Barbara Refuge

Italy - Piemonte

The summer months are a problem for us climbers, often too hot and it becomes difficult to find good conditions to climb, so the few existing posts become invaluable.

Fortunately for us a few hours drive there are several high mountains and not so perfect for our goals. This time the destination chosen is located in Val Pellice "Piedmont", so I put myself in agreement with my friend Roberto Bocchi, local area and boulderer callous.

After almost two hours by car to arrive Forterocca finally read the left fork for Refuge Barbara, it's summer, do not wait to get there, Bob has often visited this area, making sure the top is well worth, has already seen many places around the world, I trust.

Around the sign finally begins the final part of the road along a river and climbs steeply up the valley. Hundreds of boulders scattered everywhere are beginning to appear, I acted, most of these blocks are steep, sometimes roofs, apparently clean vehicles and we soloall'inizio of the climb. Roby's car is already far ahead of us, knows the place and continues to climb, and I followed, trying to look around and every time I get distracted and I trembled, threatening to leave the road, because often unprotected sides. Stella stressed implores me to look back and I reassured them by saying that she looks at me and tells me, peace, they will observe the return, I repeat in my mind.

Along the narrow and steep climb to meet continually rising and falling machines, tourists like us way to or from the shelter. They are forced to repeatedly stop and start again.

After yet another sfrizionata I drop almost by chance the eye on the temperature of the water that grows slowly (...?!?!? ...), Even though it is summer without hesitating a second turn on the heating right up to do damage, the hand goes down a little and I reassure myself alone, thinking that both will miss a few more minutes. All 'beginning of diversion was written "only" 9 km, I do not know how many I have made so far but now we should be there. Meanwhile, the cars ahead of me still nailed to admire the butterflies and every blade of grass and leaves that moves, I pray to God that no outbursts behind everything. The indicator rises again, warming to "tablet" is not enough, I say to myself that maybe I had to add water into the engine, or at least do some checking before you leave, I knew this climb, I'm here now, peace ...

Continuous curves for the climb even worse, cars and people on foot I always stop and arrive at the parking delposto down, maybe we, the gaming super final climb, the last 100 meters, which put to further test the machine, and finally arrive at the top.

I can park near the shelter, immediately turn off the means to avoid the imminent explosion of the radiator and go down a little to recover from the stress of last minute.

I realize only now that this beautiful valley opens with fields separated by a river and animals walking free around giant boulders that date from the mountains on either side, speechless I open my heart immediately.

It 's beautiful.

First, once within the shelter for a small supply energy, divorandomi a sandwich, which I quickly acquainted with the manager, Roby had already explained our passion and the desire to enhance the area. The place definitely deserves and would come other people who are passionate about bouldering in search of passages to prove that both of calm and peace, what do you breathe when you set foot out of the car. We listened, and probably we sent our enthusiasm, the idea of giving importance to the place, even from a perspective different from that of the usual frequenters of the valley he loved.

I'll be back with Stella to take the material, Roby also controls the heater reached the limits of his endurance, ready motivated beckons us to follow him.

We climb keeping us in the middle of the valley, to get a better overview, the boulders are immediately obvious, easy to reach and often the bases of the blocks are flat with grass. The cows graze around us, free from any type of fence, many animals scattered throughout the valley, families with children camping with tents and picnic material.

The style of the rock appears to me immediately congenial, mainly observed sheer panels with notches, all the heights and inclinations. A perfect playground. The adrenaline I get quickly to the brain, let the material and begin to spin like a kid in a toy store, everywhere I turn is "something" that juts out with small cleats, does not seem real, a summer place with lots of new blocks to "discover" and most hard. "It can not be true, I'm dreaming."

Thank you for the gift that Roby has given us and we start to climb without a goal, because everything is still for us to see.

Many outlets are revealed sharp and painful, but thankfully there's a bit 'of everything, so we can not bucarci fingers just arrived.

The steps are many, we jump from one block to another without realizing the real potential, the first day does not need, just climb.

We climb on a panel of 40 ° cut seems, well founded "Fat Bastard" 7c +, is behind the belly of "Big mother," the eighth, I see future lines like "Gollum" 8b "Smeagol" 8a +, then hidden in a 'inlet between two rocks, I find it amazing that I will call an oblique line year after "Kimera" 8c. Many boulders are so large that it becomes easy to invent lines, scale a section is always obtained.

