lunedì 12 dicembre 2011

Bella Regis video!!

Here is a new video made by Gruppo Struktura,Petzl and Beal about the new crag Bus de Vela in Trento(Italy) and one of the last routes I bolted and then made the first to send... Bella Regis 8c+!
Enjoy!





mercoledì 7 dicembre 2011

Riti Tribali!

Just a short post about my last ascent!

Yesterday, after only four tries in two days, I was able to climb Riti Tribali 8c+ in Angelone(Specchio del Grifone)! A route opened a few years ago by Adam Ondra in one of his visits in Northern Italy!
It is a cool route... it starts in a small cave with some difficult and physical moves on pinches and tufas until you get to a rest! To this point it could be graded 8b!

After the rest you have a hard and continuous part! The wall become less steep and the climb gets very bouldery and intense on slopers and bad feet... You need to be very precise and careful on this hard part since it's very easy to mess up!...
Photos by Could be Worse Photography © Gianluca Bosetti


Here is the actual footage of the ascent by Maurizio Mangione:

Gabriele Moroni - Riti Tribali 8c+ from Granze on Vimeo.


Onto the next PROJECT!...

lunedì 28 novembre 2011

Masoniamoci!

Last tuesday I went to check out this nice winter crag near Lecco named Masone!

Plan of the day was trying the moves of Adam Ondra's 2009 route Masoniamoci 8c+/9a(maybe 9a he says) and see if it could have become a possible project for the near future!...
On my first day on it I was able to do all the single moves of the starting boulder problem but couldn't even link two of the hardest togheter. And I barely did the crux move, a deadpoint move from two very bad undercuts to a very far slopey rail.
Masoniamoci is defenitely a very bouldery route consisting in a super hard bottom part followed by a short but resistent 8a route!

The first part is about 12 moves long with a kinda jump start to get a sidepull, two terrible shouldery moves on gastons, a very high foot step, a crazy small undercling to match and a final brutal deadpoint move to get a slopey rail... from here you have another 5 easier but still difficult moves to get a good hold! Adam says he felt this section as an 8b boulder and I do the same!
The second part of the route starts right after the good hold with another long move from one bad edge to get a better hold with a weird heel hook... after this last awkward move the difficulty drops significantly! Easier moves on better holds but still pumpy and of course you don't want to fuck up...

On my second day on it I started to link the hardest moves togheter and I had the top part perfectly dialed. After a few more tries I felt so good on the boulder and I fell(twice) at the deadpoint!... Getting close and ready for the send I thought but my skin was trashed and I had to wait for another day...
After one day of rest I got back on my project on saturday. I felt physically good and my skin was healed enough for a few good tries! Luckily I only needed one! On my first go of the day everything went perfectly and still in the morning I was done with my route... I had all the afternoon to chill in the sun and spend time with friends!! Great succesful day!...

Photos by Could be Worse Photography © Gianluca Bosetti



In my opinion Masoniamoci is a great bouldery route... for sure one of the best in this style I have done! The rock is a perfect limestone and the route climbs on a great looking blank 40° overhanging wall!...
I feel this route could be comparable in style and difficulty with my own Elementi di Disturbo in Gressoney. The boulder problem on EdD is maybe a bit easier but the top is harder and more resistent... I think the slash grade is perfect for both these two routes I have climbed! 8C+/9A!


Here is a video of the actual ascent by Maurizio Mangione:

Gabriele Moroni - Masoniamoci 8c+/9a from Granze on Vimeo.


lunedì 21 novembre 2011

Bus de Vela(Trento)... end of the season!

After China I needed a break... a mix of 30+ hours of travel and airports,jet lag and fatigue killed my body and my mind...
So I took one week of rest. After this stop I was starting to feel ok  so I slowly began to climb again... First a couple of times in the gym doing easy stuffs then some fingerboard sessions at home and finally a couple of days on the rock again!
Now I feel I'm getting in good shape again and this weekend I spent my last day of the season in Trento(Bus de Vela). I had a little, but very long, project I couldn't do the last time I was here...
This route is the only link up route(but pretty logical) in the crag and it is very good and fun to climb!
This time despite the glacial temps I didn't punt at the last move and I was able to get the first to send on my first go of the day placing almost all the 15quickdraws on this 35meters route!
"Siamo squali nelle reti" is the name and the grade is around 8b+!!...

