Città di Uruk in Val Sapin, climbing at the historic crag above Courmayeur in Italy

Città di Uruk is a historic crag in the Aosta Valley, located at circa 1500 meters above sea level in the picturesque and unspoilt Val Sapin, a valley that is closed to traffic and only a stone's throw from Courmayeur. Bolted way back in the 1980s, the cliff quickly fell into oblivion, mainly because the routes were way too difficult for that era and the local climbers didn’t want to chip the rock in order to "soften" the grades.

At the start of the new millennium tireless Alberto Gnerro continued where his predecessors had left off, adding a flurry of easier and harder lines, and currently the crag boasts over 30 routes of all difficulties. Having said that, on average the climbs here are hard. With its small pockets and tiny tufas, this splendid sheet of limestone is a strong contender for being the most beautiful crag in the entire Aosta Valley.

Recommended time of year: autumn or summer, preferably in the afternoon after 16.00 as the wall gets the shade.

TOPO: Città di Uruk, Val Sapin, Italy

NOTE: this year the crag hosts the Tiro Lead event, a particular "non-competion-comp" invented by Andrea Gallo in the '80's tha enables climbers to perform their absolute best when they wish, and not at a precise moment imposed by an "official" climbing competition. Two extremely difficult sport climbs that await a first ascent, from June through to October, with € 1,000 prize money for each category, male and female.

Sponsor: CSC Courmayeur
Technical sponsor: Doc Roc di Alberto Gnerro

Info and rules: www.arrampicatainvalledaosta.it