In the evening we stopped at the shelter, which offers a very comfortable place to sleep and eat, quick shower with profumini from kitchens and inviting mega dinner without limitations.

We go to sleep and yet I still see all those pannelloni in mind, I find it hard to sleep because when there are new rocks you live the first stage "magic" of the discovery that excites you, because you do not know what you'll find and discover anything they might even beautiful passages.

The following days were very exciting, with new lines constantly climbing and jumping like chamois from rock to rock we could see the 60/70% of the potential.

In time we came back here often, it is impossible to be bored, because every time we are still new lines, just get a little 'more towards the mountains seem to see many different rocks and compact, also provide a perfect location to relax with friends or family experiencing any boulder.

Every summer convinced many friends to come with us, even those who travel from far and remain satisfied, by Dai Koyamada Japan last summer when he arrived he started to run for blocks and through the meadows, after careful around perlustrativo told us which is among the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

The potential is still much to consider, going up the mountain we found new rocks at the top, about 30/40 minute walk from the refuge.

The last field is discovered "Ship", a little higher than others. It takes its name from the giant rock shaped like a large boat, complete with bow, stern and hold the back side gives us a huge roof with very fine lines as "The Black Beast", an 8b following the only long-slit that bisects the boulder.

Even Marzio Nardi and friends have valued part of the boulders found along the river, on the paved road to reach the refuge, and if you add up all together, then the whole area offers so many steps, with contrasting styles: in addition to water taken with a smooth flat rock while the grip on the top prevails notches. The whole place is full.

Summer weather is perfect, the shade or in the evening and the condition is optimized to scale, and even the sun, the heat is dry, keep in mind that the area of the refuge is located at 1,800 meters and the time can vary quickly, many times we were overtaken by sudden rains, thankfully the sheer multitude of panels are also useful in these cases, the rock also dries fairly quickly, so do not lose heart maybe it's just summer storms. Along the river instead of the areas you can also attend in midseason as the proportion falls dramatically, especially since the summer meet many swimmers who prefer the tranquility of the mountains to the beaches.

Speaking with the manager of the hut we decided to create a local guide, so that everyone understands how to get easy steps.

A copy is always fixed at the entrance of the shelter, often updated in real time, otherwise you can download for free from the website www.infobulder.com

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Roberto Bocchi

I want to say that the area in question blocks has not been discovered by me.

I was brought here, the first time, a friend named Alex who with Marco Parodi Demarchi and Roby Boulard climbed on these blocks already in the 80s.

Obviously the optics was the 'climbing' of that time, there was no crash-pads or shoes hyper-members, so they tended to choose passages cracked or otherwise 'easy' for the modern canons. The red dots you see on some passages are a reminder of those years.

Everything I did was see through the eyes of today, the potential of the area and clean certain parts (I'll never forget the day, turning on its own, and then I discovered the beautiful clean line in the 'Big Mother') .

All the rest of the work, the discovery of the blocks less obvious, cleaning (fortunately they were never mopped) and obviously the hardest climb of the steps, it's all about Christian and Stella who have devoted much time to this place, and not only to scale.

Specifications:

Access:

Region of Piedmont, near Turin.

Liguria: Savona-Turin motorway, exit "Marene-Cherasco".

Follow signs for "Savigliano-Saluzzo", then Saluzzo, then follow the "Cavour-Pinerolo", Cavour at the traffic lights go straight for "Val-Pellice Campiglione", then "Torre Pellice".

From Torino: Torino-Pinerolo, at the end of the motorway continue left to right Pellice leaving the road for Sestriere.

After "Luserna San Giovanni" go straight coming first in Villar Pellice then, shortly before "Forterocca" take the left turn for "Refuge Barbara." (Where there is a bus stop with meadows). Up the valley to the hut where the road ends.

Period:

From April-May until the first snowfall in November.

Rock:

Serpentine. Still very compact, sharp and abrasive.

Prevalence notches.

Support:

Refuge Barbara.Possibilità refreshment and overnight

TEL. 0121 930077 (ask for Robert)

(You can rent crash pads)