Here are a couple of pictures by Matteo Pavana!



giovedì 3 novembre 2011

Petzl RocTrip China 2011 and Coup de Bambou!

Hey everybody!
Here I am again after a couple of weeks since my last post...
During this time I've been far away from home... China exactly, Getu Valley to be more precise! In this not so well know area was held the annual Petzl RocTrip! Getu is a small rural village in perfect Chinese style... but for about a week it has been transformed in a real climbers base camp...
Petzl did a huge work to make this RocTrip possible and at the end I would say It was one of the best event I took part in my life! A huge community of climbers and friends lost in the heart of China... Every day was just waking up, noodle breakfast, climbing a muerte all day long on the beautiful crags, rice dinner and party every night with videos,slideshows and of course local beer and baijiu rice wine!!

Rock climbing in Getu is just amazing! The huge arch is defenitely one of the most impressive things I've seen. It's so massive you can't even imagine until you are there! Since I didn't have many days I climbed every day here... and I got very syked with a project!
The route is called Coup de Bambou! It's a direct start of an 8c/+ called Polvo Tecnico. Michael Fuselier bolted this direct version and started trying it with Enzo Oddo a couple of days before I got there! Since I saw the route for the first time I've been inspired! Watching Mike and Enzo trying it, the route seemed to suit my style really well... at least the first part! The style and the features of the rock remind me a bit of my projects back in Trento!... Plus the desire to make a hard first ascent so far from home is big! So I said to myself...why not?

photo Beau Kahler 5.10

First day I climb on easier stuffs and learn the style. I decide to attack on my second day!
Already on my first try I'm able to do all the moves... as I thought the bottom part suits well my climbing... about 30° steep wall, big but precise moves, pinches, edges and a few balls features! And of course very bouldery!
Second part is pretty hard for me, less steep,not so hard moves but alot of them and very pumpy with slopers,bad footholds and a few kneebars... basically all my weak points!!
After a couple of days of work with all the homies, Dave,Enzo,Mike,Jon,Gerome etc I have found all the sequences that work for me and I have the top part figured out pretty well! I start to feel ready for some serious links!
One day I fall at the last move of the first part and I know It could go in the next tries but I am running out days... Two more to be precise.
So I decide to rest one and go crush mode on the last one!

On my last day I wake up well rested and syked! At breakfast I meet Jon that looks as syked as me for his project and we get to the Arch pretty early! The Petzl RocTrip is over two days before so we are almost alone at the crag!
I decide to warm up straight on the project to practice the moves one more time! Jon does the same and on his second try he fall at the very last move on his project Polvo Tecnico!! I'm sure he will crush it easily before he leaves!
On my second go of the day I feel very good but I slip on the bottom crux... it's still morning and some holds are humid and greasy. I decide to wait a few hours and try it again with better afternoon conditions! The luck seems to be on my part in fact a nice wind started blowing after my attempt!


photo Beau Kahler 5.10

Some hours later I'm ready one more time at the start of the route... Jon at the grigri, Juju Nadiras behind the camera and a huge support crew of good friends: Dave,Joe,Mel,Petitou,Sean and many others! First part goes well and I'm at the crux. I execute the crux perfectly and I'm at the weird last hard move of the first part where I fell two days before! This time I barely stuck the move and I move fast till the kneebar rest.
I probably rest five minutes and I think I have to give 100% if I want to send the project!
So from here I start to climb precisely and try to remember every hand and foot placements. Everything goes well and after another couple of shaking points I am at the last sequence, the redpoint crux. Here I try to be as focused as possible... I don't want to fuck up at the last few meters! Even if it's hard and technical and I start to feel really fatigued I don't want to fall!
I pass the hardest move and one more time I try to climb so precise. The last moves go perfectly and I am at the chain in a great state of euphoria!! Coup de Bambou is done and I am proud of this great first ascent!

About the grade as always is difficult to say but many world class climbers tried it in these days and the consensus seems to be 9a so the hardest route in China with Spicy Dumpling by Ethan Pringle in Yangshuo!!

Big thanks to Petzl for make this trip happen,Five Ten, team USA for make me feel part of the crew, team France, Jon for the early start, Dave for the kneepad, Mike for bolting this great route, Marcos for the multipitch warmup, Enzo,Mel,Princess Ricola,Mimin and Zorbey and all the climbers and new friends I met!

