Valle dell’Orco (Orco’s valley) is clearly a stunning area for mountain lovers, well known for its unspoiled nature and its huge amount of climbing routes that run on perfect slabs and amazing cracks.
The Orco river has carved this narrow valley from West to East, through the Levanne massif (South) and the Gran Paradiso Park (North). The valley is about 6 km long, rising from an altitude of about 600 meters above sea level up to 2500. From the valley floor it is possible to admire the summits of Gran Paradiso (4061 m.a.s.l.) and the three Levanne (Levanna Centrale 3619 m.a.s.l.). There is also a nice artificial lake called Ceresole lake.
There are plenty of paths to practice with snowshoes, to mountain-biking or simply walking. One could also find severe hiking trails, requiring a lot of effort and good physical preparation. The valley is equipped with many alpine refuges.
During the winter, the coast of Ceresole lake turns into a cross-country ski track, while downhill skiing can be practiced in Chiapili and Locana on Alpe Cialma.
There is good news also for fishing lovers: there is a nice reserve that is open from the last Sunday of February until November.
Ok, stop to the valley description digression and let's go back to climbing.
Valle dell’Orco is really famous for its amazing trad climbing routes. What makes these routes so beautiful? It is the rock! The rock is the super high quality gneiss of Gran Paradiso area that formed nice crags featuring compact slabs and perfect cracks.
Nowadays, alongside great classic routes, one can find also more modern lines of great commitment and also short and well-equipped climbs. And there is certainly no shortage of beautiful bouldering areas with a crazy amount of problems!
The area is often cold thanks to high altitude (1000+ meters), so the Summer turns out to be a good season for climbing here.
Now let’s talk about Rifugio Massimo Mila. We decided to group in this topo three great sectors that frame the lake of Ceresole Reale and are nestled in a beautiful larch forest.
Boulders that are most frequented can be found in sector Barcaiolo. Here one can find some of the best boulders of Valle dell’Orco. We suggest boulders La volpe, Rattigan and Alambicco.
Gozerland has some nice highballs and you should really climb on boulders Succo di frutta and Fireball.
Tesla is really close to the car park and to the electric plant. Nice boulders are Canino, M.B. and Ginepro. The rock here has a lot of grip and it is abrasive. Keep an eye on your skin if you want to climb in the next days!
Boulders range from 4 to 7C. There are more than 120 problems of quite various styles. What about landings? They are generally quite good since the pads placement is easy, but there are some highballs that require more attention.
Average altitude of the area is 1600 meters above sea level.
Approach of all the sectors is easy and suitable for children (and even short depending on where you have parked).
The area around the refuge “Rifugio Massimo Mila” is nice and has a lot of pic nic areas. A visit to the lake is mandatory!
