Some words about Arco, slab climbing and Niobe 9a

Today, Arco is famous for the Rock Master competition or steep overhangs in Massone. The fame of Arco as a climbing area started with slab climbing. The impeccable grey limestone is clearly visible from the road on slabby and vertical faces, and it is not that surprising that these slabs were one of the first objectives of the early pioneers. Overhangs are, in general, of worse rock quality, you need to clean much more. On top of that, early sport climbing had roots in climbing bigger walls in the mountains, where overhangs are rare.

In those years, Arco looked very different. God-forgotten little town, without any tourists, and with endless possibilities to be discovered for climbing. Heinz Mariacher, Maurizio "Manolo" Zanolla, or Roberto Bassi started bolting some of the early routes on the impeccable slabs like Swing Area or Spiaggia delle Lucertolle. Very demanding routes up to 7c (which could actually be graded higher today), where fingers of steel are equally important as the balance and precision of your feet. It is a style of climbing that got out of fashion years later, and climbing on the steep overhangs took over not only in Arco, but in the rest of the world. But I figured it’s always the right time to make slab climbing cool again. Especially in Arco, where the potential for slab climbing is endless!

To know the past

I always thought that if you want to do something new, something radical that really pushes the limits of the sport, it is essential to know the past. And when I was a teenager, I really wanted to know the historical routes, so I had a better image of what the previous generations of climbers were putting up. And that is why I really wanted to learn the history of Arco climbing. I had already done a few of the historical routes, but probably the most iconic, the last route, and the hardest route being put up in Spiaggia delle Lucertolle (Beach of the Lizards), was still missing. Heinz Mariacher, an absolute legend of the sport, put up the route Tom E Jerry 7c in 1984. It is rarely repeated, wild on climbing in a wild exposure, a vertical wall with poor footholds and handholds being usually the wrong way, which makes the climbing strenuous. You really have to be a master of climbing to make it look elegant, just as climbing back then required. The style and elegance were really important back in the day, mostly inspired by Patrick Edlinger. It was an honor to onsight this route with Heinz himself on the belay.



(Thanks to the Mammut archive department for an amazing old-school outfit)

Future of slab climbing?

But then, it was the right time to take a look at the future of slab climbing. High above the outskirts of Arco, there is a clear stretch of rock that is clearly visible on sunny days. It attracted a few climbers in the past, but they were discouraged by the lack of holds, except for two routes with manufactured holds. My friend Loris Manzana could not resist the curiosity in 2019 and went to check it out himself. He was not disappointed. The wall was not lacking holds, it was actually perfect. Interestingly enough, it only copies the evolution of slab climbing indoors. More and more, you get to climb slabs indoors that are often not about holding microscopic holds, but about a series of complex movements on slopey features, requiring precision of feet, but also power and coordination of the whole body. That is the name of the game in Spetaccolo sector, Due Sassi crag.

Loris encouraged me to go for a few years, telling me that there are projects that are too hard for him. I was always interested and blown away by the photos he showed me, but never really went to check it out for real. Big mistake! This time, I had high expectations, and they were exceeded by a big margin. This wall is just a big miracle of nature. How is it possible that this wall is a 5-degree slab and still has potential for 9th-grade routes? It feels like climbing on the sandstone, except for the fact that it is not as sticky as sandstone, it is actually very slippery. But despite having poor friction, it is sort of enjoyable friction, not annoying friction, as it is often on climbs close to the river.

9c in a slab?

First two days, I was checking out two projects, both of which I decided to extend all the way to the top of the cliff. The left line was perfect and ready for the ascent, the right line seemed somehow possible, yet very futuristic. A 9c in a slab? Something that I never really thought would be possible might become reality one day. It was surprising how physically tired I felt after climbing on this wall, with so much pressing with my palms and using my feet in a very different way. We think of slab climbing as something which is not physical at all, but this slab is different. And the physicality of climbing also allows the routes to be so hard.

After two days of rain, I was ready to climb the left project. Loris on the belay, and Heinz as a mental support. It was one of those routes when I am super excited to climb because it is so beautiful, and that is why it is very easy to rush it. My first try was interesting. I made it halfway up, I was trying to rest my arms as much as possible, taking advantage of the few positions where you can release both hands. But once I made it to the first crux, which is a sort of very vague stemming dihedral, I noticed immediately my legs were more tired than I expected. I started stemming, with my feet shaking, and soon I was off the wall...

It was a wild rush of emotions

I had the urge to go again immediately, but it was Loris's turn to try the first part, so I took advantage of it and calmed down a bit, let my feet rest, and set off after Loris. This time, I kept climbing without much rest, and my feet were fresher. I made it through the first crux and continued. It was a wild rush of emotions. I was nervous because this route is so low percentage, and I really wanted to do it. Yet at the same time, I was excited to continue, grateful for being there, in such a wild position with the best view of Arco and Lake Garda. The final crux is a potential heartbreaker, when you have to let go of both hands and reach far right, standing on almost nothing. Clipping the anchor, I was shaking, from both excitement but also disbelief that my feet stayed on the wall.



Loris gave the route its name - Niobe, after the Greek mythical queen who was boasting too much, and that is why she was punished. Loris thinks that with this kind of climbing, you cannot climb with pride, otherwise, you slip off immediately. I think it could be around 9a. Pretty funny to think that you can find a 9a which is 5 degrees slabby. And even more amazing is that there are more lines left to be bolted.

Watch our new film on my YouTube channel by Jan Šimánek.

Photos by Giampaolo Calza.