Here is a first video about the event! It was shooted on the first days before the RocTrip started so only the French Team and a few others were there but at least you can understand how great the place is!!...

mercoledì 19 ottobre 2011

Bella Regis!

Last couple of weeks I was in Trento climbing in the beautiful crags of the area!
I left home with one route in the head. I bolted this beautiful line during a few days last spring and called it Bella Regis!...
The rock formation is one of the most impressive I've ever seen, a huge roof prow and the route follows exactly the arete line with no possibility to go right or left!
When I bolted it I hoped there were enough features to climb it and I hoped to find a next level route...
After a few goes to clean and put chalk on it I figured out the moves and I realized the route would have not been that hard... well very difficult but actually not in the 9th grade... little shame but the route remains one of the best lines I've seen around and I'm very proud it is one my creature!!
I tried Bella Regis a couple of days after I bolted it, a couple of days this summer after the World Champs in Arco in the heat and finally I sent this season with decent conditions!
So psyched the process is over! From visualizing the line (impossible not to notice it though) passing from bolting,cleaning,put some efforts and finally do the first ascent!!... I think the grade is around 8c+ but as always I wait for a repetition to confirm the grade!!

photo Matteo Pavana

During the last days in Trento I bolted a new king line just left of my last year's route Il Frutto del Diavolo but I didn't have the chance to try it yet! But It looks hard, especially the upper wall where you have to climb a few meters with only a slopey undercut,a bad edge,a shallow annular(for me)mono, a bad tufa pinch and very little bad footholds...
I also left one project I was pretty close... something very bouldery and hard! I hope to finish it in november if it doesn't get too cold...

But first I'm going to CHINA for the annual Petzl Roctrip in Getu Valley!!
It will be the first Petzl Roctrip of my life and I have no doubt it's going to be a great experience!! Fast trip but it will be worth it...
Can't wait to be under the big arch!!!

photo coll.Petzl

giovedì 6 ottobre 2011

Frankenjura and Esino!

Hey everybody!
Sorry for the lack of updates but during september I've been on the road alot!
First in Finale Ligure where I've been routesetting for the Finale For Nepal bouldering competition...3 days of hard work in the heat but it was well worth it! The comp was a great success and everybody liked our boulder problems!...
Then in the great Frankenjura! My favoutite place in the world! Since I did Action Directe I've been only another couple of times, once shooting fot the AD video and another time a few days this summer in heinous conditions, hot muggy and full of mosquitos...
This was the first time I left Italy without a real project, only a few routes in mind I wanted to try!
We got there and first day we decided to climb in the classic Krottensee Turm sector. And of course the first route you see coming from the parking lot is Wallstreet!
Wallstreet is the first 8c in the world climbed of course by Wolfgang Gullich in 1987... my same year of birth...good coincidence!
So Wallstreet immediately got into my list of projects for this trip!
The project didn't seem to last too much in fact from my second go I fell on the last hard move... but I keep falling here on the same move over and over(5 or 6 times) and the route soon becomes a mini epic!
After one rest day of rain I decided it was time to step it up and on my last possible attempt of the day, just before the dark I sent the route!! Epic was over and Wallstreet has became one of my all time favourite 8c's!! Thanks again WG for the amazing routes you put up in the past!
After completing Wallstreet I chose not have other multiple day projects but rather some daily ones.
During the rest of the trip I climbed another couple of routes that were in my "to do" list:
- Stonelove 8b+ a very classic Jerry Moffat route climbed in the 1988
- Armstrong 8c very short route by Markus Bock with a hard mono move... I tried this route in the past years but I thought I couldn't do it due to this tiny mono I couldn't pull and fit properly with the index nor the annular... but this time I could do the move with the annular and nothing stopped me to finish it!


