I now travel all over the world, participating in competitions and following my climbing projects, but I like to come back often to Lake Garda, where I used to come and climb when I was young and where I achieved many feats. Things have changed a lot in the past twenty years.
I remember that at the end of the Nineties Massone was incredible. It was one of the few really overhanging cliffs that required extremely difficult, athletic movements. There were only a few routes and, as the number of climbers grew, they quickly became greasy and the cliff’s popularity declined. Some of my friends in the Czech Republic actually stopped going there. Now things have changed: the Sarca Valley is experiencing a new lease of life.
Many new walls have been cleared of vegetation, for instance Padaro, where you can find easy grades that are suitable for beginners who want to start climbing as well as really difficult high-grade routes (9a or higher). Also, the climbing style is different. People are now seeking more modern, physical styles, preferring spectacular movements on vertical columns or stalactites to classic progression.
