Today marks the start of a new adventure. The location is, as always, Val Masino and its pearl Val di Mello. The reason is the usual one: to take part in a ritual and meeting that has repeated itself for 11 years: Melloblocco.
Fotostrecke: Melloblocco 2014: Preview
The bouldering event. The (unmissable) rendezvous for all those who interpret climbing as a game. For all those who throw their hearts beyond all climbing difficulties and believe that meeting others who share the same love is something intrinsically linked to happiness.
For all of these people Mello is a journey, to go climbing, to meet up, to immerse into that natural universe of boulders that have plummeted from the sky, of fairy-tale rock faces and emerald-green forests and meadows that seem to be have been made specifically for climbing. And to be admired.
The Melloblocco formula is simple and unchanged. Boulderers (Melloblockers) converge to Val Masino from all over the world and from all of Italy. They come in vast numbers, of all ages, many are mere youngsters. Some come for the first time while others have never missed a meeting. There are champions and beginners. All have their own little big dream, their boulder (alias problem to solve) to conquest. Climbing is the name of the game four days, followed by climbing and… even more climbing.
And then it's time to celebrate, to join others and listen to music, dance, watch films, meet the countless climbing stars. All of this is marked by freedom and free climbing with one single rule: respect for others and for Nature. Melloblocco is reached on foot or via the shuttle buses provided by the organisation while the valley, at the end of the "game", remains exactly as is was before.
So things kick off today. Registration begins at 17:00 at the sports centre Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna at Filorera (Masino). At 18:30 the watercolour exhibition "AcquaMello" by Kim Sommerschield is inaugurated. At 21:00 the Melloblocco 2014 will be officially inaugurated and this will be followed by a concert by the Kreole Gang Band. And by the launch of the Chinese lanterns, another unmissable starting ritual for those who love Melloblocco.
Communication Melloblocco
Mountain Network – PlanetMountain.com
When: 30 April – 4 May 2014
Where: Val di Mello / Val Masino (Valtellina, Sondrio, Italy)
What: the world's biggest bouldering meeting
Who: for all those who love bouldering, from across the globe
What for: climb the numerous boulders and valley rock faces
Organisation: Associazione Operatori Val Masino Info and program: www.melloblocco.it