Before Frankenjura I spent some days in a beautiful and unknown crag near Lecco called Esino. The climbing here is beautiful and the routes suit perfectly my style. Not too long,bouldery and complex.
To get in the style of the crag I started climbing the already estabilished routes... after those I tried a couple of projects! One I could climb it in a day, in a few tries at around 8b+!
The other one was harder and I spent a couple of sessions to find the right beta for the crux. This project is called Pizza Connection and it is basically the logical link up of two already existent 8b's with a hard sequence to connect them togheter...
A couple of days after Frankenjura I came back to Esino and after a few more tries with one finished at the last move(Again!!...) I sent the route! Psyched!
Here is the list of the routes I climbed in Esino this season:
- Dirty dancing 8b 2nd ascent
- Moby Dick 8b 2nd ascent
- Take it easy 8b
- Asado 8b 2nd ascent
- La grande illusione 8b 2nd ascent
- Questione di feeling 8b+ 1st ascent
- Pizza Connection 8c 1st ascent (photo by Luca Passini)











martedì 30 agosto 2011

A climbing summer!

Hey everybody!

Here I am again back at home for a while before bouncing again for a climbing trip...
My summer has been fun!
In July I spent ten days in Arco competing in the Bouldering World Champs but unluckily I got an unsuccessful result... I got in the semis but then completely messed up at them... next time!


During the days after the comp, despite the warm temps I climbed a few times in Trento and I got the first to send of a few new great routes: L'Insaziabile 8b, It's mine 8a+ and Taijerino 8a! All of them are 5stars lines!


One night I even took part at the Arco Rock Legends Ceremony where I was nominated for the Salewa Rock Awards with Adam Ondra,Chris Sharma,Sasha Digiulian and Enzo Oddo...
It has been a great ceremony on a stage in one of the main squares in Arco in front of a big crowd!


After Arco me and a big group of friends we moved to Céüse where we spent about three weeks...
We had very good times and met alot of new friends. Weather has been great for all our staying but a bit too warm for my project... I could try it only a couple of times per day and my skin was completely trashed! I will be back for sure next year with better conditions...
A bit tired of a too crowded Ceuse, hot temps, the big hike and other things we decided to drive to Frankenjura... big mistake! It was even warmer and almost impossible to climb due to the humidity and the annoying mosquitoes. So we drove down to Zillertal for the last few days...

Now I am chilling at home for a couple of weeks and getting ready for the fall season to start...
In a few days I will be routesetting a nice bouldering competition in Finale Ligure called Finale for Nepal! The first prize is a journey in Nepal!!!
After that my plan is to climb in the Arco/Trento area for a month or so with maybe a couple of smaller trips in Zillertal and Frankenjura to finish some projects!
In october I might also take part at the San Vito Climbing Festival in Sicily!
And of course I will go to the China Petzl Roc Trip in the Getu Valley!...
It is going to be a busy fall and I'm pretty psyched for it!

martedì 28 giugno 2011

Arco World Champs and Salewa Rock Awards coming soon!

Hey everybody!
I am so sorry for the lack of updates recently but basically I've been doing nothing worth writing about...
But hopefully this will change soon! In 20days I will be in Arco(Italy) competing in the Bouldering World Championships... actually the most important competition of the year!
I'm trying to train as hard as possible despite the heinous heat but it is going quite well... I still have a couple of weeks to get in shape so we will see what happens!


During the same days of the World Champs there will be the annual Arco Rock Legends that will assign two awards: the Salewa Rock Award and the La Sportiva Competition Award!
I've been nominated for the Salewa Rock Award and I'm pretty glad for that...
If you are interested in these awards check out the official page!

After Arco my main plan is to rockclimb as much as possible and trying some dream routes!!

giovedì 28 aprile 2011

Coup de Grace!!!

Coup de Grace!!!
What a beautiful name for a more beautiful piece of rock!
If you don't know the little story about this route I will try to tell you in a few words.
Dave Graham found and bolted this line on the steepest face of a massive boulder, lost in the beautiful Valle Bavona,Ticino,Switzerland! It was a rainy day in the May of 2005...
He started working on this crazy route as soon as it got dry but it soon became too warm for some real attempts and after 6 or 7 days on it he also got a finger injury!
He came back in the fall and after some more days of work he made the first to send giving the personal grade of 9a+!
Coup de Grace shortly became an iconic piece of rock thanks to the climbing movies Dosage III and IV where you can see Dave working on the route first, then climbing on it for the first to send!

I've always been inspired by this route since I watched the video, plus I remember once in Ceuse i was chatting with Dave himself and said me that I would have liked the route... bouldery,slopey,granite,not too long and not too short!Just perfect!
But from the video Coup de Grace looked pretty intimidating so I didn't get to try it untill this year!

