Back in 2007 I went on an old blokes bouldering trip to Val de Mello. There’s loads of places to go bouldering in Europe, and locations fall in and out of favour and fashion, depending on who’s done what and what’s getting pushed by magazines, media and manufacturers.

Mello though is special, principally because it has everything, bouldering, single and multipitch sport, trad and big walls. It is an alpine Yosemite, not as in your face as the valley – there’s no obvious El Cap, or Half Dome, despite this, like it’s American counterpart it probably contains a lifetime of climbing. Each year the valley hosts a climbing festival MelloBlocco, this drives development and ensures there is an ever increasing range of problems.

The rock is a good, clean granite and many of the blocks are similar to thoise that litter the floor of Yosemite – without many of the trees. We flew out from the to Milan picked up the hire cars and began the 2.5hr journey to the Valley.
Mello is located North East of Lake Como, the valley lies to the South of the Badile and Bregaglia and East of Monte Dizgrazia. We stayed in the Miramonte Hotel in Val Masino (bouldering on your doorstep), but there’s a wide range of accommodation available, from refugios to apartments.

I guess the location is sub alpine, we went in October when conditions were ideal, cold and crsp (frosty) in the morning but just right in the sun.

I can’t remember any names or grades of the problems, but you’ll ‘get the picture’, the quality was very high……..And while we didn't do anything over 7a+ there's a wealth of hard stuff for those capable. If you are on an extended Euro trip, it is worth serious consideration.
















A great place - add it to your international list!

Steve