Canyoning in the Alps. Simon Flower

general, the summer months (mid-July to mid-September) are the best time for canyoning in the Italian Alps and Ticino. Days are frequently sunny and periods of prolonged rain unusual. August is the hottest month – often rising to 30°C in the middle of the day – and the cool mountain streams make very welcome retreats. However, this is the peak month for Italian tourism – accommodation is expensive and harder to find, and certain canyons can get busy with groups (although this is much less a problem than in southern France or Spain). Afternoon storms, the canyoner’s nemesis, are also a feature of the Alps in the summer months. This is especially true in northern Italy and Ticino, where the warm, moist air of the Mediterranean meets the cool air of the mountains. More than at any other time of year, it is essential to check the weather forecasts (details given in each chapter) and monitor the sky for signs of cloud build-up.

      Bouldery going in Massaschluct (Route 1 in the Valais Alps)

      As the summer wears on, water levels usually decrease. Days cool off a little and the crowds go home. Good weather can stretch into October, although tourist facilities start to close down. Without the heat, any rain that falls tends to augment the rivers for much longer, and on the higher slopes it may fall as snow. Although certain canyons may remain feasible into autumn, canyoning in winter conditions is an entirely different sport. Rivers freeze over and narrow passages become choked with snow. Different skills and equipment are needed, such as ice axes, crampons and specialist clothing. It is not within the scope of this guidebook to describe canyon descents at this time of year. Nevertheless, it is a sport gaining in popularity.

      Spring is generally too wet for alpine canyoning. Long periods of rain can render all descents impossible, and the canyons draining the higher slopes become swollen with melt-water. Additionally, dangerous pockets of snow can persist in sun-deprived canyons until early summer.

      Visiting in early summer is a possibility. June, for example, is often a pleasant time in the Alps. The heat isn’t as intense, the mountains are lush green and there are far fewer tourists around. Rainy days may be more frequent, but certain descents remain feasible or even preferable, depending on your level of expertise and thirst for challenge. Ticino in particular enjoys a slightly longer season than the rest on account of its many hydroelectric installations, which act to moderate the flow of water (see the Ticino chapter for details). Be warned, however – the more aquatic canyons will be very dangerous at this time of year.

Getting there

      By air

      The Val d’Ossola, Lake Como and Ticino areas are all within a 90-minute drive of Milan. The plethora of cheap flights to Milan’s airports makes it the first choice destination. These are, from west to east – Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio (in Bergamo). Malpensa airport is best for Val d’Ossola and Ticino, but there isn’t a great deal in it, and there are also trains from Geneva airport to Domodossola. For the Dolomites, flying to Venice Marco Polo or Treviso are generally better options, as Milan is a three- to four-hour drive away. For Carnia and the Julian Alps, which are further east still, Trieste and Klagenfurt serve as well as the Venice airports. Zurich airport is also convenient for the Ticino area, being about a two-hour drive or train journey away.

      By train

      All areas are well served by rail (see individual chapters for details). Useful websites are www.raileurope.co.uk and the national rail websites of Italy and Switzerland, respectively www.ferroviedellostato.it (or www.trenitalia.com) and www.sbb.ch.

      By car

      Anyone intending to drive from the UK or northern Europe should bear in mind that the journey time from Calais to Biasca, in the Ticino region, is about nine hours (if you’re lucky), and involves nearly 1000km of driving and multiple toll booths. Val d’Ossola, Lake Como and the southern Dolomites are about one, two and four hours further on respectively.

Getting around

      For most areas, a car is essential given that most canyons are accessed by minor mountain roads not served by public transport. It is often better (and frequently necessary) to have two cars for shuttling people between start and finish, where a long walk would otherwise be necessary. Some canyoners opt for a car and bicycle. On busier roads hitch-hiking may be an alternative to two cars, and is generally quite easy in the Alps. The distance of any shuttle-run is given in the route description for each canyon to help you decide at a glance whether one or two cars are needed. Canyoning by public transport is only a possibility in Ticino, which has a frequent and reliable bus service and where canyons are close to main roads but the buses aren’t cheap.

      Almost all the motorways, or autostrada, in Italy are toll roads, and toll booths are reasonably frequent. Cash and credit cards are accepted. There are no toll booths in Switzerland, but all cars driving on motorways (recommended to reduce driving times) are required to have an annual toll sticker, or vignette, displayed in the windscreen. These can be purchased at the border for a modest sum and are valid for 14 months, from 1 December to 31 January the following year. See the Swiss Federal Customs Administration website (www.ezv.admin.ch) for prices.

      It is also worth noting that Italian sign-posting is frequently inadequate and inconsistent. Having a sat nav can significantly reduce the amount of time driving aimlessly back and forth!

      The approximate driving times and distances between the four areas are given below.

      Walk-in along Valle di Darengo (Route 44 at the north of Lake Como) (photo: Simon Flower)

Waymarking, access routes and maps

      Approach walks vary from the very straightforward to the virtually invisible or physically brutal. Some approach walks make use of existing walkers’ paths (many of which are numbered in the Italian Alps); others have breathed new life into paths that would otherwise have crumbled away. Splashes of paint are frequently used to make route-finding easier, although the sight of paint should not necessarily reassure you that you’re on the right track. One marker that can be trusted though is the distinctive Associazione Italiana Canyoning (AIC) emblem – a blue spot on a white background (Italy only).

      Owing to these route-finding difficulties, a necessarily detailed walk-in description is given in this guide for each canyon, along with a sketch map. Be warned that things change. Depending on a canyon’s popularity, a walk-in may become more or less obvious over time, or may change altogether if a preferred route is found. Access rights change over time too, so what may be freely accessible now may be out of bounds by the time you arrive. Seek local advice if uncertain.

      Access to canyons can be complicated – if in doubt (in Italy) look out for the AIC marker (photo: Simon Flower)

      Detailed topographic maps are usually unnecessary, but those wishing to buy them will find details in the ‘Practicalities’ section near the start of each regional chapter. They will certainly be needed if you wish to do any walking or via ferrata in the area. On the other hand, a good road map is very useful (1:200,000 or better). There are many such maps available, but perhaps the most convenient are the 1:200,000 Touring Club Italiano maps. These cover the whole area of this guidebook in just two sheets: ‘Lombardia’ (which covers Val d’Ossola, Ticino and Lake Como) and ‘Veneto-Friuli Venezia Giulia’ (which covers the Dolomites, and Carnia and the Julian Alps).

The risks of canyoning

      Although most trips will pass trouble free, accidents do happen. Understanding