Even this year it has been totally casual! Bouldering in Ticino was getting warm and we decided to drive for the first time to the Val Bavona to check out the endless potential of bouldering in the valley.
I decided it was a good day to have a look at the route too. That day I only made one attempt to see how the moves felt like. I was able to do all the moves pretty quickly except for the first boulder that looked impossible at first...
Second day was a couple of days after the World Cup in Milano; I had another couple of working sessions and I finally found a goot way to do the first boulder! Dave's beta was too weird and condition dependant so my new beta was definitely the best for me... more powerful,dynamic and with a very tricky heel placement, perfect for my size and actually a bit easier. I think it could be graded 8a bloc if it would be on a boulder!

Already from the second day I was sure I could send it very quickly... days were getting warmer and I could try to give some good attempts only in the afternoon when the temps dropped off but before the evening humid arrived... what a pressure!!
But since I learnt to deal very well with the pressure in these last months I was taking it easy and be confident! I think this has been the key of such a fast success!

After another few days of tries during the last week, on tuesday we drove one more time to Sonlerto. I was feeling strong and relaxed... even if I knew very well I only had two days before one expected week of rain came and the season was coming to an end!
First day I climbed perfectly all the way till the last move where I fell completely pumped but still confident for the next day.

Next day conditions were much better, I also felt much better on the warmup. I kept the syke high and on my first attempt of the day I smoothly climbed again till the last move... but this time pump left me giving the last slap,doing the dropknee and getting the "thank god" jug at the end of the hard sequence!!! From there I rested as much as I needed and climbed all the way to the top of the huge boulder!
What a beautiful feeling one more time... On the top of the boulder I felt exactly like Dave in Dosage IV!... Just in time! And after only 12tries!

About the grade: I try to give my onest opinion; 9a+ seems a bit esagerated with the new beta for the start. Dave's beta for the start is so hard that I might fall there forever...8b bloc for sure. My beta is more simple and better for a gym climber, powerful dynamic with a huge span move. If I want to use maths it is an 8a bloc to an 8c/c+ route with a not so bad rest before the last 15moves sequence. Result is for me 9a!...

I want to say a huge thanks to all the friends who supported me on this crazy experience: Pellet,Nicky,Max,Dani,Simo,Pik,and Nico! GRAZIE REGIS!

PHOTOS by Nicolò Venturin Chabloz©
If you are interested contact him at nicoventurin@hotmail.com

mercoledì 6 aprile 2011

Some more bouldering,first rope climbing sessions of the year and Milan Bouldering WC coming soon!

Hey everybody!
Spring is finally here and Ticino season is definitely over... I left many projects undone and I can't wait for the next season!
Last weeks in Ticino have been very warm so I moved higher(Magic Wood) or I rope climbed a couple of times!
During my rope climbing days I had the chance to climb two of the best 8b's I've ever done!
Pappataci in Arco

The Doors in Cadarese


I also checked out Sonlerto a nice little area in the Val Bavona. Not many boulders but all good quality!
I was very interested to try Dave's Coup de Grace to see if it could be a possible project for the near future! Except for the first hard boulder(8b bloc) that needs some more work and better conditions, I did all the other sequences very well so I'm pretty psyched to try seriously next fall!

Lately I have been training alot as well. I'm preparing for the first stage of the Bouldering World Cup in Milano coming in two weekends... it's going to be the first WC comp near home and many friends are coming to support me!
After the finals on saturday the 16th there will be a great afterparty in one of the best Discos in Milano so it's better to start getting syked!
Check it out:

giovedì 24 marzo 2011

Nuova guida in uscita: PASSAGGIO A NORD-OVEST


PASSAGGIO A NORD-OVEST
Vie e falesie nel Piemonte occidentale
Maurizio Oviglia, Fiorenzo Michelin

Una guida che getta uno sguardo globale sull'arrampicata nelle valli occidentali del Piemonte.
Dopo la prima edizione del 2005 ecco un aggiornamento, riveduto e corretto di un libro che tenta di accomunare realtà diverse ma geograficamente adiacenti.
Dalla Val Pellice, alla Rocca Sbarua, dalla Val di Susa alla Val Chisone in un viaggio che attraverso le pareti e le falesie presenti narra la storia di una parte importante dell'arrampicata piemontese.

