Rian Cornei settore Bocca di Bacco
Foto di Eugenia Teodorani
As the crag faces north, this is definitely a summer climbing venue. It is also one of the few cliffs where climbing is possible even while it is raining, because due to its rock conformation the chains do not ever get wet.
In fact this is a cave with big holds and overhanging routes, which in most cases have a roof section towards the end of the route. It houses 9 routes between 8 and 16 m long and grades from 6a to 7a.
The routes are definitely stamina routes in steep overhangs with only one negative aspect that the dimensions and types of holds of the individual routes are quite similar... but the positive aspect is that one rarely finds routes of these grades on equally overhanging rock!
The rock is white limestone unfortunately not always of the best quality, proof are the yellow areas were pieces were previously broken off.
However, this crag was developed a number of years ago and the holds that are left should be quite solid.
Of the 9 routes, 5 have been re-bolted and 4 new routes have been added.
The pre-existing routes were originally bolted in 1989 by Guido Grappiolo and Fulvio Balbi and re-bolted in 1994 by Andrea Costaguta, Enrico Civico and Marco (Thomas) Tomassini while and the new routes were put up at the same time.
Access:
Exiting the motorway at Feglino there is two possibilities. The first is to turn left and continue in direction of Orco until one reaches a stop sign after about 3.2 km where you turn right and follow the downhill road in direction of M. Cucco (see the signpost). After the sign continue for another 500 m until you come to an small building (on your left), cars can be parked off-road on the right side of the road (4.1 km from the motorway exit). The second possibility is to turn right and continue towards Finale L., after 1.7 km from the motorway exit turn left, close to a ramp which leads to M. Cucco (see the signpost Ristorante La Sosta) and follow this road until you come to the previously mentioned small building obviously now on your right a 1,7 Km (4 km from the motorway exit).
From here follow the concrete road, which leads to the small building and after that the dirt road on the right (marked with a red dot) until you come to see a bar, at this point turn right.
During the approach to "Bocca di Bacco" several other climbing crags are passed on the way. The first of these crags is "Un domani" which you will see on right after about 5 minutes walking time. At the junction continue straight ahead, the path goes steeply downhill with a typical rocky ramp (on the right higher up are the sectors Gelateria del Bosco and Italsider). 10 min further on by foot you come to the characteristic rock platform called of "Ciappo delle conche". Crossing this follow the downhill path, which then leads uphill again and after about 8 min you come to a junction at which you turn left and pass below the small crag "Omo ora". Continue and after about 4 min you walk the last piece steeply uphill at the end of which you shortly arrive at the base of "Bocca di Bacco".
It is a good idea to take a good look leftwards when you are at the platform "Ciappo delle conche", because from here you can already see the cave of "Bocca di Bacco" and it helps to reach it afterwards.
The approach to reach the crag "Bocca di Bacco" takes about 40 minutes on foot. ATTENTION: The motorway access and exit Feglino is one directional, it is only accessible if you are coming from or going to Genoa, so if you are approaching Finale from Ventimiglia you have to use the exit Finale Ligure.
ATTENTION! Don't leave any valuables in the car, unfortunately in this zone cars are frequently broken into!
