Set off with all our canyoning and climbing gear even though the weather forcast for the following two days was uncertain. In the end, canyoning turned out to be the best activity to do under the rain!
Our initial plan to descend the famous Palvico Canyon soon disintegrated: Too much water, too cold and unwilling to start the canyoning season suffering... Instead we choose the short Baes Canyon. Wearing wetsuits we began abseiling, taking us easily to the final amd elegant 45m fall, perforating the beautiful view of the lake. From there we crossed a natural rock bridge of doubtful resistance, arriving straight to the Lake, framed by the snowed peaks in the background...
More endless rain! ...Searching the canyoning guide for another nearby canyon that could be done with rain, we discovered the San Michele Canyon… We moved to Campione del Garda were we checked out the water capacity to be normal and labelled it our descent for the following day.
Uahhhhhh!!!! Very sleepy the morning after! Cold and so unpleasant to undress and wear yesterday’s soggy wetsuit, carrying a frozen rucksack full of heavy wet ropes.
Et voila! 1:30 hours approach not corresponding to the guide's description but that in the end brought us to the little bridge with access to the canyon anyway.
An initial 28m abseil entering the deep, narrow and perfect gorge which we scrambling along for almost 2 hours . The tall corridor is geologically fantastic but very engaging as there are no points of escape! Then an endless 250m swim down the long lake marking the end of the gorge awaited us, followed by a spectcular waterfall between the dam and the maze of artificial walking platforms with three more abseils that lost their charm progressively until reaching the port of Campione.
Fresh and well eaten we resumed the road home, stopping at “La Pizzeria” free climbing crag to squeeze out the last of our strength on the magnificent cliffs of Arco, dreaming about returning very soon...
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BAES CANYON, Tignale
Park before the entrance to the Gallery, under the Limoniera! To be descended when other canyons are too full of water... Fun abseils, but the water not so clean.
Change in level: 200m
Length: 700m
Non Aquatic Gorge. Difficulty: Easy
Approach: 45 min - Return: immediate
Descent: 2 hours
Highest waterfall abseil: 50m
 Click for more Baes photos |
SAN MICHELE CANYON, Campione
Wonderful approach. Engaging first 2 hours covering a fantastic narrow corridor with no escape points. Beware of storms as water levels can rise fast. Disappointing after the 55m waterfall abseil!
Change in level: 250m
Length: 3000m
Aquatic Gorge. Difficulty: Medium
Approach: 1:30 hours - Return: immediate
Descent: 3-4 hours
Highest waterfall abseil: 55m
Click for more S Michele photos
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