In copertina: Gabriele Moroni su GEO 8c Falesia dell'Alta Tensione Val di Susa

lunedì 21 marzo 2011

Action Directe video!

After nearly one year here it is. The Action Directe video by Davide Zaccone! Enjoy!

watch in HD on youtube!

martedì 8 marzo 2011

It's Bouldering time!!!

Here I am again...sorry for the lack of updates but nothing so special happened during these last couple of months! Only training three times a week to get in shape and some rock in the weekends.
But at least I'm starting to feel good and stronger every day...
I took two weeks off from the training regime to test my form. First week near home, Ticino and Aosta Valley, trying to finish a couple of epic problems I had been close to do in the past!
Second week more in "holiday mode"! In Fontainebleau, the Mecca of Bouldering!
We spent a very good week in term of weather and conditions. The only shame for me was the lack of skin... In fact I already started the trip with completely red tips due to the many attempts I did on Confessions the day before!

Now I will take another week of resting and easy climbing before two or three other hard weeks of training in preparation of the first Bouldering World Cup comp in Milano mid april.
I hope to get in perfect shape for this important appointment... my big goal is to get into the finals and get back in the competitions game after a unsuccessful season last year...
We will see!

Here is a small list(+video) of the boulders I climbed during the last weeks:

- Confessions 8b Cresciano


- La Proue 8b Cresciano


- Gabry Traverse 8b traverse Cubo (First Ascent/35moves)
- Soilwork 8a+ Chironico (FLASH)

- Gecko 8a+ Fontainebleau (did in 5tries/Niccolò Ceria's and my ascent in the video)


- Fata Morgana bas 8a+ Fontainebleau (did just after the stand)


- Megaloman 8a/a+ Cubo
- Fata Morgana 8a Fontainebleau
- Le Beaux Quartiers 8a Fontainebleau
- Nobody ist der Größte 8a Chironico
- Controle Technique 7c+ Fontainebleau
- Bridge over troubled water 7c+ Chironico
- Jackall extension 7c+ Cubo (First Ascent)
- Symbiose 7c Fontainebleau (FLASH)
- Cent Pofs et Sans Reproche 7c Fontainebleau (FLASH)
- Noir desire Fontainebleau 7c (FLASH)

martedì 1 febbraio 2011

Training!!

Not much happened in these last weeks only alot of training training training in the gym!!! I just wanna get stronger!...
I'm planning on hitting the gym three times a week for another month at least and bouldering a bit in Ticino to see if I could finish some problems and test my fitness level!
In march I would like to make a trip... Siurana or Fontainebleau I still don't know...

Here is a small clip of probably the worst 8a in Cresciano... traversing,dubby and it ends matching on a good hold! But a good trainer and fun to climb!

gabriele moroni _ backgammon sit from rivoli on Vimeo.

martedì 18 gennaio 2011

Nice video about my buddy Baistra made by my other buddy Mardoc!

Huge props to my friend Enrico Baistrocchi! On December 26th he climbed Shadowfax in Chironico,Swiss... his first 8b!!
Here is a cool video about his little interesting story on the problem... Made by Davide Mardegan!
Enjoy!

MA I SOGNI NON SI REALIZZANO MAI from MARDOC on Vimeo.

venerdì 7 gennaio 2011

Buma Ye!!

Last wednesday, on my last day in Spain, I finally climbed one of my trip's projects, Buma Ye 8c+ in the Laboratori sector in Margalef!
I had some hard days of work on it... I first thought I could climb it in a few attempts and I made some great links falling at the last hard moves! Then I had many bad days: bad shape,low syke,tired,intense new year's party + recover etc...

The end of the trip came so fast and I still didn't climb none of my projects...
I rested the day before in order to give one last effort to Buma Ye. I give one first try to check the moves again and brush the holds! I feel so bad,pumped and every move feels so heinous.

Well last try last chance I say...
With the last power I have I manage to pass the first part and here I am again at the last crux to get the gaston. I shake well and thanks to the support of my friends I stick the move to the gaston! After another good rest I climb the easier but so technical part till the top of the cliff! What a good way to finish a trip!...
Here is the video of the ascent:http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1824722181548