Cubetto. Masso Gam, with its sloping slab, is often used as a warm-up boulder, although the descent can pose more than one problem for less experienced climbers.

Continuing along the asphalt road that leads to Alta Val Ellero, you can reach the Uovo Sodo boulder, which is not very crowded and has some lines that are worth a visit. There is also no shortage of isolated boulders where, over the years, very difficult lines have been climbed, even by climbers such as Christian Core: Raul is an example of these perfect lines that Core has freed.

Heelhooks and technical climbing on Ellero's boulders

Climbing style in Val Ellero

Climbing in Val Ellero is very demanding and finger climbing, often on infinitely small holds and vertical walls, but there is no shortage of overhangs with slopers. There are also plenty of traverses and more general lines on the rock: it's not for nothing that it has become a destination for the people of Cuneo to go climbing in the evening after work. You won't have any trouble recognising the old-school historical passages, where nothing is given away, which run parallel to other cleaner lines of a more recent and dynamic style.

The rock is porphyroid with some painful indentations and the falls vary from perfectly level to almost deadly, but most of the falls are very safe, so it is not uncommon to see even solo boulderers wandering around to flush out their project. The ideal seasons are spring and autumn, when temperatures drop but there is still plenty of light; summer is very wet and frequented by a few adders, while in winter the road is often closed or otherwise impassable due to ice or snow.

Amazing Val Ellero

When to climb in Val Ellero

The good season for bouldering in the Ellero Valley begins with the reopening of the road after the winter snowfalls and depends mainly on the condition of the boulders, which are often wet from the mid-season rains. In principle, it is possible to climb the most sunny rocks in spring and autumn, depending on the temperature. Sometimes the boulders closer to the river offer slightly cooler and more pleasant conditions due to the air brought in by the river current swollen by the spring thaw. In summer, when temperatures are not extreme, it is possible to climb the boulders deeper in the vegetation, perhaps taking advantage of the cooler late afternoon hours. Just remember to arm yourself with Autan to ward off the insects brought in by the moisture.

Logistical advice

It is possible to sleep in a van or camper in the car parks close to the masses, but remember that once you pass through the village of Roccaforte Mondovì, you leave behind you the last chance to have a coffee, buy some food or communicate with your friends who have to join you. It is therefore a good idea to arrive well organised to be able to survive a few days on your own; in any case, both in Roccaforte and in the neighbouring municipalities there are campsites, thermal baths, hotels and spas to make your holiday here even more enjoyable.

The super classic Masso degli Schiaffi, in the Classic Area