We didn't have any other plans for Saturday 17th of April, so we had time to do
something Martin wanted to do. This meant as usual to look for another climbing site, this
time Vaccarese above Ballabio.
We started out
at a good pace, but the terrain soon proved to be quite steep. After a short while we got
to a path in the forest where we enjoyed a pleasant walk among all the nice flowers. (We
had a lot of time to do that, because we where walking very slowly.)
The weather wasn't to good, in fact quite cold at higher altitudes. The lunch got less
comfortable than it could have been, but the place would have been beautiful on a sunny
day. We stopped at an old meadow after crossing a very steep field. Rebekka had a nap in
her sleeping bag, so we had to stay for a while.
Because of the snow that fell some days earlier (as rain in Milano of
course) it was some mud and quite slippery, with small streams flowing everywhere. When we
arrived at the climbing site, which was much closer to the meadow than we thought, we
could see small waterfalls coming down the cliff in several places. Not a very good day
for climbing...
From here on everything got easier and more fun. Even if it didn't get
any warmer (even Rebekka was a bit cold, and she has never looked chilly before), the
terrain got easier and more interesting.
Lunchbreak with a view towards
Lecco
After lowering our self down a narrow crack (someone had put up highly
necessary ropes and wires), we followed the path that snaked itself along the
mountainside. A charming place (and we didn't have to walk uphill) with flowers peaking up
from the snow and small streams which looked much nicer than those at the climbing site.
We had to cross some streams, which promised to turn into rivers at some times, walking on
some logs with wire railing for our hands.
Rebekka and Dad during a descent
on a ferrata close to Vaccarese
Unni crossing a small stream close
to Piani Resinelli
It was on this part of the trip we passed by Sasso di Alippi, Alippi's stone, which also was a
climbing site, but I would say it is for more advanced climbers. On all the 7 routes, I
personally only counted one (1) hold that could be used, and it was artificial... This
stone is described in more depth on another page.
The walk down became quite laborious.
We had to walk downhill along the road for 3 hours or so before we met a helpful bus
driver who gave us a lift even without tickets. We probably looked so tired and bewildered
walking there in the dark, with a very serious-looking baby, that he didn't dear to do
anything else. But overall the trip turned out very well despite a difficult start!
